FAQ
How are decisions made? Decisions are made after thorough review of applications by a jury of film professionals. We are looking for individuals who are passionate about their work, thoughtful in their approach, and who can benefit particularly from the openness of this residency.
How many residencies do you hold per year? We invite four to six residents per year.
Can I stay for less than a month? Yes, you can absolutely stay for less time if you like. We only wanted to offer the option of the full month for residents who will need to sublet their apartments, or who know that they could use an extended stay. Just let us know what works for you.
When is the residency? Residents have some flexibility in choosing when they want to stay. We will do our best to work with you to choose a time that fits with your schedule.
How do I get to the house? The house is a 2 hour drive from Porto, and a 2.5 hour drive from Lisbon. Residents are recommended to rent a car if they want to experience much beyond the local area during their stay, but the house is equipped with bicycles for smaller, more local excursions, including to the neighbouring towns of Arganil and Góis. The house is in the centre of a remote village, within the Portuguese mountains, and is not accessible directly by train, but if residents are not driving and would like to come by train, we may be able to offer pickups when possible in the city of Coimbra and can drive residents directly to the house.
What is there to eat? There are several nearby supermarkets, fruit markets, butchers and fish mongers within a few minutes drive, in Góis and in Arganil. Every Thursday there is a municipal market in Arganil for local products from nearby farmers and makers. For eating out, there are several restaurants within a short drive in Góis and Arganil, and even more within a 30 minute drive in Coja, Lousã, Penacova, etc. Residents may also bicycle to Góis and Arganil within approximately 20 minutes. Fresh bread is delivered every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. On Monday afternoons, a market truck comes to the village with fresh seasonal produce and market food items. On Wednesday afternoons, a fish monger truck comes to the village bringing fresh fish caught from Peniche. These trucks, and both cafes directly in town, accept only cash, so keeping it on hand is highly recommended.
What is there to do nearby? There are several waterfalls and river beaches in the area, where you can swim, rent kayaks, picnic, etc. There are hiking trails through the mountains and many marked routes in both Góis and Arganil, and several unmarked yet well established trails immediately beside the village, only a five minute walk from the house. The village also has its own river running through it which is dammed up partially in the summer, creating a natural swimming pool with stone steps leading in, a wooden bridge to cross over it, and a shaded area for sitting, napping, and picnics. There are fascinating historical and archeological sites nearby, including typical schist villages, also with seasonal fairs, parties, and parades. The views and the smells are unbelievable. In the towns of Góis and Arganil you can visit the tourist centres and pick up pamphlets with highlights in the area, maps, and guides for hiking trails and routes, and information on the fauna and flora of the area.
What should I bring? You should bring whatever you need to work, like paper, a computer, etc, depending on the specifics of the project you wish to undertake. You should also bring clothing for warm and cool weather, since we are in the mountains and days can be hot while evenings can be cooler and windy. Bring warm sweaters and socks, and bring a bathing suit if you want to make use of the nearby river beaches or the municipal pool and sauna in Arganil.
Do you offer travel support? We do not have the capacity to offer financial travel support, but we are always happy to offer an official letter of invitation if it can be useful to you for travel grant applications in your home country.
Do I need a visa to enter Portugal? You might! We recommend you look up your visa requirements. We are always happy to help with letters of invitation for visa applications.
Do you offer submission fee waivers? We consider fee waivers in exceptional cases where the applicant is unable to pay the fee and is in a position to benefit significantly from this residency. Otherwise, we ask that you please pay the fee, since it is what allows this residency to exist, maintain, and offer itself free-of-charge.
Can I bring my children? Of course you can! Just keep in mind that there is only one bedroom. There is also an air mattress (size double), and a large comfy sofa in the living room.
Can I bring my pet? Of course you can! But keep in mind there is no enclosed yard, so you will not be able to let them run outside without supervision and a leash. There are several dogs and cats who also live in the village, and all are quite friendly.
Is the house accessible? Unfortunately this is an old village house on three floors – not one single floor of this house can be accessed without first passing a small staircase. It is also good to remember that parking is 20 metres away.
Can I smoke in the house? There is no smoking inside the house. You may of course take a stroll outside or sit in one of the patio chairs and smoke. We must ask that you be careful and respectful with your cigarette butts, both for the cleanliness of the village, but more importantly because of wildfire risks in the summer.
If I have already done a residency at CASA PIP, can I reapply for another? Of course, we are happy to welcome residents back, and we’re delighted the space was good to you! Feel free to email us for our alumni discount code.
When is the residency? Residents have some flexibility in choosing when they want to stay. We will do our best to work with you to choose a time that fits with your schedule.
How do I get to the house? The house is a 2 hour drive from Porto, and a 2.5 hour drive from Lisbon. Residents are recommended to rent a car if they want to experience much beyond the local area during their stay, but the house is equipped with bicycles for smaller, more local excursions, including to the neighbouring towns of Arganil and Góis. The house is in the centre of a remote village, within the Portuguese mountains, and is not accessible directly by train, but if residents are not driving and would like to come by train, we may be able to offer pickups when possible in the city of Coimbra and can drive residents directly to the house.
What is there to eat? There are several nearby supermarkets, fruit markets, butchers and fish mongers within a few minutes drive, in Góis and in Arganil. Every Thursday there is a municipal market in Arganil for local products from nearby farmers and makers. For eating out, there are several restaurants within a short drive in Góis and Arganil, and even more within a 30 minute drive in Coja, Lousã, Penacova, etc. Residents may also bicycle to Góis and Arganil within approximately 20 minutes. Fresh bread is delivered every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. On Monday afternoons, a market truck comes to the village with fresh seasonal produce and market food items. On Wednesday afternoons, a fish monger truck comes to the village bringing fresh fish caught from Peniche. These trucks, and both cafes directly in town, accept only cash, so keeping it on hand is highly recommended.
What is there to do nearby? There are several waterfalls and river beaches in the area, where you can swim, rent kayaks, picnic, etc. There are hiking trails through the mountains and many marked routes in both Góis and Arganil, and several unmarked yet well established trails immediately beside the village, only a five minute walk from the house. The village also has its own river running through it which is dammed up partially in the summer, creating a natural swimming pool with stone steps leading in, a wooden bridge to cross over it, and a shaded area for sitting, napping, and picnics. There are fascinating historical and archeological sites nearby, including typical schist villages, also with seasonal fairs, parties, and parades. The views and the smells are unbelievable. In the towns of Góis and Arganil you can visit the tourist centres and pick up pamphlets with highlights in the area, maps, and guides for hiking trails and routes, and information on the fauna and flora of the area.
What should I bring? You should bring whatever you need to work, like paper, a computer, etc, depending on the specifics of the project you wish to undertake. You should also bring clothing for warm and cool weather, since we are in the mountains and days can be hot while evenings can be cooler and windy. Bring warm sweaters and socks, and bring a bathing suit if you want to make use of the nearby river beaches or the municipal pool and sauna in Arganil.
Do you offer travel support? We do not have the capacity to offer financial travel support, but we are always happy to offer an official letter of invitation if it can be useful to you for travel grant applications in your home country.
Do I need a visa to enter Portugal? You might! We recommend you look up your visa requirements. We are always happy to help with letters of invitation for visa applications.
Do you offer submission fee waivers? We consider fee waivers in exceptional cases where the applicant is unable to pay the fee and is in a position to benefit significantly from this residency. Otherwise, we ask that you please pay the fee, since it is what allows this residency to exist, maintain, and offer itself free-of-charge.
Can I bring my children? Of course you can! Just keep in mind that there is only one bedroom. There is also an air mattress (size double), and a large comfy sofa in the living room.
Can I bring my pet? Of course you can! But keep in mind there is no enclosed yard, so you will not be able to let them run outside without supervision and a leash. There are several dogs and cats who also live in the village, and all are quite friendly.
Is the house accessible? Unfortunately this is an old village house on three floors – not one single floor of this house can be accessed without first passing a small staircase. It is also good to remember that parking is 20 metres away.
Can I smoke in the house? There is no smoking inside the house. You may of course take a stroll outside or sit in one of the patio chairs and smoke. We must ask that you be careful and respectful with your cigarette butts, both for the cleanliness of the village, but more importantly because of wildfire risks in the summer.
Who is “Pip”? Pippin was our beloved cat who passed away in 2021. He was extremely brilliant and so special. He was an outdoor cat, and would spend some evenings out and about in the freedom we wanted him to enjoy. We started seeing graffiti tags around the city that just said “PIP” and we genuinely wondered: is it possible that it’s him, that he’s... going out... with a spray can... that he could be doing that? He was just so smart and he always surprised us. We wanted to name the residency after him because of how dear he was to us, and to remind us of the capacity we hold, however illogical, for the possibility of magic.