The documentary that sprang from the action of the Mobile Museum project of the Carlos Machado Museum won two prizes at the 5th edition of Faial Filmes Festival 2009 – Azores Short Film Festival. This documentary directed by André Laranjinha was awarded first places in the following categories: Regional Competition, Best Film Azorean film, Islands competition and best film of Macaronesia.

Faial Filmes Fest was held in the city of Horta between November 2 and 8. Given the large number of films in competition, the competitive sessions took place during three days. The Jury was composed by João Paulo Macedo, Director of the Évora International Short Film Festival, Raquel Freire, director, Mariana Pimentel, the Cinema and Audiovisual Institute – ICA, Rita Freitas, President of the Portuguese Cineclub Federation and   Rafael Barcelos, journalist.

“Nature and Skill” (A Natureza e o Engenho) is a documentary about the mills of S. Miguel, being the result of an initiative to recover, mark and collect the Heritage of S. Miguel Island which was developed by the Mobile Museum project of the Carlos Machado Museum.

The creation of this film was related to the challenge launched by IGESPAR to commemorate the International Day for Monuments and Sites on 18 April 2009. Moreover, the company Cresaçor/Criações Periféricas, partner of the Mobile Museum project, was involved in its production. 

Whereas Mills are examples of dying heritage, they were buildings that used renewable and non-pollutant energy provided by nature, which through human skills were and are used to assure the subsistence of human beings; therefore, it is important to remind their importance in past and for the future.

Windmills and watermills have played a very important role in the settlement of the Azores, being fundamental to the lives of many generations, to their self-sufficiency in the Azores, in Portugal and in the World.

Currently, there are very few operational mills on S. Miguel few mills in operation. The majority are in ruins, abandoned and the miller’s know-how is seriously endangered.

At a time when the planet's energy resources are a global concern, ancestral knowledge related to the use of Water and Wind are precious and vital to humanity.