As the ALLMYNE app takes off, spreading the word of sustainable travel and focusing on immersive cultural experiences through small communities, we have the honor of working with many new faces. One of these new faces is Rafael Reis.

He’s the representative of YVY, the first Teresópolis Environmental and Mountain Film Festival! We had the chance to sit down and talk a bit with him amidst his busy schedule. But before we get into that, let’s look a bit at what YVY is all about and what Carnival is.

What is YVY?

In Tupi, “yvy” literally means land. But for the indigenous people, it represents the sacred relationship between humans and nature.

It emphasizes the importance of living in harmony with the earth. So, it makes sense that this festival, which is dedicated to nature and cinematic art, would be named after it.

At the festival, several films will be shown, as well as the offering of outdoor activities like nature photography and yoga. Besides the bonus that access to the event is entirely free, there are also handmade crafts to purchase from local artists and food trucks to satiate you during a guided walk through the Parque Nacional Serra dos Órgãos (PARNASO) National Park.

Without further ado, let’s see what Rafael Reis has to say about this incredible experience tucked away in Brazil.

First of all, it’s nice to meet you! We are so excited to have you on board with us. Let’s start with a little bit about your nonprofit organization. What is your mission? What are your primary goals?

It’s nice to meet you, too! We actually have six main goals:

1. Inspire Environmental Awareness: We want to be recognized as a leading film festival that motivates environmental preservation and climate action.
2. Connect People to Nature: We’d like to foster a greater connection between people and the environment.
3. Promote Sustainable Mountaineering: We offer mountaineering activities during the Festival that protect and preserve natural landscapes for future generations.
4. Environmental Education: We are providing a platform for environmental education through films, debates, and workshops. This raises awareness about climate urgency.
5. Community Involvement: We enjoy engaging the local community and visitors in activities that promote environmental preservation and the unique culture of mountaineering.
6. Promote the Audiovisual Aspect of the Region: We want to promote the beauties of the Serrana do Rio region through an event that exhibits, promotes, inspires, and collaborates with audiovisual directors and film production companies in the region.

Wow. That is incredible! Such admirable goals! To reach those goals, how are you currently engaging with your audience? What channels do you use?

While this is the first Festival, we have created a page on the FilmFreeWay platform. We also have our website (http://www.yvyfestival.com) and our Instagram!

It must be difficult to seemingly start from scratch, but what is a recent success story or milestone you’ve reached that you’re particularly proud of?

Even with this being the first festival, we are already off to a really good start! Our biggest achievement, of course, is being the Mountain Season Opening event at PARNASO. But one of our other exciting milestones is that we surpassed 170 film submissions from over 11 countries so far! This remarkable achievement demonstrates the global resonance of our festival’s mission to promote environmental awareness and celebrate the connection between humanity and nature through cinema.

Can you dive deeper into why this is so significant?

We’re getting diverse perspectives. Receiving films from various countries enriches our festival with a wide range of stories and cultural insights related to environmental conservation and the beauty of mountain landscapes. We are also getting submissions that are of exceptional quality. This reflects the dedication and talent of filmmakers who are passionate not only about sustainability but also storytelling.

On top of this, this milestone underscores the international appeal and relevance of our festival, positioning YVY as a significant platform for environmental cinema. And of course, this has led us to this major partnership with ALLMYNE, who we are so proud to have as a master sponsor. This collaboration showcases our ability to engage supporters beyond Brazil and highlights the festival’s growing international appeal and influence.

Oh, we also have some other goals we’ve achieved!

Please, do indulge us!

We secured the festival venue within PARNASO, which is the third oldest conservation unit in all of Brazil. This iconic location enhances the festival’s connection to nature. Plus, the stunning backdrop alone will be incredible for our event. We also have a location now for our closing ceremony: the Teatro Feso, a newly inaugurated, state-of-the-art venue.  We are exploring a potential collaboration with the Symphony Orchestra for a performance at that ceremony, too, although this is yet to be confirmed. It’s going to be a grand and memorable setting for the culmination of our festival either way!

This all sounds so delightful! And we share your joy in regards to our partnership! What specific outcomes do you hope to achieve through this partnership?

Mainly more visibility for the festival. We want to attract more people, especially those who’d be interested in participating in the event.

Now, besides the festival itself, what are some projects or initiatives YVY is currently focused on?

We actually have three we can share with you!

1. Film Screenings and Competitions: As I’ve said already, our festival features a diverse selection of films from around the world, highlighting the importance of environmental conservation and the beauty of mountain landscapes. With over 170 films already submitted—we are receiving films, by the way, until March 30th!—we are excited to showcase works that inspire action and reflection on sustainability. The competitions include categories for feature films, short films, and school-produced films, offering a platform for filmmakers of all ages.
2. Educational Workshops and Master Classes: We are committed to fostering education and professional development within the film industry. Our festival will host a series of workshops and master classes. These educational events are designed to equip participants with practical skills and knowledge, thus empowering the next generation of filmmakers.
3. Local Engagement and Community Activities: The festival is deeply rooted in the local community of Teresópolis, the national capital of mountaineering. We are organizing a variety of activities to engage local residents, adventure guides, tourists, and environmentalists. Highlights include thematic panels and interactive sessions with local mountain guides and environmentalists.

These initiatives aim to strengthen the local economy and promote sustainable tourism, making the festival a truly inclusive and impactful event.

And ALLMYNE is all about that. We want to support small communities through that sustainable tourism because it helps those smaller areas economically while also giving tourists a chance to experience something more authentic. Do you have any upcoming events or product launches you want our viewers to look out for?

We do! We will soon be letting people know the following details:

• Location of the closing ceremony;
• Details on the thematic panels program with speakers;
• Announcements about the selected films;
• Announcements and inscriptions about outdoor activities during the Festival—guided trails, yoga in the park, running on the trails);
• Announcements about audiovisual workshops—these will show people how to make low-budget films with Tulio Bambino and will also include a script workshop led by Fernando Salles, who is working on the Netflix Series Bom dia Verônica, and Senna! We are also having a workshop by Juan Quintains—who has worked on two Oscar-nominated films!—on how to work with audio in low-budget films.

That truly sounds exciting! Before we let you go, is there anything else you’d like to share?

The entire event is free to the public! From mid-March onwards, we will have a more structured schedule for many things, and with that, we will intensify posts on social media. So, stay tuned!

If you’re interested in learning more about the event, you can find information here at their website. Thank you again, Rafael Reis, for joining our team, and we can’t wait to see what you have in store for all of us—the team and users alike—here at ALLMYNE.

Happy Carnival!

Download the ALLMYNE app from the APPLE STORE or GOOGLE PLAY to seamlessly plan, capture, and share your travel journey with a global community of fellow explorers.

Upgrade to our PRO subscriber level for even more perks, including audio recording in your journal, AI-powered location suggestions tailored to your interests, unlimited trip locations, and unlimited storage for all your travel memories. Download the ALLMYNE app now – the ultimate travel companion to enhance every step of your journey!