The State Secretary of Culture sponsored, alogside RioFilme, a total of 20 film festivals in the capital and the countryside of the Rio de Janeiro State through the Public Call for Production of Film Festivals.
Divided into categories, we made possible the emergence of new and small festivals that had their first edition, many in cities on the countryside holding a film festival for the first time; and we also gave new breath to major festivals that have been happening for many years and are fundamental for Rio de Janeiro’ s audiovisual culture. People are watching, thinking and living films throughout the year in several screens.
Film festivals put together almost every link in cinema: the diffusion of production, the shaping of an audience, the critic debate, the improvement of filmmakers. Those events put cinema in its place of excellence: the dark room taken by a diversity of people. It is where historically audiences and filmmakers are shaped, where the films come alive and life is touched by the films.
We recognize film festivals as the essence of cinematic activity and we hope the audience will become more and more present to see, debate and make movies together.
ANDRÉ LAZARONI, STATE SECRETARY OF CULTURE AND PRESIDENT OF THEATRO MUNICIPAL- RJ
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