The sixth edition of Citronela Doc – Ilhabela Documentary Festival will take place from August 25 to 30 in Ilhabela, located on the northern coast of São Paulo. All scheduled activities for the event are free and feature new additions to the program.
This year, the National and Regional sections will have a competitive character. Additionally, there will be an International Showcase, organized in collaboration with the Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival (FICCI) in Colombia. The festival will also feature a Children's Showcase, in partnership with Recria Cine, and a masterclass led by documentary filmmaker João Moreira Salles.
The cinematic competition involves works selected from over 550 entries, representing 12 Brazilian states, the Federal District, and five municipalities of the North Coast and Vale do Paraíba. In the National Showcase, films compete in the categories of Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, and Honorable Mention.
The Regional Showcase offers awards for Best Regional Film and Best Debut Director Film. The program also includes the Utopia Docs Award and the todesplay Acquisition Award, which guarantees the screening of the winning film on the streaming platform.
The jury panel is composed of audiovisual sector specialists, including Tatiana Lohmann, director; Paulina Chamorro, journalist; Willen Dias, editor; Erika Araujo, executive producer; Lygia Barbosa, director; and Paulo Delfini, curator and member of the Paulista Interior Film Forum (Icine).
Among the eight feature films participating in the national competition, stand out A Fabulosa Máquina do Tempo, by Eliza Capai, which premiered at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival; Na Passagem do Trópico, by Francisco Miguez, filmed in Ubatuba; O Pai e o Pajé, by Iawarete Kaiabi, Felipe Tomazelli, and Luís Villaça, winner of the Abraccine Award at the São Paulo International Film Showcase; and Lendo o Mundo, by Catherine Murphy and Iris de Oliveira, which deals with Paulo Freire.
Other selected titles include Apopcalipse Segundo Baby, by Rafael Saar, which follows the journey of the singer Baby do Brasil over 18 years; Cartas para…, by Vânia Lima, about the transformation of four women through correspondence exchange; Mãos à Terra, by Sérgio Guidoux Kalil, focused on the history of the Ecological Farmers' Fair; and VIVO 76, by Lírio Ferreira, dedicated to Alceu Valença's album 'Vivo!'.
The short film selection covers themes such as Afro-Brazilian culture, state violence, juvenile incarceration, and popular traditions. The Regional Showcase presents films produced in the Vale do Paraíba and the North Coast of São Paulo. These works, mostly directed by women, expose the variety of views and narratives about the region, addressing issues of memory, identity, culture, connection with nature, sustainability, and the effects of climate crisis.
The International Showcase, held in collaboration with FICCI in Colombia, brings together Colombian productions from 2025 and 2026 that participated in the aforementioned festival. Among these are the feature film Andariega, by Raúl Soto Rodríguez, which portrays the nomadic life of a coffee harvester, and four shorts: Decair, by Juan Camilo González; Filme Pin, by María Rojas Arias and Andrés Jurado; Niña Chilapa, by Juana Lotero López; and Sombras na Névoa, by Pedro Pablo Vega Reyes.
With the exception of Filme Pin, all works will premiere in Brazil at Citronela Doc. Sombras na Névoa will also have its international premiere at this festival in Ilhabela.
In special screenings, outside the competitive showcases, the festival will screen Mounir, by Juliana Borges, winner of the Best Feature Film award in the Territories and Memory competition of the 15th Ecofalante Film Showcase, in 2026. This film narrates the story of a Central African immigrant and a young filmmaker who documents their experience over ten years and across three continents. Artacho Jurado, Symphony of an Architect, by Teresa Eça and Pedro Gorski, which addresses the trajectory of the architect responsible for notable projects in São Paulo architecture, will also be screened.
The program also includes debates, workshops, artistic performances, and shows. A highlight is the masterclass titled The Problem of Documentary, with João Moreira Salles, scheduled for Saturday (29), from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM, at Esporte Clube Ilhabela. This activity is free and accessible to the public without prior registration. Salles has already directed films such as Notícias de uma Guerra Particular, Santiago, and No Intenso Agora, and recently released Arrabalde, a series of seven reports on his experience in the Amazon.
Another highlight is the Filmmakers Meeting, organized by the Citronela Film School. From August 28 to 30, this meeting will bring together educational activities in partnership with Spcine, Sebrae, Icine, Ilhacine, and Ilhabela Convention & Visitors Bureau. Activities will take place at Esporte Clube Ilhabela and the Vila pier.
This year, there will also be a Children's Showcase, featuring nine productions in collaboration with Recria Cine. Additionally, the Educational Showcase will have nine film sessions aimed at preschool and elementary school students in public schools in Ilhabela, held at Cine Villa Bella & Clube.
The festival will also offer online programming, available from September 1 to 10, through the Spcine Play and todesplay platforms. The complete event schedule can be consulted on the Citronela Doc website.
