Artwork by Nina Pandolfo
From October 17th to October 30th, occurred the traditional São Paulo International Film Festival. For two weeks, 328 titles from 65 countries were exhibited in various addresses, amongst cinemas, cultural centers and museums around the capital city, including free outdoor screenings.
The selection was provided an overview of the world contemporary cinema production and of the tendencies, themes, narratives and aesthetics produced worldwide. The 43rd Mostra was composed by six sections: Special Screenings, Tributes, Restorations, New Directors Competition, Mostra Brasil and International Perspective.
Born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1964. In the early 1980s, he started na acting course with Wolney de Assis (1937-2015). Brant made super-8 movies, which did not take him away from the theater. Then, hestarted attending movie club sessions, a period in which the cinematic influence overlapped the other arts. One of the essential names of the Brazilian Retomada, he graduated in cinema from the FAAP and began his career directing music videos for bands like Titãs. He directed short films such as Dov’è Meneghetti? (1989, 14th Mostra) and Jó (1993, 17th Mostra), before releasing his first feature, Belly Up (1997). He also directed Friendly Fire (1998, 22nd Mostra), The Trespasser (2002), Delicate Crime (2005, 29th Mostra), Stray Dog (2007), Love According to B. Schianberg (2010, 33rd Mostra), I’d Receive the Worst News from Your Beautiful Lips (2011, 35th Mostra) and Pitanga (2016), winner of Critics Prize for Best Brazilian Feature at 40th Mostra.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1975. He studied for three years at the University of Cinema, in the Argentine capital. Alonso is one of the leading names of the New Argentine Cinema, movement that emerged in the early 2000s, and his films have been screened and awarded at major festivals in the world. He began his film career as a sound assistant and then director assistant. In 1995, he wrote and directed the script of the short movie Dos en la Vereda, with Catriel Vildosola. In 2001, he directed, wrote, produced and edited the acclaimed La Libertad (2001), his debut feature that was awarded at Rotterdam Film Festival. He also directed the features Los Muertos (2004, 28th Mostra), awarded at Karlovy Vary, Fantasma (2006) and Liverpool (2008, 32nd Mostra), in addition to the shorts Lechuza (2009) and Sin Título (Carta para Serra) (2011). Jauja (2014, 38th Mostra), his most recent work, won the Critic’s Prize at the Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival.
Born in Lisbon, Portugal in 1965, Maria is an actress, screenwriter, singer and director. She began her acting career in 1982 in Silvestre (27th Mostra), by João César Monteiro. She worked with the most important Portuguese filmmakers such as Manoel de Oliveira, in The Divine Comedy (1991, 15th Mostra). In 1994, she won the Volpi Cup for best actress at the Venice International Film Festival for Two Brothers, My Sister (1994, 18th Mostra), directed by Teresa Villaverde. Maria made her directorial debut with The Death of the Prince (1991, 16th Mostra). She also directed April Captains (2000), Jury Award of Best Picture at the 24th Mostra; the documentaries Je T’aime, Moi Non Plus (2004, 28th Mostra) and Repare Bem (2012, 36th Mostra); segments of the collective films Welcome to São Paulo (2004, 28th Mostra) and Invisible World (2012, 36th Mostra), both produced by Mostra; and the feature Between Two Strangers (2015, 19th Mostra). She was a member of the Jury of the 18th Mostra, in 1994.
Xénia Maingot studied Eastern Europe languages and civilizations in Toulouse, Paris and Moscow, before she turned to cultural management and to the film industry. As producer, she worked with Michel Reilhac at Mélange Productions, making documentaries, short films, feature films and TV programmes. From 2003 and on, she was invited to be production manager on several feature films produced by Slot Machine, such as Dogville (2003, 27th Mostra), by Lars Von Trier, and The Headless Woman (2008), by Lucrecia Martel. Xénia founded Eaux Vives Productions in 2008 while working as freelancer for several production companies and as line producer for shootings abroad. She is a member of the European Film Academy and, since 2012, is part of the jury for the Cinema Construction Prize at Cinélatino in Toulouse. The producer also regularly lectures for students at La Fémis, film and television school based in Paris, France.