CineVazLobo

One of the most traditional cinemas in Rio's suburbs, Cine Vaz Lobo opened in 1941 and was attended by the first lady, Mrs. Darcy Vargas. It's part of a forgotten tradition in Rio de Janeiro: the suburban cinemas. For a time, several neighborhoods in Rio's suburbs, especially those with a train station, had their own local cinema. Bigger or smaller, that varied from neighborhood to neighborhood; but they were characteristically popular.

Image description: The image is an old black-and-white photograph of a movie theater called "Cine Vaz Lobo". In the center of the image, there is a building with a light-colored façade and modernist architecture. On the upper part of the building, "Cine Vaz Lobo" is written in large letters. Below, there is a large sign with information about the theater's inaugural program, including the name "Getúlio Vargas" and ticket prices. In front of the building, there is a crowd of people gathered, occupying the foreground. The people are wearing clothing typical of the period, suggesting that the photo was taken at a specific historical moment.

The cinema worked as a social hub, the neighborhood's center of sociability. It generated the flow of people and boosted nearby businesses, made it easier for bank branches and lottery agencies to open, was a magnet for street vendors and street performers to put on a show, and gave local nightlife its vitality. There wasn't a couple (or future couple) in the neighborhood who didn't have, in their history, a date in that darkened theater. The local cinemas brought cultural inclusion, strengthened bonds of friendship, and expanded the community's collective imagination.

Time, however, took care of closing its doors for good. In 1986, it closed its vertical gate once and for all. The building, with “CINE VAZ LOBO” carved in stone on its art-déco facade, narrowly escaped demolition during the BRT works, back in the 2010s. It was popular mobilization that prevented the destruction of this relic; a gesture of resistance in defense of this space of memory.

Image description: The image is a photograph of a building with the facade displaying the name "CINE VAZ LOBO." The spatial layout goes from left to right, starting with a gray stone plaque containing the cinema's name in large, bold black letters. Below the name, there is a geometric design with a starred triangle. The background is a clear blue sky.