CASA GUILHERME DE ALMEIDA Centro de Estudos de Tradução Literária

Guilherme de Almeida is today considered a pioneer in the field of Brazilian film review. In an age when critiques of actors, directors and films were restricted to a handful of specialist magazines, Guilherme was seen as something of a trailblazer when, in 1927, he began reviewing films in his "Cinematographos" column for the broadsheet daily, O Estado de S. Paulo. Although the newspaper did in fact run the column before Guilherme took it over, it was limited to announcing at which theaters what films would be shown and at what time. Guilherme is credited with transforming the column into what became an important development in the history of Brazilian journalism.

Between 1927 and 1942, Guilherme wrote almost daily reviews that covered the range of films being shown in São Paulo at that time, encompassing all manner of genres, nationalities and styles. Not only did he allow one single "reel" being projected in the São Paulo of his day to escape his critical analysis, while watching the films Guilherme also reviewed the theaters playing them in addition to essaying the profile of the public exploring this new form of entertainment in the growing metropolis where he lived.

To explore the possibilities for discussion based on Guilherme de Almeida's work as a film critic, the Casa Guilherme de Almeida formed the “Cinematographos” Film Studies Program. Run by Donny Correia, the program explores and rediscovers the poet's reviews and researches the films he commented on. The first "Cinematographos Film Studies Gathering" was held in 2009 and ran two films that received reviews in Guilherme's column: Faust and São Paulo, a sinfonia da metrópole. Since then the Program has shown more than 40 films at both the Almeida museum and the project's partner centers around São Paulo - the Museum od Image and Sound, Casa das Rosas and Viriato Corrêa Municipal Library.

The films that are rolled as part of the “Cinematographos” program never fail to provoke discussion when the lights go back up and they are chaired by specialists on the subject. We should also mention that on special occasions, guest musicians add a touch of historical authenticity to proceedings by accompanying the films with a live musical score.

Although the “Cinematographos” Program focuses primarily on films critiqued by Guilherme de Almeida, given that many of these films (and in particular the Brazilian ones) have been lost forever, it is by no means restricted to the works cited in his column. The need for a regular program and the depth of the discussions that broach modern productions and genres considered similar to those addressed by the poet, as well as their connection to the history of cinematographic expression, the Program also exhibits films from other periods and styles.

The Program is developing plans to publish a variety of cinematic papers, research articles, essays and anthologies covering Guilherme's work in this field to revive the historical and aesthetic importance of the pioneering critical journalism spearheaded by this modernist poet. Plans include digital and hard copies.
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