Cine-Teatro São Luiz, Art Deco theater in Centro, Fortaleza, Brazil
Cine-Teatro São Luiz is a cinema and theater in downtown Fortaleza featuring Art Deco architectural elements. The building displays a symmetrical facade with geometric shapes and vertical lines that define its design style throughout.
Construction began in 1939 under Humberto da Justa Menescal for the Severiano Ribeiro group, on the site of the earlier Cine Politheama beside the family's residence on Praça do Ferreira. The cinema opened on 26 March 1958 with the film Anastácia, a princesa esquecida, its proceeds going to the Santa Casa de Misericórdia and Asilo do Bom Pastor. From 1995 it became the main venue of the Cine Ceará festival. The state bought and reopened it in December 2014.
The São Luiz has hosted the Cine Ceará film festival as its main venue since 1995 and, from October 2005, a jazz and blues festival alongside regular screenings. Its name honours Luiz Severiano Ribeiro, the group's founder who conceived the cinema. In July 2017 the "Férias no São Luiz" programme screened hits such as Beauty and the Beast, Titanic and Ghost.
The venue sits on Rua Major Facundo in the downtown area and is easy to reach on foot. Programming changes regularly with films, concerts, and theatrical shows, so checking current schedules before visiting makes sense.
The building has received two heritage designations that recognize its architectural and cultural importance to the state of Ceará. These protections show how much the venue matters to the region's cultural legacy.
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