Alto Tietê cinema history documented in new book by Dinho Santoz

Author Dinho Santoz is releasing a new book titled ‘Uma ideia na cabeça e uma câmera na mão: no rastro do cinema do Alto Tietê’ on September 20 in Suzano, São Paulo. The work is the result of documentary research and interviews aimed at rescuing the memory of historic cinema halls and contemporary audiovisual production in the Alto Tietê region.

The book covers the histories of Suzano, Mogi das Cruzes, Itaquaquecetuba, Guararema, Poá, and Ferraz de Vasconcelos. It traces the evolution from traditional street cinemas—such as Cine Saci, Cine Odeon, and Cine Ideal—to modern productions made with digital cameras and mobile phones. The research also highlights the 1953 visit of the Companhia Cinematográfica Vera Cruz to Itaquaquecetuba for the filming of ‘Sinhá Moça’.

Launch activities include a free workshop titled ‘Cinema e Memória Cultural’ on September 17, alongside the release of a free digital EPUB3 version. On September 20, the Casa Beija-Flor in Suzano will host a community audiovisual production workshop followed by the official launch of the printed edition, which will be distributed to the public for free.