Photo: Universo Produçao/Divulgaçao
Zita Carvalhosa, Brazilian film producer and founder of the São Paulo International Short Film Festival, passed away yesterday afternoon at the age of 65. As the director and creator of Curta Kinoforum, she was one of the most influential voices in the promotion and appreciation of short films in Brazil. She also headed the film production company Superfilmes and supported the work of writers such as José Roberto Torero and filmmaker Eliane Caffé.
Born in São Paulo, Carvalhosa worked as a film curator at the Museum of Image and Sound of São Paulo (1988–1995) before founding the Associação Cultural Kinoforum, where she served as president. The non-profit association organizes the São Paulo Short Film Festival, runs Kinoforum video workshops, and leads other initiatives dedicated to supporting Brazilian cinema.
As a producer, she worked on films including Savage Capitalism by André Klotzel (2003), Charcoal by Carolina Markowicz (2022), and Alice’s House / A Casa de Alice by Chico Teixeira (2007), among other projects. She also produced and directed the Tela Digital Video Festival for TV Brasil (2009–2011), a competitive showcase for Brazilian shorts that bridged internet and television platforms.
Since 1983, she directed the production company Superfilmes, where she collaborated with a new generation of Brazilian filmmakers to produce more than 20 short films, independent features, and documentaries that received acclaim both in Brazil and internationally. Superfilmes' TV series O Povo Brasileiro, directed by Isa Ferraz, received the Best Cultural Production for TV award at the Grande Prêmio Cinema Brasil in 2001.
A key figure in Brazil’s film community, Carvalhosa was a tireless advocate for public policies that support film festivals and independent national production. Her career leaves a lasting legacy of cultural commitment, cinematic vision, and dedication to training new generations of filmmakers.
