The Zózimo Bulbul Black Cinema Meeting is celebrating its 17th anniversary, with varied programming in three cultural spaces at the same time, starting this Friday (18). The exhibition will be held at Cine Odeon, the Museum of Tomorrow and the Rio Art Museum (MAR), three points in the central region of the city, until the 25th of this month.
This year’s theme is “Strengthening Bridges” and aims to unite filmmakers, thinkers and audiences from different parts of the world, in a meeting to share, question and reinvent stories. Bahian actor Antônio Pitanga, one of the great names in Cinema Novo, will be honored in this edition, with the screening of the film Malês.
One of the great new features of the program is the presentation of films about indigenous people, with emphasis on the indigenous philosopher, Ailton Krenak, sharing perspectives on ancestry and common struggles.
Furthermore, filmmaker Joel Zito Araújo will launch the series Black Notebooks with the Contemporary African Cinema mini-course. The objective of the training is to help create artistic, aesthetic and narrative bases for future cinema projects. It summarizes two decades of research, travel, meetings, affections and memories by filmmaker Joel Zito Araújo about African cinema.
The work process will be based on the screening of film scenes and interviews with great contemporary African directors. The project has the support of the Ford Foundation and the Afrocarioca Cinema Center. All programming is free.
In this edition, the Zozimo Bulbul Black Cinema Meeting receives more than 400 registered films and 128 works by Brazilian, African, Caribbean and other diaspora filmmakers selected for screening. During the meeting, 15 training activities will also be offered.
“Our collective curation brought together professionals from different areas of culture and was driven by themes such as memory, ancestry, family, diverse loves and LGBTQIAPN+ issues, seeking to expand horizons and deepen the narratives that intertwine the past, present and future”, explains Biza Vianna, CEO of the Centro AfroCarioca de Cinema.
The Zózimo Bulbul Black Cinema Meeting is held by the Centro AfroCarioca de Cinema and this year reinforces important partnerships with the African continent, such as the Pan-African Federation of Filmmakers (FEPACI) and the Pan-African Alliance of Screenwriters and Directors (APASER). Biza reinforces the commitment to Zózimo’s history and work in favor of black cinema.
“Our commitment to Zózimo Bulbul’s legacy remains firm in every detail of this meeting. His contributions to the appreciation of black productions and his vision of rapprochement with Africa continue to illuminate our paths. With this, we strengthen fundamental partnerships”, he stated.
The 17th edition of the Zózimo Bulbul Black Cinema Meeting also reserved a space to receive honored guests, such as Cheick Oumar Sissoko, one of the most iconic and respected figures in contemporary African cinema. Malian filmmaker, Sissoko is internationally recognized for his unique ability to merge visual storytelling with the political, social and cultural issues that deeply mark the African continent.
The curation is directed by Laza and will also feature significant names in black cinema, such as Macario, responsible for coordinating the curation. In addition to him, Vania Lima will be the international curator and Dani Ornellas, Antonio Molina, Leila Xavier and Glenda Nicácio are responsible for the national curatorship.
The communications director, Vitor José, nephew of Zózimo Bulbul and one of the project managers of the Centro AfroCarioca de Cinema, also celebrates the significant milestone of more than a thousand films shown in the 16 editions of the meeting and remembers that Zózimo was a visionary in giving shape for the event, bringing crucial issues such as racism and the importance of the historical contributions of the black community in the construction of Brazil to the center of discussions.
“Today, his memory and legacy continue to guide our steps, inspiring future generations to continue the fight for justice and recognition. Over 16 successful years, the Black Cinema Meeting has illuminated our screens with more than a thousand films from Brazil, Africa, the Caribbean and other corners of the Diaspora. No less than 700 sessions allowed more than 200 African directors, 40 from the Caribbean, 50 from other diasporas and 500 Brazilian directors to share their vision of the world”, said Vitor.
A place of resistance for Afro-Brazilian culture, founded in 2007 by Zózimo Bulbul, the Centro AfroCarioca de Cinema is a pioneer as a space for thinking and building new directions in cinema and, more specifically, black cinema in the country. One of its greatest achievements is the Zózimo Bulbul Black Cinema Meeting: Brazil, Africa, Caribbean and other diasporas which, in its 17 editions, has already presented more than 1,500 works by Brazilian, African and Caribbean filmmakers.
