Brazilian cinema is experiencing a robust period of growth and recognition, marking what is being described as its golden age. This year, the industry reached a historic milestone when I Am Still Here, directed by Walter Salles, became the first Brazilian film directed by a Brazilian filmmaker to win the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The film also earned a nomination for Best Picture, with Fernanda Torres receiving a nomination for Best Actress. This success comes on the heels of other notable achievements: Gabriel Mascaro’s Blue Trails won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, and Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Secret Agent was selected for the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival, further positioning Brazil to win another prestigious film award. Brazil is also honored as the guest country at this year’s Cannes Film Market.
Guillaume Esmior, Executive Director of the French Film Market, commented on the selection of Brazil as the guest country, noting the country’s cinematic legacy, its thriving film industry, and its strong resurgence. He emphasized that Brazil had brought a unique festive atmosphere to the Croisette, the iconic avenue where the Cannes festival is held.
The celebration of Brazilian cinema at Cannes includes a range of activities. The Producers Network will feature a group of emerging Brazilian producers, while the Cannes Docs section will present four Brazilian documentaries. Additionally, new feature film projects will be showcased through the “Goes to Cannes” initiative at the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival. These events highlight Brazil’s role as a leader in the Latin American film market, one of the fastest-growing regions in the global cinema landscape.
Brazil’s Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes, is set to attend the festivities and stressed the importance of cultural strategy in creating jobs, income, and market competitiveness as a pillar of economic recovery. Since President Lula’s restoration of the Ministry of Culture, which was dissolved by former President Jair Bolsonaro, the government has prioritized the revitalization of Brazil’s film industry.
“The Brazilian cinema market is back,” she stated. “In 2024, domestic films attracted over 12 million viewers, with five films surpassing 1 million tickets sold. Last year, domestic films generated $45 million in box office revenue, contributing to a total cinema revenue of over $442 million. Since we assumed office, we have reinstated cultural policies that were previously stopped or eliminated, making historic investments in the industry.”
A representative from Brazil’s National Film Agency (Ancine) noted the significant growth of the domestic market, with films like I Am Still Here poised to raise Brazil’s market share to 30% in early 2025. They added, “Ancine will continue to prioritize the production and international distribution of works that solidify Brazil’s image as a hub for film production.”
In the 2023-24 period, the Ministry of Culture invested over $742 million in Brazil’s audiovisual industry through the Audiovisual Sector Fund (ASF), the country’s primary public financing mechanism. Additionally, the federal government allocated an extra $495 million through the Paulo Gustavo Act, a historic post-pandemic recovery plan that provided a one-time cash infusion to incentivize production and distribution across all 27 states and 5,000 cities.
The Ministry also built 94 new movie theaters, bringing the total number of screens nationwide to a record 3,509, and restored national cinema quotas to ensure Brazilian films maintain a strong presence in theaters. Other initiatives include the launch of Tela Brazil, a free streaming platform showcasing Brazilian content, and the upcoming establishment of a National Film Council. Menezes recently issued an executive order extending the financial incentives of the Audiovisual Law until 2029.
“We have been consolidating our independent audiovisual industry for the past 25 years,” said producer Fabiano Gullane, co-founder of Gullane, the company behind Netflix’s first original Brazilian series, Senna. “Today, we’re not only a key consumption market for streaming—we’re Netflix’s second-largest market—but we’re also leading content production.”
“We have producers at every stage of development who are fluent in multiple languages and ready to take on any project,” Gullane added. “The Brazilian market is mature. It’s not just I Am Still Here—this is the result of 30 years of hard work. Today, international producers clearly see Brazil as a strategic partner. The resources, technology, and talent we possess rival any country.”
I Am Still Here is the first original feature film produced by Globoplay, the streaming division of media giant Globo. Alex Medronho, the director of Globoplay’s scripted films and documentaries, remarked, “The success of a Portuguese-language film telling a Brazilian story means a lot to us. The Oscar win has brought new attention to Brazilian works both at home and abroad. This is a defining moment for Brazilian audiovisual production.”
Gustavo Gontijo, the development executive producer at O2 Filmes (City of God), emphasized that Brazilian producers must seize this great opportunity. “We’ve just finished the years of Bolsonaro’s administration, which unfortunately didn’t invest in our audiovisual industry. Thankfully, with Lula’s return, incentives and investments are back, and we’re already seeing results.”
“With the return of federal incentives, we will see many projects produced in Brazil over the next few years, including O2 Filmes’ projects,” Gontijo said. The production company is currently forging large partnerships with streaming platforms, such as Animal Race, a film directed by Fernando Meirelles for Amazon, and the Netflix mini-series Pssica. “During Bolsonaro’s tenure, we made a strategic decision not to seek public funding, but now we’re bidding again. We want to make films,” Gontijo concluded.
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