Stone-Ideas.com 
The latest advertising campaign by the Portuguese association Assimagra for its natural stones is a major undertaking: it is the 70-minute documentary “Milestone,” which aims to explain the self-perception of the people of the Iberian Peninsula through their stones.
This continues the marketing strategy the association had already used to showcase at Milan Design Week 2025: designers from across the country were invited to create distinctive everyday household items using local stone (see link below).
Assimagra now writes about “Milestone”: “The film proposes a cinematic journey through heritage, craftsmanship, culture, innovation, and sustainability, exploring Portugal’s identity through stone – from prehistory to some of the most emblematic contemporary architectural projects around the world.“
Stone, then, as Portugal’s “ambassador” (Assimagra), since the sector is “one of the country’s most dynamic industries, distinguished by quality, diversity, and technological innovation.”
The director is Frederico Miranda, the producer Fred Fabrik, and the film was shot at 20 locations in Portugal. Contributions also came from France and the U.S. The project is funded by the Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) as part of the Sustainable Stone by Portugal initiative.
In January 2026, there was a small-scale screening of the film in Lisbon. So far, only the trailer has been made available to the public. “Milestone” is currently making the rounds at international film festivals. The filmmakers hope to be able to release it on a streaming platform as well.
The film highlights stones from specific regions and their use in significant architectural projects around the world:
• the granite of Ponte de Lima used in Jean Nouvel’s Philharmonie de Paris;
• the schist landscapes and prehistoric engravings of Foz Côa;
• limestone heritage sites in the Serra de Aire e Candeeiros region;
• the marble landscapes of the Estremoz Anticline, connected to both Alentejo’s cultural traditions and contemporary architecture in New York, e.g., the Perelman Performing Arts Center (shown on the photo on top).
