CineBH, the International Film Festival of Belo Horizonte, reaches its twentieth edition with a diverse and free programming schedule. Between September 22nd and 27th, the capital of Minas Gerais will host a total of 69 screenings, presenting 102 films distributed across eight different venues.
The official opening will take place on Tuesday, September 22nd, at 8 PM at the Grande Theatro do Cine Theatro Brasil. This event will mark the national premiere of the film Se Eu Fosse Vivo… Vivia (2026), by André Novais Oliveira, and will be Conceição Evaristo's first participation as a film actress. The writer, originally from Belo Horizonte, will be one of the honorees for the edition and will receive the Horizonte Trophy.
Another celebrated figure is the Paraguayan filmmaker Paz Encina. She completes two decades of career, and her first feature film, Hamaca Paraguaya (2006), also reaches this milestone. The film will be screened in the Historical Dialogues section, alongside Ejercicios de Memoria (2016) and Carta a un Viejo Master (2024), the latter being a cinematic message from Encina to Eduardo Coutinho. These three screenings will feature conversations with the director, who will also participate in a masterclass during CineBH.
The festival features productions from 18 Brazilian states and eight countries. In addition to film screenings, the agenda includes debates, curated screenings, children's activities, and a retrospective dedicated to the festival's 20 years.
Latin American cinema serves as the central axis of this edition, under the theme Latin American Cinema: What Will It Be?. CineBH promotes a discussion about the future of the seventh art form on the continent, considering recent political, economic, and cultural transformations.
Territory Showcase
The competitive programming includes two showcases focused on Latin cinema. Horizonte, new to this edition, presents six emerging directors with their first feature films. Featured titles include Si Vas Para Chile (2025), by Amilcar Infante and Sebastián González Méndez, and Cuba y la Noche (2026), by Sergio Fernández Borrás.
Meanwhile, Territory Showcase, which has been part of CineBH since 2023, welcomes filmmakers at different stages of their careers. The six selected films address themes such as identity, belonging, and memory. Highlights include Pukem Swa (2026), by Samuel Moreno Alvarez, and Nuestro Cuerpo Es una Estrella que se Expande (2025), by Semillites Hernández Velasco and Tania Hernández Velasco.
The Vertentes Showcase exhibits contemporary Brazilian production, including national premieres and debate sessions. Films such as Pele de Rinoceronte (2026), by Marcelo Maia, and Virtuosas (2025), by Cíntia Domit Bittar, are part of this selection.
There is also space for Argentine works in the Olhares das Argentinas showcase, which features El Príncipe de Nanawa (2025), by Clarisa Navas; Caigan las Rosas Blancas (2025), by Albertina Carri; and Nuestra Tierra (2025), by Lucrecia Martel.
For film enthusiasts interested in past works, the 20 Years Retrospective revives titles shown by CineBH throughout its history. Among them are A Via Láctea (2007), by Lina Chamie, Lóki: Arnaldo Baptista (2008), by Paulo Henrique Fontenelle; Mate-me Por Favor (2015), by Anita Rocha da Silveira; Corpo Elétrico, by Marcelo Caetano (2017); and Sol Alegria (2018), by Tavinho Teixeira and Mariah Teixeira.
The program also extends to Praça da Liberdade, where Querido Mundo (2024), by Miguel Falabella and Hsu Chien; Sexa (2024), by Glória Pires; and Ana, En Passant (2026), directed by Fernanda Salgado, will be screened, marking the first Brazilian animated feature film directed by a Black woman.
Children also have their programming, with Mostrinha and the Cine-Expressão sessions bringing together 15 short films suitable for various age groups. At Praça da Liberdade, there will be a screening of Folcórica (2026), by Rodrigo Aragão, an adventure told with puppets and marionettes.
Some parts of the program will be available online. The IC Play platform will receive a special selection in collaboration with Itaú Cultural, while the CineBH website will provide the titles of the 20 Years Retrospective.
CineBH runs concurrently with Brasil CineMundi, which celebrates its 17th edition and focuses on international film co-production. This year, 37 projects from 11 Brazilian states were selected out of 375 entries. The event includes pitching sessions, business rounds, consulting, and training activities, gathering over 50 guests from 15 countries to connect Brazilian filmmakers with the global audiovisual industry.
Additionally, the International Seminar Between Cinemas will take place from September 23rd to 26th at Cine Theatro Brasil. Over 20 activities will be offered, covering debates, panels, masterclasses, and discussion circles, addressing topics such as financing, production, film circulation, international co-production, and new models for audiovisual media.