3, 2, 1... Action! With laughter guaranteed, the 12th Encontro Internacional de Palhaços de Vila do Conde (International Clown Gathering of Vila do Conde) is about to begin. Organised by the company Nuvem Voadora, this year’s edition celebrates and pays tribute to the theme “The Clown in Cinema.” All the brilliant minds who transformed the seventh art through humanity and humour are summoned to this gathering - Chaplin, Tati, Fellini, Keaton… Alongside them, the event welcomes today’s performers who continue their legacy, such as this year’s special guest, Alejandro Escobedo - a multi-award-winning international artist whose poetic virtuosity moves between theatre, circus, and film. From 15 to 21 October, Vila do Conde will become a stage and a screen filled with laughter, poetry, and talent.

“What shall I do when everything is burning?”. Responding to the title of António Lobo Antunes’ book - and to the injustice and violence that mark our times - Nuvem Voadora, the company behind this circus and street theatre initiative, has for the past 12 years organised this gathering in the northern city of Vila do Conde. The Encontro Internacional de Palhaços positions itself as a space without borders, where the most human parts of ourselves are preserved and celebrated through the art of laughter, expressed through theatre, contemporary circus, and music. Now in its twelfth and unmissable edition, the gathering is dedicated to the unforgettable figure of the clown in cinema, and to honour this theme, it offers an exclusive programme including a film cycle featuring classic and contemporary works where the clown spirit transcended the screen, as well as workshops with masters fluent in the languages of clowning and film, and performances by both Portuguese and international artists.

In addition to the workshop “Clown, Juggling and Improvisation,” this year’s special guest, Franco-Chilean artist Alejandro Escobedo, presents “Circo Infinito,” a performance developed at Le Moulin Jaune, the renowned artistic creation laboratory founded by Slava Polunin - the iconic Russian clown from whom Escobedo learned the art of poetic performance during his participation in Slava’s Snowshow in 2021. Also from Chile, the colourful street artist Karkocha will bring his globally acclaimed blend of humour and freedom to the streets and squares of Vila do Conde. From France, the company Tête d’Ampoule promises a performance that may well take your breath away - or your feet! Meanwhile, Denmark joins Portugal in the Companhia Brutal, offering a show of illusion, comic theatre, and a touch of the grotesque. Portuguese clowning is proudly represented in performances by Tânia Safaneta and Nuvem Voadora - where audiences will journey to “Paraíso” through the vision of Pedro Correia, the creator and artistic director of Nuvem Voadora, and follow the adventures of Safaneta’s clown, inspired by the popular poet António Aleixo.

As tradition dictates, the festival’s Saturdays are dedicated to the Gala Solidária (Solidarity Gala), featuring short performances from participating artists as well as other guests from across the globe. This year, proceeds from this multi-artist event will be donated to support artists affected by the devastating wildfires that struck the northern and central regions of Portugal this summer - an act of solidarity with active participation.

The next scenes of the Encontro Internacional de Palhaços will unfold from 15 to 21 October in Vila do Conde, and everyone is invited to take centre stage in this great film of humour.