The Mesa International Film Festival partnered with New York-based Public Relations boutique Plusable, to introduce a section dedicated to Portuguese talent under the theme “From Portugal with Love“, and the result is a full day screening composed of 19 Portuguese and Portuguese-American directors.
Amongst the short films, there will be two documentaries and two music videos. From the list of Portuguese Filmmakers, there are: director and actor Afonso Pimentel, one of the main characters of the new Netflix series “Glória”; Yuri Alves that has won multiple international awards; João Pedro Moreira, an icon when it comes to world music videos with an “urban approach”; André Braz, that has developed a cinematic approach to his documentaries, such as “Dream Big” a documentary that tells the story of Neemias Queta – the first Portuguese basketball player that has ever been drafted to the NBA and is currently playing for the Sacramento Kings.
“Portugal has been very trendy because of its beautiful landscapes, beautiful beaches, great food, Cristiano Ronaldo, wine, etc. but our goal was to show that there’s, even more, to be said about the Portuguese enchantment. There are several talented filmmakers that deserve the world to discover them. I feel that Mesa is also in the process of getting noticed by a continuously increased number of people so it only makes sense for Plusable to contribute with this bridge to the Portuguese talent and create new connections and positive synergies. I feel that we are on to something very special,” revealed Plusable’s founding partner Carlos Ferreira.
Isabelle Coelho Marques is Plusable’s CEO, an iconic governmental relations community leader, and avid advocate in the nonprofit sector who believes that the mission of her company aligns with the vision of the film festival.
“At Plusable what drives us is the possibility of making the right connections and telling the right stories in the most sincere, impactful, and meaningful way. The Mesa International Film Festival has the power, not only, to open Mesa to the world but also to bring the world to Mesa through the magic of cinema. Uniting people that can network while appreciating films from all over the world, seems to me like the ideal scenario that can only, inevitably, benefit everyone involved. If Portugal wasn’t aware of this festival now it will be, and while we are happy to bring Portuguese talent to Mesa, it is also part of our goal to help this festival to expand,” Marques said.
This year’s edition of the festival will connect over two hundred artists whose creativity crosses borders and finds a common denominator in the love for cinema. A new bridge has been built between Portugal and Mesa.
The screenings will begin tomorrow Saturday, December 4 starting at 12 pm and ending at 10 pm, split between Mesa’s Convention Center and City Screen.
Source: Mesa International Film Festival
