Dancing in the dark: Blind ballerinas from Sao Paulo are needing your help to make a movie

Have you ever tried to close your eyes when you're dancing? It's quite exciting for a while, isn't it? But I wonder how you, that is in front of this screen, would feel if could not read this post. I also wonder what would I do, if I could not see and needed hopelessly to find the toilet bowl — generally we men only close our eyes and place our hand on the wall after begin to pee. I'm sure I would be absolutely lost.

Unfortunately, when most of the people 'see' on the street some brave person that can't 'see', don't think that much about the daily life of a blind individual. It's dramatic for us, to think about being in the dark for ever. It would be a huge paradigm break. However, what would you think if I tell you that lots of them dance ballet? Another paradigm break?

There is a ballet school here in São Paulo that teaches blind people to dance. It's amazing to see how they perform. The project was started 16 years ago by the ballet teacher Fernanda Bianchini and some of the dancers still practicing until now, such as Geysa that lost her sight when she was 10 years old. Nowadays they are preparing themselves to perform at the classic Municipal Theatre of São Paulo. Last year, they performed at the 2012 Paralympics closing ceremony in London. Click on this link to view the video made by BBC and find out how strong is the feeling.

Film project
The film director Alexandre Peralta, which is a Brazilian studying in USA, has been following the ballet school on the last few years and is willing to produce a documentary film about the people related to the school. The film entitled "Looking at the Stars" wants to show how the school is important on their lives. According to him, "this movie is about their passion for doing something that seemed unreachable for them".

Currently he and his team are trying to raise money to make it possible via the Kickstarter website. The project needs US$ 16,000 to be produced and it will be available for donation till February 5th. They want to shoot in the Summer of 2013 and need money for the trip, to host and pay the crew (5 people) and afford the expenses, that includes rentals, equipment, locations and everything else. 

It is extremely exciting to find that we are able to do seemingly impossible things when sometimes what we want is just to feel alive. Insidesaopaulo deeply supports this project! Do the same and help this group to make their dream come true. Donate. They need $16,000 by Feb 5th!

Where you can find them
Where: Avenida Domingos de Moraes, 1765 - Vila Mariana
When: It will be possible to pledge till Feb 5th.
How much should I donate?: It's up to you, but find out more on this website
Phone: +55 (11) 5084-8542
Website: www.ciafernandabianchini.org.br/
Email: ciaballetdecegos@gmail.com

The 35th International Cinema Festival of Sao Paulo starts today

Today starts the 35th edition of the traditional Sao Paulo International Film Festival. During two weeks, about 250 titles of various countries will be displayed in 22 cinemas, including theaters, museums and cultural centers around São Paulo.

The selection is an overview of the the trends, themes, narratives and aesthetics regarding the contemporary film market around the world.

Unfortunatelly, the Festival founder Leon Cakoff, died last October 14, 2011. Exactly one week ago.

Service
What: 35ª Mostra Internacional de Cinema em São Paulo
Where: several different places
When: from October 21st to November 3rd
Prices: Mondays to Thursdays: R$ 14 and R$ 7 (student); Fridays to Sundays: R$ 18 and R$ 9 (student). It's possible to buy via internet: http://ingresso.com/
Programming: http://35.mostra.org/programacao
Website: http://35.mostra.org

Anima Mundi in Sao Paulo, from July 27 to 30. Check it out!

Shaun The Sheep

From July 27 to 30, the 19th edition of the Brazilian International Festival of Animation, Anima Mundi, will be in Sao Paulo.

The festival is held annually and is considered one of the largest in Latin America.

Among the new features is the inclusion of a terror short movies session and the Chilean animation movies (this session is called Chilemonos).

For further information, the website has the English version.

Service
What: Anima Mundi Festival
Where: Different place in Sao Paulo
When: July 27 to July 30
Price: R$ 8
Website: www.animamundi.com.br/

Festival SESC Melhores Filmes

The SESC  Best Film Festival 2011 started on April 6 at the CINESESC and the program runs through May 1. 42 films are part of the festival and compete in the categories of best film, actor, actress, directing, writing and photography for national films and best movie, director, actor and actress for foreigners. This 37th edition will also have a special award for documentary, a category that becomes part of the official vote of the festival from next year.

Among parallel activities to the exhibition of films, the SESC Best Film Festival 2011 held a series of meetings and debates with personalities from film critics and renowned Brazilian national cinema.Created in 1974, is the oldest film festival in the city of Sao Paulo and offers the public the opportunity to see or review the most significant movies of the years. The films that participated in the voting this year are those shown in Sao Paulo's cinema in 2010.

Service 
What: Festival SESC Melhores Filmes
Where: Cinesesc, rua Augusta 2075 - Sao Paulo
When: April 6 to May 1
Price: R$ 4

Today the Cinema Belas Artes closes its doors

With special program called "A Última Sessão do Cinema" a reference to the film by Peter Bogdanovich, The Lats Picture Show (1971), the Cinema Belas Artes closes its doors today after 68 years. At the corner of Avenida Paulista and Rua da Consolação, then the property will remain empty indefinitely.

The owner of the building, Flávio Maluf, refused millionaire proposal of members of the cinema, they offered payment of annual rent over $ 1 million. Maluf ensures he will not lease the building while the City Council for the Preservation of Historical, Cultural and Environmental of São Paulo (Conpresp) does not set something about the overturning. Even because the new tenant could not make any reform in the property, while the Council does not take a decision.

Over the past 20 days, André Sturm managed to drum up support from three great companies willing to sponsor the Belas Artes. This allowed him to make an offer to rent over R$ 85,000 monthly guaranteed payment of five-year period and annual correction. But the owner did not agree.

There is no deadline for the Conpresp to decide on the future of the property. The Department of Heritage (DPH) in the city received within 90 days to make a technical opinion about the overturning. This report serves as support for the vote of the directors of Conpresp.

Don't miss your chance to watch a last movie at the Cinema Belas Artes, part os Sao Paulo culture and art history.

Mostra do Filme Livre - Independent Film Festival

Between March 11 and 31 the Centro Cultural Banco do Brazil (CCBB) receives the tenth edition of the Free Film Shows, for the first time in Sao Paulo. With free entry, the festival displays 200 independent films of the current Brazilian production.

Experimental event, Mostra do Filme Livre is a pioneer in accepting films of all formats (VHS, Beta, MiniDV, HD, 35mm, 16mm, etc.), formats (short, medium and feature films), genre (fiction, documentary, animation and experimental) and time periods.

In addition to the contemporary production, the festival holds special sessions with films from independent filmmakers who were honored in previous editions, such as Andrea Tonacci, José Sette, Elyseu Visconti, Sergio Ricardo and Petter Baiestorf, among others.

Check out the website for more information.

6th edition of Cinema Venezia in Sao Paulo

The festival Cinema Venezia reaches in 2010 its sixth edition. The Embassy of Italy and Venice Biennale will give us a selection of Italian films presented during the 67th Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica in Venice.

Five of the six selected works are a panorama of contemporary Italian cinema who ran the Venice Film Festival this year and the sixth is a classic, restored, a tribute to the great actor Vittorio Gassmann: Profumo di donna, directed by Dino Risi in 1974. Check out the program!


Service
When: From 22 to 27 November
Where: Livraria Cultura and Cinemateca Brasileira
How much: For free

5th Human Rights Film Festival of South America

From November 19 to 25 Sao Paulo will host the 5th Human Rights Film Festival. As part of the program, on Saturday, the festival welcomes the presence of the Argentinian director Ricardo Darin, known for movies including "El Hijo de la Novia" and the Oscar-winning "El Secreto de sus Ojos".

Created in 2006 to celebrate the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is a space for reflection, inspiration and promotion of respect for the dignity of the human being. Brazil has sought to strengthen education and culture on Human Rights, in order to form a new mindset to the exercise of solidarity, respect for diversity and tolerance. As artistic expression, the cinema has a strong language able to touch people, to give feelings, to raise awareness and build common identities. Initially displayed in four cities, the exhibition has been growing every year. This fifth edition will be present in 20 Brazilian cities, covering the five regions of Brazil. Last year, the festivl recorded an audience of more than 20 000 people in 16 cities. The estimate for this year is that number to be doubled.

The festival is organized by the Human Rights Secretariat of the Presidency, with production of Cinemateca Brasileira, sponsored by Petrobras and support of SESC-SP, TV Brasil and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. All the movies have free entrance, rooms are accessible to people with disabilities.

Program

18th MixBrasil Film Festival of Sexual Diversity

The 18th MixBrasil Film Festival of Sexual Diversity is taking place from November the 11th to the18th in São Paulo. It started at the beginning of the 90ies and it was the first time in Brazil that GLS organized in such a big art festival. This edition is going to screen 105 movies. The Festival was opened by the movie of Javier Fuentes-León's Peruvian drama Contracorriente / Undertow, that gaines a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar submission. The South American films gained special attention in the festival but the rest of the world is not unrepresented.

Not only movies but other activities will happen at the same time. On Saturday, the workshop"how to shoot a sex scene", at the Museum of Image and Sound (MIS), the directors of Tata Amaral, Malu de Martino and Carlos Alberto Ricelli , as well as guests from Germany and France to discuss with the public the process of creating sequences. The Mix Music - music arm of the event - brings bands like Mercenárias, Comodoro Truffaut and Daniel Peixoto to the Olido Gallery on Sunday and Monday.


Service
When: November the 11th to the 18th
Where: Many cinema of the city. Check out the list.
How much: Different prices, according to the Cinema.
Website: http://www.mixbrasil.org.br/
Program: http://www.mixbrasil.org.br/programacao2.php

Film Festival 4+1

From Thursday 11 to Sunday 14, the Cinemateca Brasileira (south zone of São Paulo) will host the first Film Festival  4 + 1, sponsored by Fundación Mapfre, Madrid (Spain). Held simultaneously in five cities (also in Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Mexico City and Madrid), the event aims to display recent productions of new and great directors, who have little space in the distribution chain of cinemas.
 
Service
Where: Cinemateca Brasileira, Largo Sen. Raul Cardoso, 207 - São Paulo
When: From November 11 to 14
How much: R$8 and R$4
Website: http://www.festival4mas1.com/

The new movie of Woody Allen in Sao Paulo.

You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger (in Portuguese: Você Vai Conhecer O Homem dos Seus Sonhos), this is the new movie of Woody Allen and it is finally in Sao Paulo cinemas. It was launched at the last Cannes Film Festival in May and it begins with a quote from Shakespeare about the meaninglessness of life, something that the filmmaker brings to the screen, with different tones, in almost all his movies. 
The story happens in London, two normal couples break their marriages in search of a breath of newness to fill the emptiness of their lives. The cast is full of stars: Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Brolin, Naomi Watts, Freida Pinto.

34 Sao Paulo International Film Festival

The Mostra
From October 22nd to the 4th of November, São Paulo hosts the traditional São Paulo International Film Festival. For two weeks, more then 400 films from several countries will be exhibited at the 34th Mostra, in over 20 spaces among cinemas, museums and cultural centers around the capital city. The selection provides an overview of the world contemporary cinema production and of the tendencies, themes, narratives and aesthetics produced worldwide.
http://en.mostra.org/

Mostra Online

For the second year, São Paulo International Film festival promotes, in partnership with Mubi, the biggest platform of films on the internet, Mostra Online. This year, beyond the regular exhibitions in the theaters, 68 films of the selection of the 34th Mostra will also have free screenings on the internet. This is a great chance for Mostra’s fans all over Brazil, including those who don’t live in São Paulo, to be part of the event. The exhibition of the movies was previously authorized by the producers – and all the foreign language films have subtitles.
 http://mubi.com/festivals/sao-paulo

Free bike

In an unprecedented initiative, the 34th Mostra in partnership with the NGO Parada Virtual and Sabesp, connects with a free bike circuit, 15 of the exhibition halls. The first hour of loan is free and the others cost R$ 10 per hour. To get a bike, you have to register - the registrations can be made presenting a photo ID and proof of residence or visa for foreigners - and provide a credit card with a minimum balance of available R$ 350. Those who have no credit card can purchase the cyclist card at the price of R$ 15 and it will be valid during all the exhibition (from October 22 to November 4). In this case, the registration must be done at the Mostra Center in the Conjunto Nacional or at Unibanco Arteplex, located on the 3rd floor of the Shopping Frei Caneca.
 

Places equipped with bicycles: 

Belas Artes - Avenida Paulista, 2378 

Centro Cultural São Paulo - Rua Vergueiro, 1000 

Cine Cultura - Rua Padre Joao Manuel, 60 

Cine Olido - Avenida São João, 473 

Cinema Sabesp - Rua Fradique Coutinho, 361 

Cinematheque - Largo Senador Raul Cardoso , 207 

Cinesesc - Rua Augusta, 2075

Human Rights short movies Festival - Entretodos

From September 13 to 19 CineSesc and Matilha Cultural host the 3rd edition of the Festival of Short Movies "Entretodos". The curator of the Festival has selected 24 short of the hundreds he received for the competition of the  best short movie. This yars the movies are more focused on issue related to the Human Rights.

Sevice
Where: CineSesc, Rua Augusta, 2075 and Matilha Cultural, Rua Rego Freitas, 542
When: From September 13 to 19, from 3 pm tp 8.30 pm
How Much: For free
Website: http://www.entretodos.com.br/

International Children Film Festival

From September the 10th to the 19th, it happens in the Cinemark network the 8th Children Film Festival. The event will take more than 90 films bringing together original and classic Brazilian short films and international TV shows and special exhibitions and workshops on film animation and debates. To view the complete schedule of the movies, visit the official website of the 8º Festival de Cinema Infantil (8th International Children's Film Festival). It is just R$ 5 for each movie

5th Cinefantasy - International Festival of Fantasy Film

From August the 31st to September the 12th Sao Paulo hosts the 5th Cinefantasy - International Festival of Fantastic Film, with sessions at Centro Cultural São Paulo, Cine Olido and library Viriato Correa.

In this edition, there will be over 150 films. Fans of horror stories and science fiction, should watch the English "Strigoi" by Faye Jackson. The program also includes "A Princesa do Coração Gelado" and "The Werepig".

Service
Where: Cine Olido, Centro Cultural São Paulo, Biblioteca Viriato Correa
When: August 31st to September 12th
How much: For free; R$ 1 at the Cine Olido
Website: www.cinefantasy.com.br

Documentaries about Brazil at Galeria Olido

Galleria Olido presents a  project called "Brazil, A Documented Country " (Brasil, um Pais Documentado), from August 27 to 29 there will be documentary about Brazil in this traditional cinema of the center of Sao Paulo.

The program includes classic documentaries that show part of history of our country. The movies are in Portuguese but we found it a good opportunity for those of you who are living here and already speak Portuguese or who are learning our language and wants to know more about Brazil.

O Chamado de Deus
(RJ, 2000, 90 min). Dir.: José Joffily.
The movie shows the vocation of young people to religious life through stories of seminarians who will become priests and of those who are closest to the Theology of Liberation.
Day 27, 3 pm

O Prisioneiro da Grade de Ferro
(SP, 2003, 123 min). Dir.: Paulo Sacramento.
One year before the deactivation of the Carandiru jail, in September 2002, prisoners learn how to use video cameras and document their daily lives.
Day 27, 5 pm

Carolina
(SP, 2003, 15 min). Dir.: Jeferson De.
In late 1950, Carolina Maria de Jesus writes a story about hunger, prejudice and poverty present in the slum where she lives. The book is a worldwide success, but she dies in the same situation.
Day 27, 7 pm

A Negação do Brasil
(SP, 2000, 91 min). Dir.: Joel Zito Araújo.
The struggle of black people for recognition of their importance in the history of Brazilian soap operas.
Day 27, 7.30 pm

Um Passaporte Húngaro
(RJ, 2002, 71 min). Dir.: Sandra Kogut.
The consular difficulties that immigrants faced in wartime, using the drama of their ancestors.
Day 28, 3 pm

Clarita
(RJ, 2007, 15 min). Dir.: Thereza Jessouroun.
Based on the story of the director's mother, bearer of Alzheimer's disease, the short movie represents reflections and questions about the meaning of life and coexistence with death.
Day 28, 5 pm

33
(SP, 2002, 75 min). Dir.: Kiko Goifman.
The documentary follows the director's search for his biological mother in Minas Gerais, when he was 33 years old.
Day 28, 5.15 pm

O Velho, a História de Luz de Carlos Prestes
(SP, 1997, 105 min). Dir.: Toni Venturi.
The history and life of the activist Luiz Carlos Prestes, who became leader of the general secretary of the Brazilian Communist Party.
Day 28, 7.30 pm

Edifício Master
(RJ, 2002, 110 min). Dir.: Eduardo Coutinho.
During seven days, a team filmed the daily life of residents of the Master Building, located in Copacabana. In the building about 500 people live, and the film brings the story of 37 of them.
Day 29, 3 pm

Conterrâneos Velhos de Guerra
(DF, 1990, 168 min). Dir.: Vladimir Carvalho.
The poor life conditions of the workers who arrived in Brasilia during the construction of the city.
Day 29, 5 pm

Service
Where: Galleria Olido, Avenida São João, 473 - Sao Paulo
When: August 27 to 29
How much: R$ 1

Spaghetti Western cinema festival

Today an almost forgotten genre, the western, had its decades of glory in the American cinema and also had good producers in Europe. To raise the dust, the Centro Cultural Banco do Brazil starts today, Wednesday 18th, a cinema festival dedicated to the Italian Western also known as Spaghetti Western. The selection includes twenty titles produced in Italy between 1964 and 1976. It was a period in which the world got to know the talent of directors like Sergio Leone (1929-1989) and actors like Clint Eastwood, Franco Nero and Giuliano Gemma. Of Leone, for example, will be shown five films, including the masterpiece "Once Upon a Time in the West", 1968. Entrance is R$ 4.00. Check out the program.

Service
When: August 18th to 29th
Where: CCBB, Rua Álvares Penteado, 112 - Sao Paulo
How much: R$ 4

Anima Mundi 2010

The 2010 International Animation Festival of Brazil, Anima Mundi, starts today and celebrates the production of this genre by promoting the encounter between authors and audience, films screening, competitive exhibitions, workshops, lectures and debates. The event, one of the three largest in the world and the largest in the Southern Hemisphere in the field of animation, will run until August 1st and will take place at the Memorial of Latin America and at the Centro Cultural Banco do Brazil. With over 300 subscribers and about a hundred short national films selected, the festival supports the development of the sector, besides functioning as a platform for spread and discussion.

The English Daniel Greaves and the Canadian Cordell Barker, winners at Cannes Festival, inaugurate the 18th edition of Anima Mundi, with lectures. Besides them, also the Brazilian, Guilherme Marcondes,will take part at a series of debates. Guillerme, who worked overseas and is back in Brazil since 2006,  produced the short film Tyger. Tyger won over 20 international awards, including two at the festival in Clermont-Ferrand, France, and the Award of the Directors of Anima Mundi. Besides the exhibitions, competitive or not, the event also shows in its website the films selected by the competition Anima Mundi Web e Celular.

What you have to see

Rabbit Rabbit of the director Daniel Greaves

Videogioco, a loop experiment, chosen as the best animation of the festival according to the jury

Boogie, el aceitoso, animation from Argentina

Manipulation, winner of the Animation Oscar in 1992

Mary and Max: uma amizade diferente, chosen as the best of the festival by the audience of Rio de Janeiro

Teclopolis, a critic to the modern society

Runaway, a train trip

Service

Where: Memorial da America Latina (from 11 am to midnight) and CCBB (from 10 am to 8 pm)

When: July 28th to August 1st
How much: R$ 6 and R$ 3 (students)

Program: Click here

Website: www.animamundi.com.br/

Latin America Cinema Festival inside Sao Paulo

From today, monday 12th of July, to the 18th there will be the Latin America Festival at the Memorial da America Latina. 137 movies will be shown for free during this week, together with workshop and conferences. This is the fifth edition of the festival that put together the best movied of the most important film directors from Brazil to Uruguay, from Mexico to Colombia for a total of 15 countries represented in this edition. There will be activities also in other places of the city like Cinesesc, Cinemateca Brasileira, Cinusp, Mis.
Check out the program at the Memorial.

Cinema Festivals for the week end

There will be more than one cinema festival next days in Sao Paulo. Here some tips.

Festival Varilux de Cinema Francês.
It goes until June 10th (it started June 2nd) and it will show the best French movies of the year. Here you can check the program.
When: June 2nd to June 10th
Where: many cinemas of the city
How much: it depends

CineFoot at the Museu do Futebol.
From June 4th to 6th, this is the first cine festival about football, new and old movies. Strange that the country of football didn't have a football cinema festival yet. Good idea. Check out the program.
When: June 4th to 6th
Where: Museu do Futebol

Roman Polansky.
Many films of the discussed film maker. For free at the CCSP.
When: June 3th to 13th.
Where: CCSP, rua Vergueiro 1000 - Sao Paulo

Pasolini at MuBE.
For three Saturdays of the month there will be films of Pasolini at MuBE, for free.

Where: Mube, Avenida Europa 218 - Sao Paulo

When: June 5th, 19th and 26th, from 7 pm


Month of Woody Allen.
The library Viriato Correa dedicates the month of June to Woody Allen, with films of film makers who follow Allen style (every Sunday of June at 6 pm) and films of Woody Allen himself besides workshops and debates. Check out the program.
Where: Biblioteca Viriato Correa, Rua Sena Madureira 298 - Sao Paulo

When: June, different days and time