The International Exhibitions of Cinematographic Art at the Cinematheque of the Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro (1958-1962)

Abstract

The Cinematheque of the Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro emerged at a time of intense transformations in Brazil. Already in its founding minutes, MAM-Rio envisaged a sector destined for cinema, which demonstrates the understanding that cinematographic activity is a modern art. This article aims to reflect the meaning of the dissemination actions of the Cinematheque, in particular, the four editions of the International Cinematographic Art Exhibition organized by it, namely, the Festivals The History of American Cinema, in 1958; The History of French Cinema, in 1959; The History of Italian Cinema, in 1960, and The History of Russian and Soviet Cinema, in 1961-1962. The hypothesis is that these Exhibitions played a fundamental role in the consolidation of the Cinematheque, precisely because they were large-scale events in the city's cultural scene, something previously unheard of in the cinematographic sphere of Rio de Janeiro. The research was carried out in the MAM Rio Cinematheque collection, as well as in consultation with newspapers of the time.