Brazilian cinema expands global reach through co-productions

Brazilian cinema is experiencing a period of significant international recognition following the historic success of Walter Salles’s “I’m Still Here,” which secured the first Oscar for a Portuguese-language film directed by a Brazilian. This momentum was further bolstered by Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “The Secret Agent,” which earned multiple prizes at the Cannes Film Festival and received five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.

Following this surge, the industry is shifting toward a model of international co-productions to maintain global presence. While 2026 saw fewer primarily Brazilian productions in major competition slots at Cannes, Berlin, or Venice, the country has forged new partnerships with nations such as Nepal and Finland. This trend is reflected in a diverse crop of co-produced titles and has led the Rio Film Festival to establish a dedicated strand to highlight Brazil’s growing work with international partners.