The 15th CineBH– Belo Horizonte International Film Festival starts on the 28th with free online programming, including 95 films, 21 debates, conversations, panels and discussions around the effects of September 11 on the audiovisual sector, in addition to the 12th BrasilCineMundi, a co-production meeting that brings together professionals from around the world to get to know and do business with the Brazilian cinema of the future
The 15th CineBH – Belo Horizonte International Film Festival and the 12th BrasilCineMundi – International Coproduction Meeting will take place in a virtual environment between September 28th and October 3rd, with programming available free of charge on the website www.cinebh.com.br and throughthe social media channels of Universo Produção. Whoever is interested can now sign up and receive news and follow all the attractions.
Over six days of intense activities, 95 national and international films will be screened in premieres and specially curatedscreenings, coming from 12 states in Brazil (AL, BA, CE, DF, MG, MT, PE, RJ, RR, RS, SC and SP) and from 17 countries (Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Spain, USA, Finland, France, India, Israel, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom, Romania, Russia, Qatar, Turkey and Uruguay). The festival will also host 5 debates, 5 panels, 10 conversation circles, 1 showcase, 2 international masterclasses, 2 workshops, co-production meetings and many other activities to think about the audiovisual market departing from what is currently being done (especially with the limitations imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic ) and going towards what will be the cinema of the future. Always attentive to world movements and especially to how cinema responds to its surroundings, CineBH this year will focus on issues related to the use of surveillance technologies in the construction of audiovisual expressions that call into question the control of the individual in a hyperconnected society.
“Conducting two projects focused on the audiovisual market in this scenario of transitions and transformations represents commitment, responsibilities and shared actions, in which will, persistence and determination are ingredients that expand the possibilities of continuing to believe in the power of our culture. Mostra CineBH and Brasil CineMundi are spaces for training, exchange, launching and discussion of the most significant cinematographic production of current times.They establish a dialogue between cultures, expand business opportunities, partnerships and participation of Brazilian projects and professionals in the global market. There is also a space for collective and social manifestations in the city of Belo Horizonte, showing the strength that comes from the communities”, highlights the director of UniversoProdução and general coordinator of MostraCineBH and BrasilCineMundi, Raquel Hallak.
THEME AND HIGHLIGHTS
The theme of the 15th CineBH will be “Cinema and Surveillance”, in reference to the new status of control that arises with current technologies and crosses the economy, customs and our entire imagination, influencing filmmakers and guiding intersections between aesthetics and politics, privacy and spectacle, language and fact. The proposition of the trio of curators Pedro Butcher, Francis Vogner dos Reis and Marcelo Miranda is to investigate how the concept of “surveillance” appears in the early days of cinema itself and has developed over the decades, being radically altered 20 years ago, with the attacks of September 11, and going through another reconfiguration with the rise of the great “brands” of communication and social relations, such as Facebook, Apple, Google and Amazon.
“In times of fake news, the myth of the image as a testimony no longer determines that the camera record is always a portrait of reality. What cinema’s fiction, during the 20th century, imagined as dystopia of a society controlled by an instance of invisible power, in controlling characters like Fritz Lang’s Dr. Mabuse, gained an unimaginable dimension today”, says Pedro Butcher.
During CineBH, films and conversations will amplify the ideas and build bridges between historical and modern mechanisms of surveillance and the relationship with cinema and the forms of audiovisual production. “The use of highly sophisticated technological devices marks the aesthetics and narrative of many films made under the impact of 9/11, reflecting the harmful or excluding effects of these surveillance systems and appropriating the images generated by these technologies to transmit critical effects to the viewer”, says Francis Vogner.
One of the issues to be addressed is to what extent the pandemic has further amplified the individual’s dependence on technological devices – not only material devices, but an entire abstract and non-concrete network of bits, algorithms, localizers and monitoringthat literally happen in every second that we are close to some device connected to any kind of information network. “This, in the end, is the production of a new type of image, both in its nature and in its use. And even due to the natural restlessness of artists who use the image as a means of expression, they draw attention to new forms of cinematographic production that are now appearing, responding to all of this”, says Marcelo Miranda.
Related to the theme of “Cinema and Surveillance”, the international highlight of CineBH in 2021 is the multidisciplinary collective Forensic Architecture. The result of innovative research through cinema and audiovisual, the group, based at Goldsmith University in London, makes subversive use of current surveillance mechanisms and images (such as records captured by satellites, security cameras, laptops and smartphones) for in-depth investigations on various issues of global and humanitarian interest. Making works between documentary and visual arts, Forensic Architecture investigates and reconstitutes situations of war, confrontation and disrespect for human rights and the environment, taking into account legal, political and artistic contexts. The group was founded in 2011 by Israeli architect Eyal Weizman and brings together members from various fields, such as filmmakers, architects, urban planners and activists from different countries – one of the group’s founders is the Brazilian architect Paulo Tavares, who will participate in debates during the Mostra CineBH.
The opening session, on the night of September 28, will be the combination of all these lines with the inaugural debate bringing together Paulo Tavares (architect), Bernardo Oliveira (critic and researcher) and Patrícia Mourão (researcher, teacher and curator), to discuss “Cinema and Surveillance”, and the screening of “The Killing of Harith Augustus”, a set of Forensic Architecture short films that present different aspects of a meticulous investigation into the death of a black man by the Chicago police on July 14, 2018.
FILMS AND THEMATIC SCREENINGS
At Mostra Contemporânea (Contemporary Screening Series), CineBH has 27 films: 16 short films and 11 feature films, between Brazilians and foreigners. From Brazil, comes an urgent panorama of national production, with many works recently completed in the middle of the pandemic and others that were being prepared and were taken by surprise when 2020 arrived, changing expectations. The feature films bring novelties that also have parallels with the theme of “Cinema and Surveillance”, although they are not directly connected to it: “Um Dia Qualquer”(Pedro Von Kruger, RJ), “Desaprender a Dormir” (Gustavo Vinagre, SP), “A Primeira Noite de Joana” (Cristiana Oliveira, RS) and “Nós, Passarinhos” (Antonio Fargoni, SP). The short films are divided into four sessions whose titles are self-explanatory: “Brazil now”, “Space Geometries”, “Fear and Loathing” and “Visions Ahead”.
Specifically in the Mostra Temática (Thematic Screening Series), Brazilians incorporate in their forms several of the issues that will be debated at the event. In a national premiere, “Cena do Crime” (Pedro Tavares, RJ) presents a unique police plot, all narrated from the point of view of cameras that may (or may not) have captured a crime. In turn, “Auto de Resistencia” (Natasha Neri and Lula de Carvalho, RJ), follows families of victims of homicides carried out by the Rio de Janeiro police, from the moment of death, through police investigations to trials or filings of processes.
In the foreign titles of Mostra Contemporânea, five films inavant-première show, in different ways, the contradictions of a very practical world in the relations with machines and devices, which is also seen under the control of these mechanisms. From the dystopian nightmare of “In the Shadows” (ErdemTepegöz, Turkey) to the weird pastiche of reality shows“The Filmmaker’s House” (Mark Isaacs, UK), through the always brutal gaze of renowned Israeli documentary filmmaker Avi Mograbi (“The First 54 Years: An Abbreviated Manual for Military Occupation”), from family issues within a segregated society in “A Rifle and a Bag” (Cristina Haneș, Isabella Rinaldi, Arya Rothe, India/Romania/Italy/Qatar) and a filmmaker’s attention to homeless people in contemporary Harlem in the epic intimate “I Walk on Water” (Khalik Allah, USA).
The foreign films at MostraTemática spread across several fronts related to “Cinema and Surveillance”. Most are true investigations into the status of images and how their capture can be used by oppressive instances of power in various ways. From hundreds of amateur recordings of the productionof a film in the “Transformers” franchise, for example, Kevin B. Lee conceived “Transformers: The Premake” (USA), where we see not only the dimension of the ubiquity of cameras, but also the war operation that is the production of a great Hollywood blockbuster in the global era. Others make use of similar structures, such as Eleonore Weber in her “There Will Be No More Night” (France), made from images captured by helicopters on war missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan, revealing a terrifying theater of war. Other titles relate critically to recording structures, such as “All Light,Everywhere” (USA), a documentary by Theo Anthony that examines in detail various aspects of the surveillance society, and “The Monopoly of Violence” (France), by David Dufresne, whose focus is the manifestations of the “yellow vests” movement that took over France in October 2018.
The Diálogos Históricos(Historical Dialogues) screening series in 2021 also connects to the main theme, looking precisely in the history of cinema for some moments in which control actions were transformed into expressive elements by filmmakers attentive to what was happening in their contexts. All sessions are accompanied by a chat between CineBH curators and invited critics or researchers to talk about the film in question. They will be “Aelita, Queen of Mars” (Yakov Protazanov, Soviet Union, 1924), commented by researcher João Lanari; “The Testament of Dr. Mabuse” (Fritz Lang, Germany, 1933), with comments by critic Inácio Araujo; and “O 5º Poder” (Alberto Pieralisi, Brazil, 1962), commented by researcher Reinaldo Cardenuto.
On the occasion of the masterclass “Screenplay and creation processes”, an event held in conjunction with Brasil CineMundi, the Mostra Contemporânea (Contemporary Screening Series) also features two films by Uruguayan filmmaker Federico Veiroj, one of the greatest talents of the new generation of Latin American filmmakers. A Useful Life, a film set in the Uruguayan Cinematheque, and The Money changer, a police drama featuring the special participation of Brazilian actor Paulo Betti, which discusses corruption in the times of the military dictatorship.
In the screening series A Cidade em Movimento (The City in Motion), composed of works carried out in neighborhoods and communities in Belo Horizonte and the metropolitan region, curator Paula Kimo‘s proposal was “City (in) common”, conceived from some questions: is it possible to think of a community of images that dialogues with the collective practices and actions that move the city? How are the gestures of collective and shared production inscribed in the films that the city produces, not only from the thematic point of view, but also in the form, narrative and processes of creation and distribution of films? There will be 20 films shown in five sessions, all accompanied by conversations with guests to extend the (aesthetic and common) experience of the works. For more details on the films and guests at the A Cidade em Movimento series, click here.
Finally, in CineBH’s film schedule, students and educators have a guaranteed schedule with the Cine-Escola (Cine-School) and Cine-Debates sessions planned to serve students from 5 years of age onwards. The films are available on the website www.cinebh.com.br, allowing teachers time to work on the titles with students.
BRASIL CINEMUNDI – THE MARKET EVENT OF BRAZILIAN CINEMA
Reaching its 12th edition in 2021, Brasil CineMundi, a market event for Brazilian cinema that has been held in annual and consecutive editions since 2010 during CineBH – Belo Horizonte International Film Festival, will once again be held online. Consolidated as a network of contacts and a business platform for the country’s production in relation to other professionals from around the world, BrasilCineMundi is an international co-production meeting that presents Brazilian film projects to the market and facilitates and enhances connections between independent filmmakers through productive partnerships and exchange of information and actions.
Every year, several projects are selected to take part in business roundtables, through meetings with producers and guidance from various professionals for a better use of the proposals and paths of feasibility of realization. In 2021 there will be 45 participating projects. The “In Development” category is subdivided into “Horizon” (former CineMundi category), “Doc Brasil Meeting” (documentaries), “Minas Focus” (projects from the state of Minas Gerais), and the novelty of this year, “Paradiso Multipllies”, a result of a partnership with Projeto Paradiso, a talent incubator, in offering script mentoring through meetings with program professionals. The other categories are “Production”, for projects in progress; and “Finalized”, for films seeking distribution and sales.
With the partnership of several production fund initiatives, CineMundi has a prize for the projects with the highest ranking by the evaluation juries. There are development grants, participation in international co-production events and creation incentives.
To know the selected projects, awards and other details of the 12th BrasilCineMundi, click here.
TRAINING AND DEBATE PROGRAM
To expand concepts and practices in professional training, exchange of experiences between different agents in the audiovisual sector, exchanges, meetings, dialogues, discussions and global connections with a focus on the audiovisual market, the Audiovisual Training Program is part of the 15th program of Mostra CineBH and 12thBrasilCineMundi – International Co-production Meeting. There will be 50 Brazilian and foreign professionals highlighted in the audiovisual scene in 5 debates, 10 conversations, 2 international masterclasses, 1 showcase, 2 international workshops, 5 panels, a case study and 2 work-in-progress films.
CINEMA FOR THE FAMILY
To form new audiences and insert families and children into the programming, CineBH has Mostrinha, betting on future spectators of Brazilian cinema. A feature film (“Miúda e o Guarda-Chuva”) and two short films (“Torcida Única” and “Trincheira”) will be screened.
The 15thCineBH – Belo Horizonte International Film Festival, the cinema event in the capital of Minas Gerais, is part of Cinema sem Fronteiras 2021 – an international audiovisual program conceived and carried out by Universo Produção. It promotes the connection between Brazilian cinema and the international market. It presents itself as an instrument for training, reflection, exhibition and dissemination of audiovisual in dialogue with other countries, fosters entrepreneurship, disseminates information, produces and disseminates knowledge, creates opportunities for networking and business, brings together the audiovisual production chain in a comprehensive and free program.
THE EVENT IN NUMBERS
CINEBH SHOWS CINEMA TO THE WORLD
17 COUNTRIES ATTEND THE EVENT
Argenntina, Germany, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Spain, USA, France, Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Uruguay
OFFICIAL OPENING SESSION
6 DAYS OF EVENT
HIGHLIGHT: FORENSIC ARCHITECTURE COLLECTIVE | LONDON
95 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL FILMS FROM 17 COUNTRIES
THE CITY IN MOTION SCREENING SERIES
MOSTRINHA
CINE-SCHOOL SESSIONS
21 DEBATES, PANELS, CONVERSATIONS
5 WORKSHOPS
2 SCRIPT LABORATORIES
2 INTERNATIONAL MASTERCLASSES
2 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOPS
12th BRAZIL CINEMUNDI – INTERNATIONAL COPRODUCTION MEETING
51 BRAZILIAN AND INTERNATIONAL GUESTS FROM 17 COUNTRIES AT THE CENTER OF COPRODUCTION MEETINGS
CONSULTING, MENTORING, COOPERATION, EXCHANGE
VIRTUAL EXHIBITION “CINEBH 15 YEARS”
AUDIOVISUAL PERFORMANCE
CLOSING | AWARDS
FREE PROGRAMMING
***
ABOUT CINEBH – BELO HORIZONTE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
With annual and consecutive editions, CineBH – Belo Horizonte International Film Festival, the cinema event in the capital of Minas Gerais, reaches its 15th edition from September 28th to October 3rd, 2021, in online formatand free of charge, reaffirming its purpose to show cinema to the world, promote dialogue between cultures, bring people and continents together, connect Brazilian cinema with the audiovisual market, hold business meetings, invest in training, exchange and international cooperation, build bridges in schools, communities, social networks and with the city of Belo Horizonte and the state of Minas Gerais.
The 15thCineBH – Belo Horizonte International Film Festival and the 12thBrasilCineMundi are part of Cinema sem Fronteiras 2021 – an international audiovisual program created by Universo Produção and which also brings together the Tiradentes Film Festival (focused on Brazilian contemporary production, in January) and CineOP – Ouro Preto Film Festival (which promotes audiovisual as a heritage and educational tool, in June).
ABOUT BRASIL CINEMUNDI
BRASIL CINEMUNDI – International Coproduction Meeting, a market event for Brazilian cinema, is part of the 15thCineBH and reaches its 12th edition from September 28th to October 3rd, 2021 with the purpose of presenting Brazilian feature film projects to the market, facilitating connections between productions and the international market through productive partnerships and the exchange of information and actions.
The event promotes the expansion of the network of contacts and business between Brazilian professionals and representatives of national and foreign industry, in addition to training activities, cooperation, exchanges, meetings and awards, focusing on trends in contemporary cinema and independent production from an innovative perspective.
***
Link to photos:
***
ATTENTION:
We invite you to follow UniversoProdução/CineBH/BrasilCineMundi on social networks to stay on top of everything that will happen behind the scenes of the events and receive news and exclusive content. Channels and addresses:
Follow the Cinema Sem Fronteiras 2021 program
Participate in the #EufaçoaMostra Campaign
On the Web: www.cinebh.com.br / www.brasilcinemundi.com.br
On Instagram: @universoproducao OnYoutube: UniversoProdução On Twitter: @universoprod
On Facebook: brasilcinemundi/ cinebh / universoproducaoOn LinkedIn: universo-produção
INFORMATION
15thCINEBH –BELO HORIZONTE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
BRASIL CINEMUNDI –12th INTERNATIONAL COPRODUCTION MEETING
September 28th to October 3rd, 2021
FEDERAL CULTURE INCENTIVE LAW
THIS EVENT IS CARRIED OUT WITH RESOURCES OF THE MUNICIPAL CULTURE INCENTIVE LAW IN BELO HORIZONTE
SPONSORSHIP: MATER DEI, COPASA, CEMIG | GOVERNO DE MINAS GERAIS (MINAS GERAIS GOVERNMENT)
SPONSORSHIP FOR CITY IN MOTION SCREENING SERIES: Sponsored with resources from the 2021 International Aid Fund for Culture and Education Organizations of the Federal Republic of Germany – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Goethe-Institut and other partners: www.goethe.de/hilfsfonds
CULTURAL PARTNERSHIP: SESC EM MINAS, INSTITUTO UNIVERSO CULTURAL, CASA DA MOSTRA
PARTNERS BRASIL CINEMUNDI: EMBAIXADA DA FRANÇA NO BRASIL, DOT, MISTIKA, PARATI FILMS, CTAV, FORTE FILMES, NAYMOVIE
BRASIL CINEMUNDI COOPERATION: WORLD CINEMA FUND(Germany), NUEVAS MIRADAS – EICTV(Cuba), BIOBIOCINE(Chile), CONECTA – CHILE DOC(Chile), MAFF(Spain), DOCSP(Brazil), DOCMONTEVIDEO (Uruguay), VENTANA SUR(Argentina), INSTITUTO OLGA RABINOVICH / PROJETO PARADISO(Brazil)
SUPPORT: CAFÉ 3 CORAÇÕES.
CONCEPT AND REALIZATION: UNIVERSO PRODUÇÃO
SECRETARIA ESPECIAL DE CULTURA | MINISTÉRIO DO TURISMO| GOVERNO FEDERAL (SPECIAL SECRETARY OF CULTURE | MINISTRY OF TOURISM| FEDERAL GOVERNMENT)