Cinemateca Capitólio

Cinemateca Capitólio is a cultural center and cinematheque located in the Historic Center of Porto Alegre, Brazil. It occupies the historic Cine-Theatro Capitólio, an eclectic building with Azorean influences designed by engineer Domingos Rocco and inaugurated on October 12, 1928. The building was originally owned by tailor Luis Fallace and hosted theater plays, film screenings, ballets, beauty contests, and magic shows. Over the decades, it became a major cinema in the city, holding exclusive contracts with United Artists and RKO Pictures, and later with Vera Cruz, Warner Bros., and Columbia Pictures. After a long decline starting in the 1960s, it closed in 1994. The municipality of Porto Alegre acquired the building the following year. It was listed as municipal heritage in 2002 and state heritage by IPHAE in December 2006. After a renovation in 2015, it reopened on March 27, 2015, as a cinematheque, screening the short film Início do Fim and the feature Vento Norte. Today, it houses a 165-seat cinema, an exhibition gallery, and a library that serves as a documentation and memory center. The Cinemateca Capitólio is managed by the Secretaria Municipal da Cultura (SMC) of Porto Alegre and is part of the city's cultural policy.

The Cine-Theatro Capitólio was inaugurated on October 12, 1928, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, screening the film Casanova. It was designed by engineer Domingos Rocco in an eclectic style with Azorean influences, and was owned by tailor Luis Fallace. The building was located at the corner of Avenida Borges de Medeiros and Rua Demétrio Ribeiro, and at the time was considered the largest and most complete entertainment complex in the city. It had a capacity of 1,295 seats and featured a projection room inspired by an opera house, with dark red velvet chairs. In its early years, it hosted not only films but also ballets, beauty contests, matinees, and theater plays. It secured exclusive contracts with United Artists and RKO Pictures, and later with Vera Cruz, Warner Bros., and Columbia Pictures. On January 1, 1929, it held its first matinee, screening The Circus Monster to celebrate the anniversary of the newspaper A Federação. Despite its prestige, it faced tensions when the city intendant Otávio Rocha instituted a special tax on cinemas, leading to a strike; the Capitólio, close to city politicians, was one of the few to continue operating during the protest. In 1935, the cinema underwent its first renovation: capacity was increased to 1,500 seats and the sound system was modernized. The decline began in the 1960s with the arrival of television, video rentals, and increased purchasing power of families, as well as censorship during the military dictatorship. In 1969, after four decades as one of the city's main cinemas, the space was leased and renovated, and renamed Cine Première. In 1979, the original name, Cine Capitólio, was restored. In early 1988, another renovation took place, closing the building for a month; it reopened on March 5 with a screening of Hamlet. The renovation included a cleaned screen, modern projection equipment, sound improvements, modernized restrooms, new carpets, and a primary ventilation system. After this, there was a brief increase in audience, but the arrival of shopping centers continued the decline. The cinema closed in 1994. The municipality of Porto Alegre became the owner of the building in 1995. It was listed as municipal heritage in 2002 and state heritage by IPHAE in December 2006. After a renovation in 2015, it reopened on March 27, 2015, as the Cinemateca Capitólio, screening the short film Início do Fim and the feature film Vento Norte. Currently, it has a 165-seat cinema, an exhibition gallery, and a library that functions as a documentation and memory center.

• 2015

  Reopened as Cinemateca Capitólio on March 27, screening Início do Fim and Vento Norte.

• 2006

  Listed as state heritage by IPHAE in December.

• 2002

  Listed as municipal heritage.

• 1995

  Municipality of Porto Alegre acquired the building.

• 1994

  Cinema closed.

• 1988

  Renovation; reopened on March 5 with Hamlet.

• 1979

  Original name Cine Capitólio restored.

• 1969

  Leased and renovated, renamed Cine Première.

• 1935

  First renovation: capacity increased to 1,500 seats and sound system modernized.

• 1929

  First matinee on January 1, screening The Circus Monster.

• 1928

  Inauguration of Cine-Theatro Capitólio on October 12, screening the film Casanova.

Municipal cinematheque and cultural center focused on film preservation and exhibition.

• Film screenings

• Exhibitions

• Library and documentation center

1. 1Secretaria Municipal da Cultura | Prefeitura de Porto Alegreprefeitura.poa.br
2. 2Sobre o projeto | Prefeitura de Porto Alegreprefeitura.poa.br
3. 3Cinemateca Capitólio - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Cinemateca Capitólio - Wikipedia (pt)pt.wikipedia.org