AMAZONAS FILM FESTIVAL

the amazon regionAmazonas State: located in the northwestern corner of the country. It is the largest Brazilian State by area (1,577,820.2 sq.km) and the 9th largest country subdivision in the world. It borders with Peru, Colombia and Venezuela.

Amazon rainforest: the vastest one of the planet, 4,500,000 sq.km. First water supply of the world, the biggest Reservoir regarding bio-diversity.

Life on the Amazon region has two modes: the cheia –the flooding season (between January and June), and the seca –the dry season (July and December.). Between one and the other, the level of the Amazon river suffers a spectacular 15-meter oscilation, provoking profound transformations on the landscape and the lifestyle of the region.

the mighty river

The Meeting of the Waters (Encontro das Águas in Portuguese), the point where the river Negro and the river Solimões (known to the world as Amazon river) meet, downstream from Manaus. The reluctancy from both rivers to join creates a beautiful natural phenomenon, with two distinct streams of water flowing along for miles and miles.

On the left, the river Negro, its dark-coffee waters due to the presence of vegetation in decay and high acidic levels. On the right, the river Solimões, its muddy waters due to the presence of Andean mountain sediments. The river Negro is warmer than the Solimões; the Solimões, in return, flows faster than the Negro.

the amazonas state and manaus

Manaus: Capital of the Amazonas State., located on the shores of the Rio Negro, in the heart of the jungle The biggest city in the Amazon basin: 1,71 million inhabitants.

The apogee of Manaus came in the 19th century, during the height of the rubber boom when the Brazilian monopoly on rubber made Manaus one of the richest cities on earth., that even had street lights and trams before most of Europe.

Sumptuous architectural monuments as the Theater Amazonas -the event’s flagship venue were built during Manaus belle-epoque. It was this opulent building hat inspired Werner Herzog to make the maddest film of his career, Fitzcarraldo.

Manaus: Free Trade Zone: Created as an area of free commerce to develop the Central Amazon, the free trade zone of Manaus is a complex of intense commercial and industrial activities, which allows it to be the third industrial center of the country, behind São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

about the festival

The Amazonas Film Festival ranks among the world’s most unique film festivals. It’s an annual gathering for Brazilian cinema enthusiasts, film industry insiders, international celebrities, filmmakers and critics.

Since its foundation in 2004, as an initiative of Government of the Amazonas State, the festival has grown into a sevenday international educational event celebrating art and film, set amongst the beauty of largest reserve of biodiversity on the planet - the Amazon rainforest-.

The Festival’s longstanding commitment is to join filmmakers, local audiences and film connoisseurs together to experience and enjoy great cinema, while promoting the Amazonas state as a film location and production hotspot, through the Amazonas Film Commission.

festival program

In this year’s Festival main program, there are 3 competitive sections:1) International feature Competition: 8 feature films from around the globe compete for the “Vôo na Floresta” Trophy.2) National Short Film Competition3) Competition for digital shorts produced in the Amazonas state

There are also various non-competitive programs, where a a diverse array of both international and Brazilian films are showcased.

Also in the festival’s lineup for the seventh consecutive year, the Screenwriters Contest, aimed for national scriptwriters

Focused on the continuing education of local audiences and emergent filmmakers, a series of seminars and panels ranging from cinema to culture to nature, are currently being organised, all with open access.

festival guests

Beth Faria

Nelson Pereira dos Santos

Soledad Villamil

Maria Fernada Candido

Sir Alan Parker

Claude Lelouch

Thalma de Freitas

Beth Faria

Marina Person

festival venues

the festival experience

Manaus

Rio Negro Palace

the amazon adventure

For further information, please contact INTERNATIONAL PRESS

COORDINATOR,patricia martin:

patriciamartin@intermediarte.org