The First Siza
The First Siza is a documentary about the Four Houses, the first project by Álvaro Siza, designed while he was still a student, and the impact of architecture on people’s lives. Through the reunion, 60 years later, between the architect and Fernando Neto — his first client and owner of one of the houses in Matosinhos — the film reveals how this project was pivotal in Siza’s career. Featuring interviews with Siza, the residents, and critic Francesco Dal Co, as well as current and archival footage, the narrative explores how architecture and the lives of its inhabitants become intertwined over time.
- Director:
- Sara Nunes
- Year:
- 2025
- Country:
- Portugal
- Genre:
- Documentary Film
- Duration:
- 60 minutes
- Language:
- Portuguese, Italian
- Subtitles:
- Romanian
Awards and festivals:
Following its preview screening at Serralves Museum, attended by Álvaro Siza, The First Siza has been selected for festivals in Portugal (Caminhos Festival Cinema Português), Italy (Matera International Film Festival), Turkey (Istanbul International Architecture and Urban Film Festival), Spain (Dart Festival), Sweden (Archfilm 2025), Hungary (Budapest Architecture Film Festival), Canada (Architecture + Design Film Festival Winnipeg) and received the Award for Best Film at Cinema Urbana in Brasília. The film has also been presented at the Power Station of Art in Shanghai, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea in Santiago de Compostela and Barbican and the Filmmuseum im Münchner Stadtmuseum in Munich, establishing the film as an international reference at the intersection of architecture and cinema.
