5th edition ended with awards for the highlights of Latin American cinema Photo: Gabriel Lobato Cinema produced in the Amazon once again occupied the center of the Latin American cultural debate with the closing of the 5th edition of the Alter do Chão Latin American Film Festival (CineAlter), held between the 12th and 14th of June, in Santarém, in the west of Pará. With record numbers of registrations, busy rooms and a strong presence of filmmakers, students, researchers and traditional communities, the festival has established itself as one of the main showcases of Amazonian audiovisual and awarded productions that they address topics such as identity, memory, climate, ancestry and resistance of forest people. The closing ceremony took place this Sunday (14) and brought together exhibitions, debates and the awarding of prizes to the works that stood out most in the program. The big winner of the show was the feature film "O Refúgio", directed by Rafael Duarte, which won the trophies for Best Feature Film and Best Feature Film Direction. The documentary portrays historical aspects of the black presence in the Cachoeira Porteira region, in Pará. Among the short films, the highlight was "ECOCIDIO", a co-production between Argentina and Peru directed by Aldana Loiseau. The work won Best Short Film for addressing the impacts of the climate crisis and the inequalities faced by vulnerable populations in the face of environmental changes. Amazonian production also had a prominent place in the awards. The Tapajós Film Award was awarded to the short film "Fé que Move Rios", directed by Viviane Borari, which portrays the mobilization of young people of different beliefs in defense of the waters and the Tapajós forest. Now on g1 Representing the film's team, Sofia Amazonas highlighted the importance of recognition for new directors in the region. "This award values ​​the effort to communicate responsibly, give visibility to our realities and tell stories that come from our territories. It also encourages other productions to continue being made, strengthening Amazonian audiovisual", he stated. The award for Best Paraense Film was awarded to "O Regresso à Patú Anú", directed by Akha Rubi, a work that delves into the Amazonian enchantments and cultural traditions of the region. The award for Best Feature Film Screenplay went to "Mundurukuyü: A Floresta das Mulheres Peixe", directed by Beka Munduruku, Aldira Akay and Rylcélia Akay. In the short category, the highlight was "Zezé Moveu Montanhas", by Juliana Uepa. The award for Best Short Film Direction went to "A Pele do Ouro", directed by Marcela Ulhoa and Yare Perdomo, a documentary that addresses the socio-environmental impacts of mining activity. For Santarém's municipal secretary of Culture, Priscila Castro, the festival reaffirms the importance of creating spaces dedicated to narratives produced in the Amazon. "We close this edition with a very positive feeling. CineAlter plays an important role in placing Amazonian narratives at the center of cultural and audiovisual debate. It is a space for meeting, reflection and appreciation of our identity, at the same time that it connects us with productions from all over Latin America", he highlighted. According to the festival's general director, Raphael Ribeiro, the fifth edition demonstrated the maturity of the event and the growth of audiovisual production in the region. "It was an edition marked by learning and the strengthening of Amazonian audiovisual. We had record registrations, which shows that more and more people are producing cinema in the Amazon and finding spaces to exhibit their works", he stated. Curator Viviane Pistache highlighted that this year's selection highlighted the diversity and creative power of regional production. "We had an impressive volume of films produced in the Amazon. The festival presents an in-depth portrait of the realities experienced in our territories and promotes connections between different experiences and ways of making cinema", he noted. Para a jornalista e crítica de cinema Flavia Guerra, o crescimento do CineAlter acompanha a evolução do próprio cinema amazônico. “O cinema da Amazônia está cada vez mais sofisticado. Os jovens estão filmando mais, se especializando e ampliando suas possibilidades de criação. É fundamental que a Amazônia tenha uma produção audiovisual forte, contínua e descentralizada, capaz de mostrar ao mundo a diversidade dos seus territórios e das pessoas que vivem aqui”, destacou. Ao final da quinta edição, o CineAlter reforçou seu papel como um dos principais espaços de circulação, formação e valorização do cinema produzido na Amazônia e na América Latina, ampliando a visibilidade de histórias que nascem da floresta e dialogam com temas universais. Premiação CineAlter Foto: Gabriel Lobato 5ª edição CineAlter Foto: Gabriel Lobato 5ª edição CineAlter Foto: Gabriel Lobato 5ª edição CineAlter Foto: Gabriel Lobato