Free Film Festival of Belo Horizonte (FCBH)

Overview

The Free Film Festival of Belo Horizonte is Brazil's most important free admission film festival. Founded in 1997 and held annually in October and November in Belo Horizonte -- the capital of Minas Gerais, Brazil's third-largest city and the center of a region known for its baroque colonial architecture, its cuisine, and its mineral wealth -- the festival presents Brazilian and international cinema with all screenings free of charge.

The free admission model reflects a philosophy of cinema as a democratic public good, and the festival attracts one of the largest total audiences of any film event in Brazil, drawing hundreds of thousands of viewers over its run. The commitment to free access creates programming that genuinely reaches diverse economic cross-sections of Brazilian society.

Belo Horizonte's position as Brazil's most cinephile interior city -- with a strong film culture that predates the festival -- creates an audience with both enthusiasm and critical engagement.

Key Sections

• International Competition -- films competing for jury prizes
• Brazilian Film Competition -- new Brazilian features
• Minas Gerais Cinema -- films by Minas Gerais filmmakers
• Documentary Program -- nonfiction features
• Short Film Competition -- competitive short programs

What Filmmakers Should Know

The festival accepts open submissions. The free admission model creates the largest possible audience, and a strong Belo Horizonte response carries genuine weight. For Brazilian filmmakers from Minas Gerais, the festival is the most important regional platform.

Major Awards

• Best Film -- jury prize
• Best Brazilian Film
• Audience Award -- voted by the festival's large free-admission audiences

Festival History

FCBH was founded in 1997 and has maintained its free admission commitment through over two decades of operation.

See Also

For Brazilian cinema, see International Film Markets. For the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival, see Festival do Rio.