“It’s All True” Documentary Film Festival Returns to Rio this Week

By Beatriz Miranda, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This Thursday, April 12th, the Instituto Moreira Salles in Gávea and the Estação NET Botafogo in Botafogo will host the 23rd edition of “É Tudo Verdade” (“It’s All True”), a respected international documentary film festival in Brazil.

Running until April 22nd, the free festival will screen fifty productions, including unreleased films, as well as host panel discussions on the genre of cinematographic documentaries.

After a rigorous selection process, “It’s All True” will only exhibit the best productions from Brazil and abroad, documentaries which portray contemporary realities from a distinguished point of view. American president Donald Trump’s policies, police violence in Rio, and Algeria’s fight for emancipation are some of the themes that will be portrayed in the festival this year.

“It is a true privilege to release a brand new harvest of documentaries once again, especially Brazilian ones. This edition registers a record number of Brazilian directors participating in the competitive exhibitions. This is a more modest edition, comparing to the previous years. However, the selected films are as vigorous,” stated Amir Labaki, the festival’s founder and director.

The opening film of the festival in Rio on Thursday, April 12th, will be “Carvana” (2018), a Brazilian documentary directed by Lulu Corrêa, It will be screened in the Museu de Arte Moderna’s movie room, in Aterro do Flamengo. The film depicts the life and long-term career of Hugo Carvana, a respected Brazilian actor.

All the participating films are divided into the following categories: Brazilian medium and feature-length movies; international medium and feature-length movies, Brazilian short films; international short films; Latin American films; special program; and a tribute to Pamela Yates, renowned American documentary filmmaker.

Among the highlights of the festival are “O Processo” (The Process, 2017), which depicts the impeachment process of Brazil’s former president, Dilma Rousseff, to be screened at Estação NET Botafogo on Tuesday, April 17th, at 8:30 PM; and “Por Fora: Paz; Por Dentro: Guerra” (Outside: Peace, Inside: War, 2017), concerning the physical and sexual violence against women during the Second World War, and will be displayed on Friday, April 20th, in Instituto Moreira Salles, at 6PM.

What’s more, from April 17th to 22nd, there will be a selection of documentaries available for free on the official website of Itaú Cultural (one of the festival’s sponsors). All the five documentaries being displayed were directed by Brazilian women who have already participated in previous editions of “It’s All True”. Carmen Miranda, Banana is My Business”, by Helena Solberg (2014), and “Dona Helena,” by Tatiana Toffoli (2006), are two titles worth watching.

On Saturday, April 14th, there will be a debate at the Instituto Moreira Salles with representatives from the NGO, Human Rights Watch, after the exhibition “500 Anos” (500 Years), a documentary by director Pamela Yates. The debate will take place at 6PM.

What: “É Tudo Verdade” (“It’s All True” Documentary Film Festival)
When: April 12th to April 22nd – check event to see sessions’ details.
Where: Instituto Moreira Salles – Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 476 – Gávea
Estação NET Botafogo – Rua Voluntários da Pátria, 88 – Botafogo
Entrance: FREE