The fifth edition of Mubi Fest opened in São Paulo, Brazil, on Friday, September 11, and runs through Sunday, September 13, bringing special screenings of films that played at the Cannes and Berlin film festivals along with newly restored 4K classics.
This year's edition is being held at the Centro Cultural de São Paulo, in the city's Liberdade neighborhood, after previous editions took place at the Museum of Image and Sound and the Cinemateca Brasileira. Organizers had originally planned outdoor screenings, but those sessions had to be moved because of the weather in the city.
Among the festival's highlights are "Sheep in the Box," directed by Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda, which competed for the Palme d'Or at Cannes, and "Seu Inferno Particular," directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, which premiered at Cannes. The program also includes a restored version of Wim Wenders' "Paris, Texas," as well as repeat screenings of the Brazilian classics "Xica da Silva" and "Bye Bye Brasil," both directed by Cacá Diegues.
Expected turnout
Sandra Gómez, Mubi's director of communications for Latin America, told CNN Brasil that organizers expect around 6,000 people to attend the festival over the three days.
Gómez said Mubi runs very similar programs across the different territories where it holds the festival, but that local representation is always important. She said it mattered to have Brazilian filmmakers included when the festival is in Brazil, and Latin American filmmakers included when it is held in Latin America.
She added that Brazil has an audience that takes a strong interest in different kinds of proposals, describing it as a market that responds very well to everything Mubi presents. She said audiences there are very enthusiastic and that tickets sold out quickly.
What is Mubi
Mubi is a subscription streaming platform and film distributor known for its curated catalogue of arthouse, independent and classic cinema. Alongside its streaming service, the company also produces and distributes films for theatrical release and organizes festival events in several countries, of which the São Paulo edition is one.
Panels and guest speakers
Besides the film screenings, Mubi Fest is also hosting conversations with Renata Magalhães, president of the Academia Brasileira de Cinema (Brazilian Film Academy); Mexican director Fernando Eimbcke; and Brazilian filmmaker Eunice Gutman.
Friday's schedule
- Sala Jardel Filho, 7:00pm: "O Órfão," directed by Carolina Markowicz
- Sala Jardel Filho, 7:30pm: "Seu Inferno Particular," directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
- Sala Lima Barreto, 2:00pm: "Acampamento Miasma: Adolescência, Sexo e Morte," directed by Jane Schoenbrun
- Sala Lima Barreto, 4:00pm: "Erupcja," directed by Pete Ohs
- Sala Lima Barreto, 6:20pm: "Sheep in the Box," directed by Hirokazu Koreeda
- Sala Lima Barreto, 9:10pm: "Videodrome," directed by David Cronenberg
- Sala Paulo Emílio, 2:10pm: "A Sombra do Meu Pai," directed by Akinola Davies Jr.
- Sala Paulo Emílio, 4:30pm: "Xica da Silva," directed by Cacá Diegues
- Sala Paulo Emílio, 7:00pm: "Bye Bye Brasil," directed by Cacá Diegues
Saturday's schedule
- Sala Jardel Filho, 7:00pm: "Vollúpya," directed by Jocimar Dias Jr. and Éri Sarmet
- Sala Jardel Filho, 7:30pm: "A Cronologia da Água," directed by Kristen Stewart
- Sala Paulo Emílio, 2:30pm: "Moscas," directed by Fernando Eimbcke
- Sala Paulo Emílio, 5:00pm: "Rose," directed by Markus Schleinzer
- Sala Paulo Emílio, 8:00pm: "Seu Inferno Particular," directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
- Sala Lima Barreto, 2:10pm: "Hope," directed by Na Hong-Jin
- Sala Lima Barreto, 5:30pm: "Acampamento Miasma: Adolescência, Sexo e Morte," directed by Jane Schoenbrun
- Sala Lima Barreto, 8:00pm: "Moonage Daydream," directed by Brett Morgen
Sunday's schedule
- Sala Jardel Filho, 7:00pm: "Samba Infinito," directed by Leonardo Martinelli
- Sala Jardel Filho, 7:30pm: "Paris, Texas 4K," directed by Wim Wenders
- Sala Paulo Emílio, 2:00pm: short films by Eunice Gutman
- Sala Paulo Emílio, 5:00pm: "Hope," directed by Na Hong-Jin
- Sala Paulo Emílio, 8:20pm: "Sheep in the Box," directed by Hirokazu Koreeda
- Sala Lima Barreto, 2:00pm: "Erupcja," directed by Pete Ohs
- Sala Lima Barreto, 4:00pm: "Moscas," directed by Fernando Eimbcke
- Sala Lima Barreto, 6:30pm: "Model," directed by Frederick Wiseman
- Sala Lima Barreto, 9:00pm: "Rose," directed by Markus Schleinzer
