The reopening of Penedo’s first Cinema is an historical mark at the recently selected city to be part of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network.
Not operating commercially since 1962, and eventual use on the firsts editions of the Cinema Circuit, in the 1970 decade, Cine Penedo resumed its film projection on this Monday, 13, Penedo’s Cinema Circuit 2023 Edition first day.
Remodeled to be modernized, the cinema’s room relaunched with two ‘mini docs’; the first being about the Penedo’s candidacy to UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network, and the second being about the relationship between Penedo’s people and Cine Penedo.
Following up, the Cinema and History Special Session exhibited the long films; Phantom Portraits – Movie selected to represent Brazil at this year’s Oscar – and The Hijacking of Flight 375.
During the reopening ceremony, Mayor Ronaldo Lopes shared the feeling of happiness of the people of Penedo who are proud of the recovery of yet another public space that strengthens the creative economy of the city that represents Brazil, together with Santos-SP, in the global network of UNESCO in the cinema category.
“We are the only city in Alagoas being part of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network and the second in Latin America with Cinema seal. Penedo has it, it’s not ‘the city who had it’, or ‘the city that will have it’ anymore.” pointed out Ronaldo Lopes, thanking the support of all the institutions involved in the work.
Given to UFAL, Cinema Penedo was recovered with resources from Rouanet Law, through BNDES, institution which also represented in the ceremony by Janaína da Silveira. She highlighted that the growth in the economy needs to be followed by the growth of cultural public policies, a situation that is occurring in Penedo.
Melina Freitas, SECULT Alagoas gestor, represented the Governor Paulo Dantas, praising the cinema’s room quality, being superior to most the majority available in the state, frising that the Cinemas reopening is a mark to the Brazilian audiovisual. “Penedo already is a development hub to culture, and the creative economy”, affirmed Melina reinforcing Paulo Dantas’ commitment to Penedo.
The same commitment with the support to the continuity of the actions developed at the city, came from the Secretary of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education, Denise Pires de Carvalho. She received from Sergio Onofre’s hands the project to the creation of the School of Arts, Technology and Cinema.
The proposal of the UFAL Penedo unity, sees to the continuous use and the attached structure to the building, with seven classrooms and exclusive access, allowed by the expropriation to the building next to the Cinema which will be, already in 2024, included in the national network of University Cinema Theaters, as announced by Denise Pires.
The Dean of UFAL, Josealdo Tonholo, highlighted the resumption of investments in the federal public education and the works done in partnership with Penedo City Hall, citing the Music Festival of Penedo and Penedo Cinema Circuit.
He received an homage from Mayor Ronaldo Lopes for the support formalized in the Creative Penedo Consortium, work which counted with other partnerships, among them SEBRAE Alagoas, institution also represented at the ceremony which ended with a speech by the president of the São Francisco River Basin Committee (CBHSF), Maciel Oliveira.
One of the sponsoring institutions of the Penedo Cinema Circuit, the collegiate entity will host in Penedo, on the 14th and 15th of December – with the presence of Minister Marina Silva and other federal government authorities – the national plenary meeting of the committee, an event that reaffirms the condition of a city ready to host major events.
Originally posted by Fernando Vinícius on 11/14/2023
Translated by Denner Sabino