Political Cinema Film Screening and Lecture Series Begins June 14th

By Chesney Hearst, Senior Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Highlighting cinema that explores issues faced by contemporary society, the film screening and lecture series Cinema Político: O poder da imagem (Political Cinema: The Power of Image) will begin on June 14th and continue through July 3rd in Caixa Cultural in Centro.

A total of 42 Brazilian and international films will be screened as part of the series. Including 21 short and medium length films and twenty-one features, the films will be shown during two daily sessions with a short or medium length film playing first followed by a full-length film.

Issues addressed in the films will include class struggles, the role of media in society and politics, race relations, public security, protests, and revolutions.

“Talking about political issues is of utmost importance to our social construction and art has an important role in the history of humanity, communicating directly or in a playful way with the people of all social classes,” curator and producer of the series Alessandra Castañeda said in a release.

“In Political Cinema: the power of the image we explore contemporary issues, rescue classics, and discover rarities in order to discuss resistance through cinema, the state’s relationship with art and the power of the media. The idea is that the series is a space of coexistence and reflection.”

The series will open with a screening of two silent films; Glauber Rocha’s “1968” and Charlie Chaplin’s “Modern Times.” Musicians Negro Leo and Tata Ogan will provide live musical accompaniment during the opening night screenings.

Additionally, the series will feature Brazilian films including Leon Hirszman’s 1981 film “Eles não usam black tie”, Andrea Tonacci’s 2006 film “Serras da desordem” and Kleber Mendonça Filho’s 2012 film “O som ao redor” (Neighbouring Sounds).

International films will include Spike Lee’s 1989 film “Do the Right Thing”, Agnes Varda’s 1968 short documentary “Black Panthers”, Jean-Luc Godard’s 1968 film “A Film Like Any Other”, and Simon Hartog’s 1993 documentary “Beyond Citizen Kane.”

The lecture portion of the series will include three talks which will take place on Saturdays, June 18th, June 25th, and July 2nd. Admission will be free and each lecture will begin at 3PM.

The first lecture of the series on June 18th entitled, Realização e resistência (Achievement and resistance) will include director Elizabeth Formaggini, Julia Mariano, diretor of the short filme “Ameaçados,” and Ludmila Curi, director of the short “Proibidão.”

The second lecture on Saturday, June 25th entitled O Estado e a arte (State and art) will include guests Frederico Cardoso of the Academia Cinema Brasileiro (Brazilian Film Academy), and filmmaker Douglas Duarte and Silivio Da-Rin and the final lecture on July 2nd entitled Poder da mídia (Power of the media) will include guests filmmaker and journalist Anna Azevedo, Josinaldo of the Coletivo Maré Vive, and documentarian Thiago Dezan.

For complete programming, screening times, and additional information, see the Caixa Cultural website.

What: Cinema Político: O poder da imagem (Political Cinema: The Image of Power)
When: June 14th through July 3rd (Tuesdays through Sundays)
Where: Caixa Cultural, Avenida Almirante Barroso, 25 – Centro
Entrance: Each screening is R$2- R$4 and the lectures are free admission.