Editoriais / 49ª mostra

In Search of Pearls

Writer and visual artist Valter Hugo Mãe has gifted us the illustration that will define the 49th Mostra. Its sinuous lines spark our imagination and surprise us with luminous spheres. The invitation to create this poster came after we watched “From Nowhere - A Portrait of Valter Hugo Mãe”, by Miguel Gonçalves Mendes, and in consideration of the world premiere of “The Son of a Thousand Men”, by Daniel Rezende, a beautiful coincidence that highlights the affectionate relationship between this multi-talented artist and Brazil. Now, let’s turn to the gems we hope to reveal in this 49th edition.

Mostra kicked off the UK/Brazil Season of Culture with a screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic “The Lodger” (1927), accompanied by the Brasil Jazz Sinfônica Orchestra. During the 49th Mostra, 25 British productions and co-productions will be presented, showcasing the diversity of the country’s cinema. The UK/Brazil Season of Culture is also featured at the Audiovisual Ideas Market, through several initiatives and joint missions at both Mostra and the BFI London Film Festival. We hope these will sow the seeds for many co-productions between the two countries.

Martinican filmmaker Euzhan Palcy receives the Humanity Award, with screenings of “Sugar Cane Alley” (1983) — Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival, among many other accolades —, “A Dry White Season” (1989), and “Siméon” (1992) representing her work. Throughout her career, she has denounced the legacy of slavery, colonialism, and apartheid, while celebrating the pride and beauty of non-hegemonic cultures. Palcy was the first Black woman to have a film produced by a major Hollywood studio and received an Honorary Oscar in 2023.

In 1995, Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi received the Bandeira Paulista Trophy in the New Directors Competition at Mostra for “The White Balloon” (1995), and in 2018, while prohibited from leaving Iran, he was honored with the Leon Cakoff Prize. This year, Panahi returns to São Paulo to personally present “It Was Just an Accident” — winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes — and we will have the joy of awarding him with the Humanity Award in person.

The Humanity Award will also be offered to filmmakers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne for their committed and ethical body of work addressing urgent social issues. The Belgian brothers’ latest film, “Young Mothers”, will be screened at this year’s edition.

Visionary American screenwriter and director Charlie Kaufman will be honored with the Leon Cakoff Prize. His short film “How to Shoot a Ghost” will be featured in our opening session, and he will also lead the masterclass inaugurating the V Audiovisual Ideas Market.

Mauricio de Sousa is also a recipient of the Leon Cakoff Prize. The brilliant cartoonist, whose characters have spanned generations and become part of our collective imagination, previously created the poster for the 35th Mostra, and this year illustrates the poster for the 2nd Mostrinha.

As part of this tribute, the 49th Mostra will present the biopic “Mauricio de Sousa – The Movie”, while three other titles based on his beloved characters will be screened at the 2nd Mostrinha. The children’s and youth section opens with “Pilar’s Diary in the Amazon” and extends its reach to 26 Unified Educational Centers (CEUs).

With films that remain inventive and modern amid the complex currents of the 21st century, filmmaker Želimir Žilnik is represented by three works exploring recent Eastern European history: “Early Works” (1969), “Marble Ass” (1995), and his latest, “Eighty Plus”.

As every year, Mostra offers a strong selection of restored films, beginning with the legendary “Queen Kelly” (1929), directed by Erich von Stroheim and starring Gloria Swanson, in a newly reconstructed version.

To mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the program features the restored classic “Black Rain” (1989), by Shohei Imamura, alongside “Hibakusha - Wandering Soul” (2025), a short by Joel Yamaji about Hiroshima survivor and peace activist Takashi Morita.

The 49th Mostra offers a broad panorama of world cinema, featuring renowned filmmakers such as Yorgos Lanthimos, Ildikó Enyedi, Alex Cox, Christian Petzold, Radu Jude, Park Chan-wook, Tsai Ming-liang, Gianfranco Rosi, Guillermo del Toro, Noah Baumbach, Richard Linklater, among many others. Highlights include official selections and award winners from the festival circuit, such as Jim Jarmusch’s “Father Mother Sister Brother”, this year’s Golden Lion at Venice, and Mascha Schilinski’s “Sound of Falling”, recipient of the Jury Prize at Cannes, alongside winners from Rotterdam and Locarno. At the same time, the program showcases exciting new discoveries and emerging directors in the New Directors Competition.

One of the meanings of “Sirât”, the opening film of the 49th Mostra, is “a narrow bridge spanning the abyss of Hell and leading to Paradise”. While contemporary life often feels dystopian, cinema can help illuminate reasons, suggest paths, offer solutions. In short, it can help us cross bridges.

For all of this, I thank the Mostra team, our supporters, partners and sponsors for the journey so far.

We hope the 49th Mostra uncovers many pearls, and that together we may navigate calm seas, finding strength and wisdom amid the storms.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Mostra!

Renata de Almeida