INTRODUCTION

ENCOUNTERS AT THE MOVIE THEATER

We have reached our 35th edition celebrating the magic of the encounters that cinema provides. The shared experience of watching films in the dark of the screening room becomes even more magical at festivals, with everything that happens inside and outside the cinema audience.
This year’s program guarantees 52 possibilities for encounters – the number of programs that our team has produced. More than 280 short films were selected from five continents. They are different worldviews that put us in touch with the otherness and diversity that we have access to today, and at the same time unite us in the challenges and joys that we share with other human beings from all over the world.
In addition to the traditional programs selected from the entries, the program targets the Global South, with programs from Africa, Asia and Latin America. Festivals from Cape Verde, Ghana and Senegal bring perspectives from their curators, and are complemented by selections from Taiwanese directors and Latin American animators. A very special tribute to actor Paulo César Pereio, a legend of virtues and vices of Brazilian cinema, along with a brand new short film by Wim Wenders and a sample of the work of award-winning British director Jonathan Glazer, join the prolific production of Instituto Criar, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
In our parallel activities, new opportunities to discuss short films and their insertion in the market, with the extensive programming of the already traditional Curta & Mercado and another year of partnership with the School of Communications and Arts of the University of São Paulo, discussing new technologies applied to audiovisual and their impacts on production and language.
The various exhibition spaces in the city of São Paulo, plus itineraries through neighborhoods and cities in the interior, allow the public to exchange impressions and establish dialogues based on the films and programs – something so urgent precisely at a time when standards and traditions are being questioned, revisited and reinterpreted in favor of a more plural and inclusive world.
We would like to thank all the filmmakers who entrusted us with their films and the sponsors who once again ensure the realization of this meeting that has brought short films and their filmmakers closer to the public for so many years.

Zita Carvalhosa
Director of Kinoforum - Sao Paulo Short Film Festival Kinoforum

 

35 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP AND INNOVATION IN AUDIOVISUAL

The Secretariat of Culture, Economy and Creative Industry of the State of São Paulo is honored to celebrate 35 years of partnership with the Kinoforum – São Paulo International Short Film Festival, the largest event in its segment in Brazil.
The Festival has established itself as an essential platform for the exhibition and appreciation of short length productions, whether new talents or works from different parts of the world, promoting diversity, development and innovation in cinema. 
Through the Paulo Gustavo Law, this year, the Festival was awarded R$ 600,000, in line with the State’s mission to promote a free and plural cultural policy. The objective is to encourage interaction between different cultural expressions in order to transform the sector into an engine of human and economic development.
In 2023, the creative economy gained 7.8 million new workers, an expansion of 4% in the supply of jobs, double the 2% recorded in the general economy, according to the Fundação Itaú Observatory. With the continued support of the Government of the State of São Paulo, the Festival therefore reaffirms its commitment to an inclusive, dynamic and growing cultural policy.

Secretariat of Culture, Economy and Creative Industry of the State of São Paulo

 

THE POWER OF CONCISENESS

Argentine writer Júlio Cortázar compared literary genres using the metaphor of a boxing match, stating that, while the novel wins by points, the short story wins by knockout. When transposing the analogy to cinema, it is possible to consider the impact of short films that, in a concise way, manage to capture and reveal dimensions that exceed their duration.
In the context of the film industry, this format favors the development of projects – in their different stages of production – whether through the possibility of execution in a reduced time, formation of lean teams, and even the use of more accessible equipment. In this way, the language acquires a democratic character, enabling different filmmakers to materialize their creations, including freedom for experimentation.
Despite favorable conditions and a significant volume of productions, their exhibitions find little space on commercial circuits. Given this scenario, the 35th edition of Kinoforum – São Paulo International Short Film Festival reiterates the event’s position as a reference in the dissemination of shorter films. The initiative also contributes to the prominence of creators and emerging narratives, bringing together themes and discussions of collective social relevance.
By coproducing the Festival, the result of a long-standing partnership with Associação Cultural Kinoforum, Sesc encourages the appreciation of the diversity of audiovisual professionals, which is expressed in their films. Furthermore, the institution reaffirms the socio-educational perspective of its cultural action, expanding among its audiences the opportunities for meetings and reflections that cinema – in all its variations – can provoke.

Luiz Deoclecio Massaro Galina
Director of Sesc São Paulo

 

DIVERSITY AND PLURALITY IN THE SHORT FILM UNIVERSE

One of the most traditional events dedicated to the short film format, held since 1990 in the capital of São Paulo, Kinoforum – São Paulo International Short Film Festival reaches its 35th edition, reinforcing the diversity of proposals, aesthetics and themes of the selected shorts.
Sponsored by Itaú Unibanco, the partnership with the Festival reinforces Itaú Cultural’s (IC) constant dialogue with audiovisual production, an artistic axis present in various entertainment, training and promotion activities of the organization. 
This year, part of Kinoforum’s programming will be available exclusively on the Itaú Cultural Play streaming platform, between August 22nd and September 8th. There will be seven short films that address the joys, struggles and multiple violence that the working class faces day after day.
Currently, the Itaú Cultural Play catalog has more than 360 titles, including feature and short films, documentaries, fiction, animations, series and original IC audiovisual productions. This vast collection emphasizes the plurality of Brazilian production, paying attention to values such as regional, gender and racial diversity, uniqueness, contemporary themes and artistic quality. Access is free at itauculturalplay.com.br.

Itaú Cultural