Carnaval Film Festival 2025: Online Program

July 11-13, 2025 and beyond! | 50+ curated titles | Ongoing database of Carnaval films

The 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 invites you to a vibrant 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺𝘀 celebrating and reflecting on the spirit of Carnaval worldwide. Held for the first time in Amsterdam from 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟭-𝟏𝟯, this unique 𝟯-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 explores how Carnaval has inspired filmmakers around the world to tell stories of joy, resistance, community, and freedom. From the dazzling parades of 𝗥𝗶𝗼 𝗱𝗲 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗿𝗼 and 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻 to the rhythmic expressions of 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮, 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮, and the 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗻 and the Prince Carnaval traditions of the 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 and 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗴𝗶𝘂𝗺, Carnaval is a global phenomenon, rooted in 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. The inaugural 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 honors the complexity, creativity and resistance of these traditions, while asking urgent questions about culture, identity, and belonging in a changing world.

In addition to the 𝗼𝗻-𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 at 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗸𝘄𝗲𝗴 𝗖𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗮 and 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 in 𝗔𝗺𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗺 in the weekend of 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟭-𝟭𝟯, we are offering an extensive 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 with 𝟱𝟬+ 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀 on Carnaval available wordwide. During but also after the festival, we guide you to 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 on Carnaval in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America that is already available online (and, usually, available in English). Below you can find an overview of all the selected films including the links. Since the online program includes films that are publicly available online, they will remain accessible, also after the festival ends, serving as an 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺𝘀 to explore.

LATIN AMERICA

A Revolução Salgueirense (The Salgueiro Revolution, 1993, 22’, Brazil, no English subtitles)
Bahian Carnival: An Unforgettable Party Celebrating Brazil’s African Roots (2025, 14′, Brazil, dir. Sarah Miranda and Luis Miranda)
Bolivia: In the Heat of the Oruro Carnival (2024, 51′, Bolivia, dir. Juan José Lozano)
Bossa Negra: O Samba é nosso, mas quem está no palco? (Bossa Negra: Samba is Ours, But Who Is On Stage?, 2025, 17′, Brazil)
Brasil, Brasil (2007, 180′, Brazil, dir. Andy Dunn/BBC): Episode 1: Samba to Bossa Nova (2007, 60′), Episode 2: Tropicalia Revolution (2007, 60′), and Episode 3: A Tale Of Four Cities (2007, 60’)
Carnival(s): Salvador de Bahia, Black Beauty (2025, 13’, Brazil)
Colombia’s Barranquilla Carnival (2024, 28′, Colombia, dir. Jamz Supernova)
El Carnaval de El Callao: representación festiva de una memoria e identidad cultural (2017, 10′, Venezuela, dir. UNESCO)
Feat of the Fete (2025, 50′, Jamaica, dir. Saeed Thomas)
Filhos do som (Sons of Sound, 2017, 24’, Brazil)
Griôs do Leão: os nomes da nossa tradição, episode 1-10 (Griots of the Lion: The Names of Our Tradition, 2024-2025, 10-20′ per episodes, Brazil, dir. Karen Aguiar and Carlos Rafael)
Inside Rio Carnaval (2007, 56′, Brazil, dir. National Geographic)
Leoas: o legado feminino no Maracatu Leão Coroado (Leoas: the feminine legacy in Maracatu Leão Coroado, 2024, 29′, Brazil, dir. Karen Aguiar, no English subtitles)
Rio, carnaval da vida (1978, 13′, Brazil, dir. Leon Hirszman)
Samba: The Heartbeat of Brazil (2025, 6′, Brazil)
Samba de Santo: Resistência Afro-Baiana (Samba of Saints: An Afro-Bahian Resistance Movement, 2020, 82′, Brazil)
Samba on your Feet (2005, 53′, Brazil, dir. Eduardo Montes-Bradley)
Samba de Santo: Resistência Afro-Baiana (Samba of Saints: An Afro-Bahian Resistance Movement, 2020, 82′, Brazil)
Saravah (1969, 100′, Brazil, dir. Pierre Barouh)
The Making of Carnaval: La Fiesta Entre La Carne Y El Espiritu (Carnaval: The Feast of the Flesh and the Spirit, 2024, 20′, Peru, no English subtitles)
This is Bate Bola (2019, 16’, Brazil)
Trailer of Egili: Rainha retinta no carnaval (Egili: Black Queen of Carnaval, 2023, 2′, Brazil)
When Night Falls in Rio de Janeiro (2025, 43′, Brazil, dir. DW Documentary)

CARIBBEAN

Carnival in Haiti: Joyful and Resilient Voodoo Dance and Heritage (2024, 47′, Haiti, dir. SLICE)
Carnival, Its Origin and Evolution (2015, 28′, Trinidad & Tobago, dir, Larry Sindass/CaribNation)
El Carnaval de La Habana de 1964 (1965, 16′, Cuba, dir. Oscar Valdés)
Fly Brother: Saint Thomas: Mas an’ More (2024, 26’, US Virgin Islands, dir. Pedro Serra)
Fly Brother: Saint Croix: Taste of the Tropics (2024, 26’, US Virgin Islands, dir. Pedro Serra)
Mas Prep (Short film series, 2020, 73′ in total, Trinidad & Tobago, dir. Shari Petti)
Mas: Bliss on the Road (2024, 11’, Trinidad & Tobago, password: tabanka)
Nan Lakou Kanaval: A Visual and Auditory 16mm Exploration of the Haitian Carnival (2024, 8′, Haiti, dir. Kaveh Nabatian)
Uni den Karnaval (United in Carnaval, 2023, 57′, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten)

AFRICA

Calabar Carnival (2025, 5′, Nigeria, dir. 2nacheki)
Cape Town Carnival (2010, 23′, South Africa, AlJazeera)
Cape Verde: The Sound of Longing (2024, 42′, dir. Claudius Gehr/DW Documentary)
Carnaval da Vitória (1978, 40′, Angola)
Guinea-Bissau Carnival (2024, 27′, Guinea-Bissau)
Inside Africa’s Biggest Street Party: Nigeria’s Calabar Carnival (2023, 15′, Nigeria, Niyi Fagbemi)

ASIA

Mela (Carnival, 2020, dir. Pranjal Joshi)
Tales of Goa: The Goan Carnaval (2024, 7′, India, dir. Pratik Joshi)

EUROPE

Carnaval in zuidelijk Nederland (1938, 6′, The Netherlands)
De Kikkers van Oeteldonk (2024, 15′, The Netherlands, dir. Ambrosius Roeland)
Oilsjt Carnaval onder de mensjen (2025, 28’, Belgium, dir Wide Open and Stad Aalst)
Oilsjt op zèn best (2024, 22′, Belgium, dir. Wide Open and Stad Aalst)
Het Verdriet van Carnaval (2022, 71′, The Netherlands, dir. Frank van Osch)
Het Geheim van Carnaval (2023, 25′, The Netherlands, dir. Barbara de Baare and Pamino Parren)
Notting Hill: 21st Century Carnival (2020, 46′, United Kingdom, dir. Matthew Bartlett and James Kermack)
Notting Hill Carnival: Sound Systems (2014, 17′, United Kingdom, dir. BBC)
Van Leek naor Aouwe Steek (2024, 78′, The Netherlands, dir. Marc van der Staak)

NORTH AMERICA

Caribana 1967: The Birth of a Canadian Tradition (2025, 5′, except from the documentary Play It Loud)
Not For Sale (2025, 10′, United States, dir. Lemar Arceneaux)
Review of Toronto Caribbean Carnaval (2022, 17′, Canada, dir. Irina Volkova)
The Cultural Significance of Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival (2024, 6′, Canada)
Trailer of Becoming a Queen (2022, 3′, Canada, dir. Chris Strikes, who discussed his documentary here)
Wild Magnolias: The Rite of Passage of the Mardi Gras Indian (2024, 16′)