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 responsible for the executive production of the festival.

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.

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.