Sao Paulo’s 28th Film Festival, also know as Mostra, is seeing an influx of film entries and films shown about and by Indigenous people, Afro-Brazilians, and women. TeleSur, a Venezuelan based news network, puts Indigenous people’s, Afro-Latinxs’, and women’s struggles as the focal points of many of their articles. Due to many films festivals’ lack of inclusion in their entries and showings, Telesur highlights Sao Paulo’s 28th Film Festival due to their “sharp increase in Indigenous, Afro-Brazilian and feminist film productions, ” something that has been very difficult for them since in 2000 when the festival had an open call for films produced by women and a minuscule amount was received.  The festival will run until September 3.

The 2016 poster for Sao Paulo’s Film Festival.

Not only are the films from marginalized groups, but they also depict an array of issues involved in these communities. One film series, “Empoderadas,” made by a directorfrom the Association of Black Audiovisual Professionals, deals with issues of racism and machismo, issues that run deep in Latinx communities around the globe. Artistic content by minorities groups is celebrated more and more each day as larger groups become aware of issues in their communities and stop brushing off content created by these groups.

A trailer for short film documentary, Sex, Sermons, and Politics by Aude Chevalier-Beaumel and Michael Gimenez.

This article deals with the intersectionality of the class, especially as we are currently learning about Indigenous groups and the erasure of their history and culture once the Europeans invaded. A big reason for the dismissal of issues and work created by Indigenous people, Afro-Latinx, and women is a consequence of European conquest and the Eurocentric culture that follows. It is important for us to critique whitewashed history and media and make minority groups’ history and content accessible to all.

https://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Brazil-Short-Film-Festival-Sees-Increase-in-Indigenous-Films–20170823-0027.html

http://40.mostra.org/en/filme/8698-SEX,-SERMONS-AND-POLITICS