Brazil is going through dark times with its right-wing extremist government. The documentary films “Chão” and “Espero a tua (re) volta” portray landless workers and schoolchildren who want to protest and make themselves heard as squatters.

On the lookout for stunning coffees, we are always partnering with people that share our values – sustainability, long-term relationships, and sharing knowledge. We welcomed on the 24th of September, Marjorie Canjura, field engineer and quality advisor of Belco, our coffee sourcing partner based in France. She talked about her work with coffee farmers that aims to improve the quality and yield of their plantations.

Berlin Coffee Festival (31 Aug to 2 Sep) this year was absolutely vibrant and full of great discoveries. Already in its fourth edition, the festival brings together people from the whole supply chain to share experiences and talk about relevant topics of the industry. Different from many other festivals that are aimed for coffee specialists, it is consumer driven.

When I think about coffee, the first thing that comes to my mind is its aroma: The delicious smell that comes out when I’m grinding coffee or brewing it. It connects me directly to my senses, bringing comfort and nice feelings. That’s nothing better than starting the day with a fresh cup of coffee. The Specialty Coffee experience is all about flavour and what it takes to have the most stunning coffees. But what makes the coffee flavour?

David Salinas is creating beautiful products, which express our love for coffee. He built the brand Department of Brewology together with Brett Cannon in Austin, Texas. Their cool T-shirts, awesome caps and fun pins connect Specialty Coffee with design. In this interview, David talks about his journey from coffee to design, and what brings these two worlds together.

Even though I come from Brazil and drink coffee for a while, I’m quite new in the Specialty Coffee world. My name is Camila and since I joined THE BARN editorial team in June this year, I’ve been taken to a whole new experience concerning coffee. One of the first themes that comes up is coffee acidity. Many beginners like me may find that the less acidity, the better. But it is not really how it works.

Sam Sgambellone is a leading barista and coffee expert from Australia. He is the founder of Coffee Kaizen and long-term Director at Mecca Coffee. We talked to him about his career and the specialty coffee world. Enjoy the reading with a cup of your favourite coffee:

Ex-Pajé (Ex-Shaman), the second feature film by scriptwriter and director Luiz Bolognesi, blurs the line between documentary and fiction with a portrait of the daily lives of the Suruí Paiter, a people from the interior of the Amazon region.

“Bixa Travesty” (Tranny Fag) documents the life of the Brazilian trans artist Linn da Quebrada and her passionate fight against racism, homophobia and for the construction of trans-identity. Read full interview in German or in Portuguese.

Brazil's João Moreira Salles and Germany's Andres Veiel took to the stage in Berlin to discuss the essence of the documentary and the use of archival images.

Brazilian filmmakers read letter in Berlin asking for their country’s audiovisual policies to be upheld and expanded. In the letter, the filmmakers point to the advances made by the audiovisual sector in recent years in terms of public policy, thanks to the work of Ancine, Brazil’s regulatory body for the film industry. The advances can be seen in the participation of the Brazilian films in international film festivals – such as the Berlinale.

„Pendular“ and „Venus – Filly the Lesbian Little Fairy“, films shown as part of the Panorama programme, inhabit the intersection between dance, sculpture and poetry.

The Brazilian films "Como nossos pais" and "Vazante" present two different points of view of the role of women in the 19th century and today.

“Nalu on the Border” and “Don't Swallow My Heart, Alligator Girl!”, two films from the Generation programme, tell stories set in Brazilian borderlands.

The director Davi Pretto takes us on a journey to Brazil’s rural south. Shown in the Forum section, his film is about the powerlessness of the individual in the face of land speculation and the tough reality of rural life – and features the aesthetics of a western.

Brazil is making its mark at the Berlinale by showing films in the most important sections of the programme. The feature film "Joaquim" by Marcelo Gomes will be screened in the Competition section.

Historically, sporting mega-events, like the Olympic Games, depend on media spectacle and function in the interest of the construction and reaffirmation of national identities. In an interview, sociologist Jaeho Kang, professor at SOAS – University of London, speaks about the social and political impacts that sporting mega-events have on host cities and countries.

Despite the increase in women’s participation in sport and the advancements achieved in recent decades, there is still a long road ahead in the pursuit of gender equality in sports.

When you think of sustainability, sport is in a privileged position in the search for solutions that will have a positive impact on local populations and the environment.

The Vila Flores Project revitalizes an architectural complex and facilitates cultural, social and educational projects in Rio Grande do Sul’s capital, Porto Alegre. (Translated by Sara Hanaburgh)