Brazil Named Country of Honor at 2025 Cannes Film Market
Brazil will be the official country of honor at this year's Marché du Film, the Cannes film market, an acknowledgment of the growing strength of Brazilian cinema internationally.
Brazilian cinema is riding a wave right now, helped by the global success of Walter Salles' political drama I'm Still Here, which is up for 3 Oscars this weekend: Best International Feature, Best Actress for lead Fernanda Torres, and Best Film.
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The Brazilian industry will have a strong presence throughout the Marché, which runs from May 13 to May 21 during the 78th Cannes film festival, with key industry figures featuring in events and panels devoted to strengthening international ties and expanding the global reach of Brazilian storytelling.
In a great piece of news for market attendees, Brazil will also host the Marché's official opening night party at the Plage des Palmes on May 13.
Brazilian cinema has been a near-constant feature in Cannes over the decades, going back at least to 1962 when Anselmo Duarte's religious drama The Given Word won the Palme d'Or. Recent Brazilian Cannes competition entries have included Karim Aïnouz' 2024 erotic thriller Motel Destino, Kleber Mendonça Filho's social drama Aquarius (2016), and Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles' neo-Western Bacurau, which won Cannes' jury prize in 2019.
'Brazil has always had a strong presence in international cinema, especially in Cannes,' said Joelma Gonzaga, Secretary of Audiovisual Affairs at Brazil's Ministry of Culture, in a statement. 'This has been consistently reflected at the Marché du Film and being the country of honor in 2025 further cements and amplifies this partnership. This is a unique opportunity to expand our connections, strengthen dialogues and show the world the diversity and creativity of Brazilian cinema.'
'Brazil is a very creative country with a vibrant film industry,' added Marché executive director Guillaume Esmiol. 'We have observed a steady rise in the number of Brazilian professionals in Cannes in recent years, with a 26 percent increase last year alone. With the added significance of the Brazil-France Season, this partnership is a symbol of the global strength of the Brazilian film industry and its strong relation with Cannes.'
The Marché recognition coincides with the 200th anniversary of official diplomatic relations between Brazil and France, an event celebrated throughout the year with the cultural initiative Saison Brésil-France (Brazil-France Season). Brazil's culture minister Margareth Menezes said the Cannes market events would further strengthen 'the cultural and artistic ties between our two nations.'
Brazil's presence at the Marché du Film will be organized in collaboration with Brazil's Ministry of Culture, the Instituto Guimarães Rosa, and the Embassy of Brazil in Paris. The program will feature exclusive film and documentary showcases, networking events, and presentations of new international co-production initiatives, with further details to be announced in the coming months.
Brazil follows Switzerland (2024), Spain (2023), and India (2022) in receiving the country of honor designation, an initiative launched by the Marché du Film to recognize a nation's contributions to the global film industry.
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