São Paulo – The first stage of film contest The Arabs and 25th of March Street ended on January 5th with 30 project submissions. Short films were accepted in animation, fiction or documentary formats, provided that they covered the theme at hand. Some of the entrants are from along the shore and countryside of the state of São Paulo. Now, the five-strong jury will view the films and shortlist the best ones. The film contest is held in partnership by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Institute of Arab Culture (Icarabe).
The goal is to retrieve some of the history of Arab immigration to the area around 25th of March Street, in the downtown area of the state of São Paulo’s namesake capital. The winners will receive cash prizes and the films will be incorporated into a collection.
The Arab Chamber’s Culture director Silvia Antibas explains that the goal of the contest has been fulfilled, since the intention is to recover the area’s history.
“The idea of recapturing this history, which is a crucial part of Arab immigration to Brazil, from different perspectives, and making it available to all, has already been accomplished. Notwithstanding the level of technical quality of the short films, what matters is to record and preserve this memory,” Antibas told ANBA.
The jury will view all films. On February 5th, they will meet and choose a set of films to run for the Audience Choice Prize. On selecting these films, the jury members should also name their choice for best film. Besides, the finalists will be screened at theaters throughout the metropolitan region of São Paulo. Viewers will vote for best film as well. The films will be shown at Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil and Biblioteca Mário de Andrade, in Downtown São Paulo, cine-clube latino americano, at Memorial da América Latina, in São Paulo’s West Side, Clube Monte Líbano, in the South Side, and Escola Livre de Cinema in Santo André, a city in the greater metropolitan area of São Paulo.
The jury members are Silvia Antibas, Icarabe cultural director Geraldo Adriano Godoy de Campos, and filmmakers Otávio Cury, José Roberto Sadek and Lina Chamie.
Historical records
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, 25th of March Street and vicinities saw an influx of Syrian and Lebanese immigrants. They took up residence and set up their shops – mostly textile outlets – in the area. Today, many of the original businesses are run by the founders’ children and grandchildren. However, records of this history are scant. Holding the contest is a way of encouraging people to trace back the steps of immigrants to the region and create said records.
The street’s name is a reference to the date on which former Brazilian emperor Dom Pedro I enacted the first Constitution, in 1824. March 25th is also a symbolical representation of the arrival of Arab immigrants in Brazil. Nowadays, the street and others near it, such as Ladeira Porto Geral, Barão de Duprat, Florêncio de Abreu and Comendador Abdo Schahin bustle with low-price stores for which the area is known.
Antibas said whoever’s the best film is, all entrants are winners. “I don’t know who the winners will be, but to me they all have already won, since they have generously contributed to this project with their ideas, creativity and toil,” said the Arab Chamber director.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
