Announcing the 2023 Luso World Cinema Blogathon!

The only blogathon dedicated to the Lusitanic influence on world cinema returns–very soon! This will be the third edition of the Luso World Cinema Blogathon, and it runs May 5-8, 2023. My co-host, Letícia Magalhães, first broke the news on her blog Crítica Retrô in March. I hope my post reminds bloggers and readers that they are welcome to participate. Need more information about it before you decide to commit? Please keep on reading! Everything you need to know about this special event follows below. Past participants can skip to the comments to share their topics.

Luso, Lusophone, Lusitanic, what?

Luso is a Latin prefix that means Portugal or Portuguese. A Lusophone is someone who speaks Portuguese. A Lusitanic is someone sharing the cultural and linguistic traditions of the Portuguese speaking parts of the world.

I prefer using the word Lusitanic because it embraces those, like me, who share in cultural traditions, but aren’t native Portuguese speakers. My Portuguese-American grandparents never taught me the language. The words I know I picked up from growing up in an area with large Lusophone populations.

We use the word Luso for the blogathon for two reasons. First the #Luso hashtag is one way of connecting with Lusitanic peoples online. Second I believe the word Luso makes more people feel included than the words Lusophone and Lusitanic. In their minds, they can complete the prefix any way they wish or not complete it.

So who or what can I write about?

So many groups of people or settings! As I’ve written before, “the major Lusophone countries or regions of the world are located in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. They are Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, East Timor, Goa, Macau, and the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe.” Because of exploration, trade, colonization, and immigration, Lusitanics can be any race. They and their descendants can and do live anywhere in the world.

NOTE: This blogathon is meant to celebrate all Lusos/Lusas. It is not meant as a celebration of a former empire. Even pieces discussing films criticizing colonization, Transatlantic slavery, racism, and dictatorship are welcome.

I’m still confused!

Here are some resource links that may be helpful:

• American film people with Portuguese heritage
• American actresses with Portuguese heritage
• American actors with Portuguese heritage
• American actors with Brazilian heritage
• American actors with Cape Verdean heritage

• Films from Portugal
• Films from Brazil
• Films from Cape Verde
• Films from Mozambique
• Films from Angola
• Films from Guinea-Bissau
• Films from São Tomé and Príncipe
• Films from Equatorial Guinea
• Films from East Timor

• Films set in Portugal
• Films set in Brazil
• Films set in Cape Verde
• Films set in Mozambique
• Films set in Angola
• Films set in Guinea-Bissau
• Films set in São Tomé and Príncipe
• Films set in Macau / Macao
• Films set in Goa

2023 Luso World Cinema Blogathon Guidlines

Once you find your topic, here are the next steps to take!

1. Comment on this post and tell me what your topic is, the name of your blog/vlog/podcast, and if you’re on Twitter.
2. Pick one of the four dates for your post to go live on. They are May 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th. Do let me know which one is your preference.
3. Create an original new post, vlog, or podcast.
4. When it is ready to go live, please send me the link. Le and I will put make a post featuring links to all blogathon contributions. I’ll also promote them heavily on social media.
5. If you do not have a blog, but want to participate, comment below. I will find a space to host you.
6. Please do the same and promote your post and the blogathon on social media, too!
7. Don’t forget to use the phrase “Luso World Cinema Blogathon” or its hashtag #LusoWorldCinemaBlogathon on your social posts!
8. You’re the best if you visit other participating bloggers’/vloggers’/podcasters’ posts and comment!
9. If your post, vlog, or podcast will be late, that is okay. Life happens. Just let Le or me know.
10. If you change your subject, that’s fine, too. I’ve done that last minute before for this very blogathon.

2023 Luso World Cinema Blogathon Banners

You can find this year’s banners here.

2023 Luso World Cinema Blogathon Partipants