Professor, researcher and award-winning animated film director. Since his first short film, “Estória do gato e da Lua” (The Story of the Cat and the Moon), which premiered internationally at the Cannes Film Festival, his work has taken various forms, including short films, site-specific installations, music videos, workshops, publications and academic projects, in a career marked by the relationships between architecture, public space and animated film. Serrazina completed his Master's degree at the Royal College of Art in London (as a Gulbenkian Foundation scholarship holder) and, as an FCT scholarship holder, his PhD at the Lusófona University in Lisbon, where he teaches animation courses (bachelor's and master's degrees). A member of the Society for Animation Studies and the scientific committee of the annual Ecstatic Truth symposium, dedicated to the relationship between animated films and documentaries, he is currently preparing a new film, ‘O Que Sobra de Nós’ (What Remains of Us). In his spare time, Pedro Serrazina is an avid collector of vinyl records and graphic novels.

In the year marking the 67th anniversary of the eruption of the Capelinhos Volcano, children from the parishes of Capelo and Praia do Norte celebrated the date in a creative and symbolic way, through an animated film workshop led by award-winning director Pedro Serrazina.

The activity, developed in stop motion, took as its starting point the figure of the lighthouse keeper — the one who observes and records the world around him — to simulate, with imagination and sensitivity, the experience of the eruption from the perspective of the Capelinhos Lighthouse.

More than just a simple tribute, this workshop was a deeply enriching educational and artistic experience. It stimulated the children's creativity and encouraged reflection on the history of their community, reinforcing their sense of belonging to the territory and valuing the collective memories linked to one of the most significant events on the island of Faial.

At the same time, the activity served as a tool for accessing the arts and new cultural experiences, providing young people with direct contact with the language of animated cinema and collaborative creative processes.

It was also a moment of listening, dialogue and sharing, where children could express their vision of their land's past and imagine ways to preserve it in the present and future.

This initiative was part of the programme of celebrations marking the eruption of the Capelinhos Volcano, reaffirming the role of culture as a meeting place between generations, memory, imagination and the future.

Pedro Serrazina also visited the primary school in the parish of Pedro Miguel to lead a special activity with the children.

Working with pupils from a small rural school, the director provided a unique and engaging experience, sharing the magical world of animated cinema with the youngsters. In an accessible and playful way, the director showed how cartoons are created — from the initial idea and first sketches to the animation of characters and settings.

This activity not only aroused the children's curiosity and enthusiasm, but also allowed them to have direct contact with a professional artistic process, opening doors to new languages and forms of expression. It was also a way of valuing the territory and its stories, using animated films as a tool for imagining, learning and creating.

In a welcoming and familiar environment, typical of small schools, the artist's presence was received with great enthusiasm and left an inspiring mark on the students, reinforcing the importance of bringing culture and the arts to all places, regardless of their size or location.

Animation film workshop led by resident artist Pedro Serrazina.

This initiative represented a unique opportunity for the island's teenagers, who had the chance to participate in a film-making workshop with a professional director. Throughout the activity, the young people were invited to discover what the creative process in the world of animated film can be, from the conception of the idea to the construction of characters, sets and stop motion movements.

More than just a technical introduction, the workshop provided a true artistic experience, where participants were able to explore new forms of expression, stimulate their imagination and understand how art can be a tool for storytelling, giving voice to memories and reflecting on the world around them.

In a region where access to specialised cultural experiences is not always easy, this initiative served as a bridge between young people and contemporary artistic practices, broadening horizons and awakening new interests and talents.

It was a moment of discovery, experimentation and sharing, which left a lasting impression on the participants and reinforced the importance of continuing to invest in initiatives that bring young people closer to culture, artistic creation and their own heritage.

After the exciting celebration of the anniversary of the eruption of the Capelinhos Volcano at the end of September, with the programme OS OLHOS DO VULCÃO (The Eyes of the Volcano), which included the presence and video testimonies of people who lived in that lighthouse, we are now completing the lighthouse adventure at the invitation of the Parish of Ribeirinha, marking the 105th anniversary of the Ribeirinha Lighthouse with the programme OS OLHOS DO FAROL (The Eyes of the Lighthouse).

This programme updates the Capelinhos programme, now focusing on the Ribeirinha Lighthouse, abandoned and partially destroyed after the 1998 earthquake, adding new video material, directed by Gonçalo Tocha, about the charismatic and much-missed lighthouse keeper António Medeiros, 93, who grew up in that lighthouse. The programme also adds an unpublished video with the young André Oliveira, a native of Ribeirinha, who takes us on a Famel motorbike through the ruins of his parish. Between the 93 years of Mr António and the 23 years of André, there are several eras that tell a story. For Mr António, the lighthouses, in addition to his home, were the centre of the community. For young André, who grew up with the ruins of the 1998 earthquake, these shards are part of his natural heritage and his childhood imagination.