In 2024, it announces its thirteenth edition with the screening of more than 80 films!

From June 12 to 20, the Olhar de Cinema – Curitiba International Film Festival presents its 13th edition, solidifying its stature as one of Brazil’s most significant events dedicated to the cinematic arts.

Showcasing independent feature films and short films from around the world, the festival’s venues encompass Cine Passeio, Cinemark Mueller, Teatro da Vila and the iconic Ópera de Arame – a beloved tourist landmark in Paraná, transformed into a sprawling film theater. In 2023, this monumental structure welcomed over 1,500 attendees on the festival’s opening night.

The visual identity for the 2024 edition comes from artist Giulia Ferrari Ulbrich, embodying the festival’s growth and evolution and its pivotal social and cultural role in advancing the cinematic arts within society. The result encapsulates illustrations that evoke a myriad of sensations, from environments, music or silence, all harmonizing to spotlight and celebrate the festival’s rich diversity. 

The structure of the sections for the 13th edition mirrors last year’s format, maintaining the much-awaited International and Brazilian competitive categories. Within these sections, accolades will be bestowed by the Jury for Best Film, Direction, Screenplay, Acting, and more. Additionally, the audience will have the chance to cast their votes for the Best Feature Film and Best Short Film within both competitive sections.

The festival also presents the New Views section as well as several panoramic sections. Dedicated to audacious films that flirt with risk and venture into uncharted territories of cinematic expression, the New Views section embodies a spirit of daring exploration with films that navigate between radical experimentation and a fearless departure from cinematic conventions.

In the Special Screenings Section, audiences will be treated to exclusive premieres of works by acclaimed filmmakers from both Brazilian and global cinema, as well as essential Brazilian films arriving in Curitiba for the 13th Olhar de Cinema. Meanwhile, the Classics Section maintains its traditional format, presenting a diverse array of films that have each, in their own distinctive manner, made a lasting impact on the history of world cinema.

In this edition’s Retrospective Section, the Festival offers a panorama of Hou Hsiao-hsien’s cinematic legacy, revered as one of the most influential filmmakers of the past four decades. The section will showcase screenings of eight of the filmmaker’s feature films in a selection titled “Three Times Hou”, spotlighting three pivotal junctures in his artistic odyssey. Sadly, his ongoing artistic activities have recently been interrupted by health issues.

In the traditional Focus Section, Olhar de Cinema introduces a guiding concept for the first time: Activist Cinema. Four recent Brazilian productions are included in the selection of films that, through direct and immediate engagement with the actions of people involved in social movements, incorporate their audiovisual practices as integral parts of a broader struggle to enact meaningful change in their communities.

In the Young Views Section, tailored for children, the festival offers young audiences a unique experience through a curated selection of short and feature-length films. Meanwhile, the Mirada Paranaense Section showcases the dynamic audiovisual creations originating from Paraná, featuring works from various corners of the state.

Since 2012, Olhar de Cinema has attracted over 200,000 attendees to its film screenings and reached an audience of over 30,000 people through online screenings. In total, the festival has featured over 1,000 productions, solidifying its reputation as one of the most respected festivals for independent cinema in Paraná, Brazil, and on the global stage.