The Brazilian Academy of Letters (ABL), the Rio de Janeiro Commercial Association (ACRJ), and the Latin American Training Center (LATC) hosted a special tribute to renowned filmmaker Cacá Diegues, honoring his extraordinary contribution to Brazilian cinema.
Held at the ABL headquarters, the event featured the presence of ABL President, journalist Merval Pereira, and several academy members. The highlight of the evening was a heartfelt speech by Renata Magalhães, Cacá Diegues’ widow and President of the Brazilian Academy of Cinema. Other speakers included Sérgio Costa e Silva, President of the ACRJ Cultural Council, and Steve Solot, President of LATC and event organizer.
As part of the tribute, the episode “Acende a Luz” from the feature film 5x Favela – Now by Ourselves was screened. The episode was directed by Luciana Bezerra, of the Nós do Morro group from the Vidigal community, and produced by Cacá Diegues and Renata Magalhães.
As a testament to Cacá Diegues’ enduring legacy in developing young talent, the short film Maria, directed and produced by student João Aleksandro, was also shown. The film was created as part of the social inclusion project Fazendo Meu Primeiro Filme (Making My First Film), which trains young people from underserved communities and favelas across the state of Rio de Janeiro in short film production using smartphones.
Fazendo Meu Primeiro Filme is a social inclusion initiative of the ACRJ Cultural Council, implemented by the Latin American Training Center – LATC. Supported by a range of sponsors and institutional and strategic partners, the project is now in its sixth edition, with six completed courses, 105 students trained, and 33 short films produced in 30 communities and municipalities across the state of Rio.
