The Helena Solberg Cineclub welcomes the 22nd London Short Film Festival! In the programme FIRST TAKES: EARLY SHORT FILMS BY GREAT BRAZILIAN DIRECTORS, we’ve delved into the depths of five beloved Brazilian filmmakers’ careers to find the short films that are most indicative of their nascent talents, displaying initial glimpses into their genius, themes, aesthetic interests, and a hint of the filmmaking greatness that was to come. We’ve brought together the (relatively unknown - outside of Brazil) short films that put the now big names of Anna Muylaert, Cao Hamburger & Eliana Fonseca, Jorge Furtado, Marcelo Gomes and Sandra Kogut on the map. Nowadays, they are synonymous with the best of contemporary Brazilian cinema, which turns heads at the ritziest of international film festivals.

Amidst the political and economic turmoil of the late 1980s and early 1990s – which all but saw the end of public support for national cinema, almost entirely paralysing production – these directors throve with thrilling little treasures that are well worth checking out. An extraordinary window into both their approach to filmmaking when they were just starting out and the evolution of a signature style.

There will be drinks to welcome the audience, kindly provided by Go Brazil Wines & Spirits, and the screening will start at 6.30pm.

All the films have English subtitles.