About

The idea to create Filmambiente started in 2010, in a conversation between two friends who understood the importance of giving access to knowledge and the search for solutions to the different environmental issues that plague our planet today.
Márcio Guimarães and Suzana Amado, both with more than 30 years of experience in audiovisual, understood that in this new geological era in which human action impacts the planet - the Anthropocene - the power of audiovisual would be an important tool to awaken consciences and inform decisions.

In 2011, Filmambiente was born, with the principle of being a boutique festival: few and excellent films, always!
It's impossible to maintain quality when you prioritise quantity! as Márcio Guimarães used to say.
In 2012, unfortunately, Márcio Guimarães left us, going to another dimension.
But Filmambiente kept its north: excellence in programming, which is widely recognised around the world.

In 2018, Valeria Burke joined the team and now shares the curatorship and is regsponsible for the executive production of the festival.

Since the very beginning, Raquel Couto, creating beautiful trailers and editing the programme - Marcelo Paes de Carvalho – responsible for all the filming and photos of the event and online releases - and Marco Lopes Cardoso – responsible for the school program - worked for the good of the festival. In 2021 Flavia Brasil – social media - also joined and in 2024 Marcio Isensee de Sá came along to curate panels and seminars. Meio & Imagem divulges and Ronan Alves developed and cares for the website.

We are few; we do it together, and we do it well!

At a time in which images are omnipresent, influencing personal and public opinions, we believe films are the best way of communicating, of provoking questions and reflections, and of inspiring changes of attitude.

There is any other expedient so efficient at showing ways of life and at divulging more sustainable models, models that make possible a better future for humans and for all forms of life on the planet.

With that in mind we created Filmambiente, in 2011, in Rio de Janeiro.

Our activities

Filmambiente exhibits every year, free of charge, the best recent international productions on the themes of environment, sustainability, and regeneration of life on the planet.

In the Festival program, in addition to the films, there are debates, thematic panels, workshops and master classes with invited directors.

Along its history, Filmambiente had some editions in other cities, and in 2020 had its first 100% online edition, with screenings open to everyone in Brazil.

Our Goals / Our Mission

To provoke reflection through the exhibition and discussion of films on environmental themes; influencing changes at personal, governmental and enterprise levels, collaborating to the creation of a better future for life on the planet.
Select the best of world cinema on environmental and sustainability issues and make sure your messages reach as many people as possible. This is the festival’s proposal (...) Filmambiente.
Thiago Jansen, O Globo
The Festival brings together the best and most recent national and international productions on environmental issues.
CineArte UFF Magazine
A curation that selects from the best festivals in the world, Cannes, Venice, Tribeca. The best of its kind comes here every year.
Artur Xexéo, columnist for O Globo em Estudio I – Globo News
Largest environmental film festival arrives in Niterói.
Isis Canonice, Epilogue Magazine
It is a festival with a differentiated profile. And, even among events dedicated to ecological issues, Filmambiente stands out for the quality of its selection and guests.
Luiz Carlos Merten, O Estado de São Paulo
Increase the visibility of environmental issues to as many people as possible. It is with this expectation that the ninth edition of Filmambiente will begin.
Sabrina Rodrigues, O Eco
The free sessions include a wide range of documentaries, fiction and animations that make you think (...) the films are aimed at all group ages
Rafael Braga - Curtamais Brasília
When you read about the festival and see the slogan - films that deal with a better future - you might think that it's boring, but no, it's surprising, it's varied, it's diverse (...) Top Selection!
Maria Beltrão – Studio I Globo News
For a week, the event will feature a rich selection of feature films and short films about man's coexistence with the planet. (...)
Carlos Alberto de Mattos, film critic
Fauna, Flora and Culture on the big screen.
Daniel Malafaia, O Fluminense
Celebrating a decade of existence, the festival will look back at films awarded in previous editions – it will be a unique opportunity to honor them.
Márcia Souza, Ciclo Vivo

Quality

Exhibition of films globally selected among the best.

Education

Development of new audiences for environmental films.

Critical Thinking

Thematic panel and film debates.

Commitment

Events for schools, universities, and companies.

Suzana Amado

A Television and Cinema Producer for more than 30 years, Suzana started her career at TV Educativa (State owned education channel); was the commercial superintendent adjunct at Embrafilme (the Brazilian state owned cinema company) and marketing manager at Columbia Pictures, Art Films and at Campus/Elsevier Publisher. Produced the documentaries Hércules 56 by Silvio Da-Rin, Transcendendo Lynch (Transcending Lynch) by Marcos Andrade, Vou Rifar Meu Coração (I’ll Raffle off My Heart), Um Gosto de Sol - a música do Clube da Esquina (A Taste of Sun - The Music of Clube da Esquina) and Paraíso Tropical (Tropical Paradise) all directed by Ana Rieper; the feature fictions Proibido Proibir (Forbidden to Forbid) by Jorge Durán and Korda by Marcos Andrade. And the TV series És tu Brasil (It’s You Brazil) by Murilo Salles, A Turma do Pererê (The Perere Gang) by Sonia Garcia, Vou Rifar Meu Coração (I’ll Raffle off My Heart) and Natureza Feminina (Feminine Nature) both by Ana Rieper, and the TV film Metade Sexo, Metade Mussarela (Half Sex, Half Muzzarella), for MAltberg Productions. Suzana is the creator, director and curator of Filmambiente Festival.

Valéria Burke

Working for more than 20 years in audiovisual productions, either in research, direction or production positions, collaborated in projects of several Brazilian production companies and TV channels such as Futura Channel, Multishow, Raccord Productions, Anima Productions, RW Cine, 4Ventos, TV Zero, 3Tabelas Films, Abbas Films, Conspiração Films, Refinaria Films, Bang Bang Films, Cinegroup & Paladina Films; and some international such as BBC, F&ME, RTL 5 TV, KRO NVCR TV e 2Pilots. Always connected to environmental and sustainable development themes, Valéria is an official Gaia Education / UNESCO Facilitator & SDG Multiplier, and a Master in Science by the University of Edinburgh at the Global Challenges Programme. As part of the Filmambiente team since 2018, Valéria is producer and co-curator of the festival.

Raquel Couto

A graduate in social communication at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Raquel acts as cinema and TV director and editor through her production company Uirapuru Films. She produced, directed and edited the short documentaries: Garota Bossa Nova (Bossa Nova Girl) about Nara Leão, with Maria Bethânia; O Sapo que virou Rã (The Toad that turned into Frog), with João Donato; Vejo o Rio de Janeiro (I see Rio de Janeiro), with Helena Jobim and Billy Blanco; Garota de Ipanema – based on Tom Jobim’s testimonial; and Um Rapaz de Bem (A Nice Guy), with Johnny Alf and Ed Motta, among others; acted as an assistant director at A Pedra do Reino (The Realm Stone) and assistant of direction at Dois Irmãos (Two Brothers), both series directed by Luiz Fernando Carvalho at Globo TV. Part of the Filmambiente team since its first edition, Raquel is responsible for the montage of annual programmes and for the creation of the festival vignettes.

Marcelo Paes de Carvalho

Audiovisual Producer and Photographer, acting on technology of information projects as well, Marcelo is a partner at Incartaz Films & Events and coordinator at the FilmInBrasil Programme, which runs audiovisual production courses all over Brazilian territory. Marcelo has taught courses and workshops at several institutions such as SESC, SENAI, SEBRAE, NorthEast Bank, UNESA, UCAM, UFF and Anhanguera. Invited as curator and juror by film festivals from diverse Brazilian states; Marcelo also created and performed the BackPack4Life Project, passing by 35 countries. Since 2017 he is responsible for the website hosting and maintenance, for the technical coordination of online screenings and thematic panels, and for registering Filmambiente’s activities in photo and video.

Marco Lopes

Graduated in journalism from PUC/RJ and has been working with productions since 1986 on a variety of projects, including long films, short films, television series, documentaries, and also commercials for television. Marco works on institutional videos for clients such as Petrobras, Vale do Rio Doce, and BNDES through Zap Produções, where he acts as a producer and occasionally as a director. At Filmambiente, he takes care of contacts with public equipment for the realisation of exhibitions for schools and the community, as well as other activities.

Marcio Isensee

Marcio is a photographer, video maker, and communicator whose work focuses mainly on the coverage of environmental issues in Brazil. He directed the films "Andes Agua Amazônia" (Andes Amazon Water), "Un Rio en Disputa" (A River in Dispute), "Vida sobre las Aguas" (Life on the Amazon Waters) - shown in Filmambiente - and "Sob a Pata do Boi" (Grazing the Amazon). His films have participated in more than 40 festivals in Brazil and around the world, winning the One Hour Award of the FReDD Festival in 2018 (France), Honorary Mention at the 7th Ecofalante Show (2018) (Brazil), Lusophonie Prize of CineEco Seia 2015 (Portugal), and the Petrobrás Prize for Journalism in 2017.

Currently, he is the content director of the environmental journalism site ((o))eco, where he coordinates projects, the journalistic team, and philanthropic prospecting. Marcio graduated from the Fluminense Federal University (UFF) in Rio de Janeiro with a degree in Social Sciences and, in 2024, joined our team as curator of thematic panels and lectures.

Andrei Aguiar

Andrei has been a creative designer for more than 20 years, and since 2022, he has joined Filmambiente's team, creating the graphic pieces for the festival. As an independent professional, he provides graphic design services for companies, producers, and cultural and academic institutions (national and international), such as MOTELX (International Terror Film Festival of Lisbon), Agenda Brasil (Festival Internazionale di Cinema Brasiliano), and FESTin (Festival de Cinema Itinerante da Língua Portuguesa). Andrei worked as a designer at the production company Inffinito (2007–2012) and has created the material for several editions of the Brazilian Film Festival in the cities of Miami, New York, London, Barcelona, Vancouver, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rome, Madrid, and Canudos.

Ronan Alves

Graduated in Technology Information Management and CEO of 77PRIME LABS, he leads a passionate team that combines marketing strategies with innovative technologies. His career includes essential contributions to the development of Filmambiente's online platform, the co-foundation of GoSigning (an electronic and digital signature company), as well as the role of CTO at MEB, where entrepreneurs are empowered for the digital age. Ronan is dedicated to shaping the digital future and eager to collaborate in creating innovative solutions that positively impact business and society.

Flávia Brasil

Flavia is a UNIRIO-formed museologist who has taken production courses at places like UFRJ, Cândido Mendes, and EAV Parque Lage, among others. Currently, she acts as an independent producer for projects in the visual arts, theatre, and cinema. She has worked on the project "Centre of Rainbow Memory and Training for LGBTI Citizenship" at SESC Rio, at the National Historic Museum in Rio, and others. Working in production, she collaborated with artists, screenwriters, and institutions, including the producers Doravante and Paladina Filmes, the theatrical plays "Uma Nova Onda" and "Macaco: Report to an Academy," in short films and independent audiovisual projects, as well as having acted as Coordinator of the Atelier Panmela Castro and as Technical in Visual Arts of the Network NAMI. She has been working with Filmambiente since 2021, primarily on social media posts.

Meio & Imagem

Meio & Imagem Communication is the company that manages Filmambiente's press office. Ana Ligia Petrone and Vera Matagueira coordinate the divulgation.