The renowned Silent Film Festival in Pordenone, Italy, is the stage for the world premiere of the film “Amazonas, the largest river in the world” this Tuesday (10). This work, considered a lost treasure, was rediscovered in the Prague Film Archive.
For those in a hurry:
The film, dated 1918, is acclaimed for being the first feature film shot in the Amazon. Even then he highlighted the exuberant wealth and natural resources of this colossal area, which extends for almost seven million square kilometers. The information is from the newspaper The Guardian.
In addition to the Italian premiere, the film will be presented at the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, in the Czech Republic and subsequently in Brazil.
Saga of the first film about the Amazon
The discovery was possible thanks to the work of the curators of the Národní filmovì archive. After a visit to the site, they sent the festival director, Jay Weissberg, the link to the film cataloged as “Wonders of the Amazon,” a 1925 American production.
At the beginning of the screening Weissberg had the impression that the film was older and therefore could not be the American production mentioned. After extensive research, the team suspected that it was the work of Silvino Santos.
The original negative had been stolen by the director’s partner, who had taken it to Europe. The latter, without Santos’ knowledge, claimed authorship of the documentary and changed its title.
He secretly established agreements for the sale of the film on the European continent, where it was shown starting in 1921. In 1925 it also arrived in Czechoslovakia, but had been missing since 1931.
Silvino Santos, a Portuguese who settled in Brazil as a young man, was one of the pioneers of Brazilian cinema. After contacting Weissberg, Belém researcher Sávio Stoco, an expert on the filmmaker, confirmed that the film was, indeed, the long-awaited lost relic.
“Amazonas, the Greatest River in the World” offers viewers stunning images of the river, the cities of Belém and Manaus, and the Huitoto people.
The first Amazon film premieres more than 100 years after its production first appeared on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
