Educational Media Reviews Online

On the outskirts of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Jose Luis Zagati is sharing his love of movies with his fellow villagers by running a remarkable theater. All of the furnishings in this makeshift movie theater—the chairs, the decorations, the projector and film reels—are discarded materials Zagati has recycled for use in his theater. Even the movies he shows are recycled in a sense. They are 16 mm versions of old films Zagati was able to purchase from an exhibitor for very little money.

Zagati supports his family by gathering trash. His view on the discards he finds: “This isn’t garbage, it’s all recyclable material.” This is the same sentiment as that displayed in the documentary Sin Embargo, in which residents of Cuba are shown adapting to shortages of material goods on the island by creating innovative new uses for old products. Zagati’s recycling ingenuity has allowed him to run a movie theater out of his garage, fulfilling a dream he has had since age five.

Zagati doesn’t charge any admission to his ‘mini-cine,” and even provides free popcorn, made and served by his wife. Charging even a 50 cent fee would mean some children would not be able to see the shows. And Zagati wants everyone to have the feeling of wonderment about movies he does. “Cinema is magic,” he says. “To see an image projected on the screen is an amazing thing.” He describes the first time he attended a movie as “the most beautiful thing that had ever happened to me.” Mini Cine Tupy conveys that sense of awe even to jaded U.S. audiences that are forgoing far more luxurious theaters to watch movies at home on DVDs.

Awards

• Best Short Film, Planet in Focus, Canada, 2004
• Best Short Film, International Film Festival of the Environment, Brazil, 2004