The pedagogical dimension of film festivals

: the L.A. rebellion movement in LEFFEST 22

Abstract

In my internship report I aim to discuss my traineeship experience in Leopardo Filmes, with a special focus on my work in the preparation and implementation of the LEFFEST (Lisbon and Sintra Film Festival), festival that happened from the 10th to the 20th of November, 2022. The reasons that led me to focus my attention on the LEFFEST are related to the singularity of the festival in Portugal and Europe. Besides remembering and celebrating the work of artists who are on the margins of mainstream cinema, the LEFFEST, since its creation, has assumed itself as a debate platform that transcends the limits of cinema by bridging it with other arts and disciplines with a clear pedagogical dimension. In its 16th edition, the LEFFEST presented the most comprehensive retrospective ever made in Europe on the L.A. Rebellion, a visual arts movement also known as Los Angeles School of Black Filmmakers. My aim is to examine how the organization of the cycle dedicated to this cinematic current introduces the spectators to its key filmmakers that, by challenging Hollywood conventions, created a new Black Cinema between the 1960s and 80s. This examination will also intend to bring forward how the L.A. Rebellion and other artistic alternative forms of making cinema survive merely on the existence of film festivals, therefore highlighting the pedagogical importance of these cultural events.

Date of Award	23 Jan 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Adriana Martins (Supervisor)