Festival Língua Terra returns to Setúbal for its third edition, featuring a diverse program of concerts, cinema screenings, and workshops. The event will take place at the Fórum Luísa Todi and the Cinema Charlot – Municipal Auditorium in Setúbal, Portugal, during June and July 2023.
According to founder and organizer Mônica Cosas, “Língua Terra was created with the aim of promoting exchange between artists from the countries united by the Portuguese language and promoting cultural connections and collaborative artistic creations, seeking to make visible the cultural diversity that makes up different territories and contribute to reflections on a more just and equal world.”
This year’s festival emphasizes the cultural manifestations of Brazil, with a focus on female artistic expression, with the entire lineup composed of women who find art a source of expression. The music segment features two great talents from Brazilian music: Adriana Calcanhotto, who invited Salvador Sobral to perform in her concert on June 5, and Bia Ferreira, who will perform on July 2, both on tour to promote their new albums. Additionally, the artist-educator Dani Zulu will lead the “Introduction to Body Percussion” workshop, opening the festival on June 3.
The festival’s program includes screenings of documentaries such as “Aleluia: The Infinite Song,” directed by filmmaker Tenille Bezerra (June 7); “Sons of João: The Admirable New Baiano World,” directed by Henrique Dantas (June 14); and “What I Never Lost,” directed by Marina Thomé (June 21).
Festival Língua Terra was created three years ago by Mônica Cosas, founder, and director of AKassá Produções Artísticas, which manages the project and has been operating in the market for over 20 years. The festival’s aim is to promote exchange between artists from six Portuguese-speaking countries and promote cultural connections and collaborative artistic creations.
Previous editions of the Festival Língua Terra featured performances by Bonga (Angola), Elida Almeida (Cape Verde), Paulo Flores (Angola), drummer Simone Sou (Brazil), the play “Chovem Amores na Rua do Matador,” by Mozambican authors Mia Couto and José Eduardo Agualusa, and a “conversation between Kotas,” featuring Bonga, Betinho Feijó, and Pedro Coquenão (Batida), presenting a unique variety of rhythms and formats.
The event will kick off on June 3 with the “Introduction to Body Percussion” workshop, which is free of charge and will be held on the Roof of the Fórum Luísa Todi. It will be a practical, fun, and full of exchange moment to discover different sounds produced by the body. Dani Zulu is a professional musician and art educator with over 24 years of experience in percussion, influenced by Brazil’s traditional culture, emphasizing local dances, songs, and rhythms.
