Latest news with #Ancine
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rio's RioFilme and Brazil's Federal Government Announce $23 million Incentives Package for Film and TV Production, Distribution
RIO DE JANEIRO – Leonardo Edde, president director of Rio's state-owned film agency RioFilme announced a package of incentives for film and TV production and distribution worth a total R$ 131 million ($23 million) during a panel at Rio2C on Thursday. With Edde joined on the panel by Alex Braga, president director of Brazilian film-TV agency Ancine, and Marcio Tavares, exec secretary of Brazil's Ministry of Culture, the round table also allowed its speakers to set some priorities for federal and Rio film-TV policy. More from Variety TV Globo to Bow 'Aberto ao Publico' in July, the First Comedy Show From New Regional Hubs Across Brazil (EXCLUSIVE) 'I'm Still Here's' Fernanda Torres to Star in 'Os Corretores,' Which She Wrote, With Conspiraçao and Globo Filmes Producing (EXCLUSIVE) Spanish Mart-Meet Iberseries & Platino Industria Looks to Europe, Aims to Boost Spanish-Language International Distribution Brazil's federal government will put up R$100 million ($17.5 million) of the package tapping into its powerful Audiovisual Sector Fund (FSA), administered by Ancine; Rio's City Hall will cover the remaining R$31 million ($5.5 million) as part of a pioneering cooperation between federal and local governments. RioFilme will distribute the coin to Rio-based companies through public tenders, a usual practice in Brazil. The call for applications opens June 25. The public-sector aid package also includes incentives to different areas of production and distribution. A total of R$39 million ($6.8 million) will be destined to complement the financing of 12 live-action or animated feature film projects with strong B.O. potential. Another R$20 million ($3.5 million) will complement the financing of 10 low-budget film projects. In both cases, in order to apply, producers must already have raised part of their pics' financing, but not enough to go into production. A second line of incentives totalling R$16 million ($2.8 million) aims to complement the financing of six fictional live-action or animated series. The package also includes a R$5 million ($880,000) funding line for the development of films, TV series, animations and docs projects. For distribution, the package has an R$8 million ($1.4 million) subsidy budget to fund the theatrical release of 10 features. 'For us in Ancine, having a local partner is very positive, because it assures that the funding will be properly invested. We understand that Rio de Janeiro is strategic for the development of the film and TV industry in Brazil,' said Braga. Edde praised the cooperation with the federal government and vowed to continue. 'As of July, we will be negotiating with the federal government a second round of financing that hopefully will be in place by the end of this year,' he said. Tavares talked about one of the key issues for Brazilian producer and government alike, the creation of investment quotas for VOD players in Brazil, along the lines of those created in many E.U. states. 'In these two and a half years of (President Lula's) government, we invested more in the audiovisual sector than any other government. The next step is the regulation of the streamers,' Tavares said. 'We must pass the regulation in Congress this year. With the recent international prizes, Brazilians are proud of their films, and we must profit from this favorable scenario to approve the regulations.' Latin America's largest creativity event, Rio2C takes place in Rio over May 27 – June 1. Best of Variety 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brazil Comes Strong to Cannes to Bank on ‘I'm Still Here' Oscar Momentum: ‘A Defining Moment For Brazilian Production'
There is momentum, and there is the current moment of Brazilian cinema. This year, Walter Salles' 'I'm Still Here' made history as the first-ever Brazilian film by a Brazilian director to win an Oscar, scoring Best International Feature and bringing the country its first best picture nomination as well as a best actress nomination for Fernanda Torres. The week before, Gabriel Mascaro won the prestigious Berlinale Silver Bear for 'The Blue Trail,' with the country having a chance at winning another major festival award with Kleber Mendonça Filho's 'The Secret Agent' playing in main competition at Cannes, where Brazil is also the Country of Honor at the Marché du Film. 'Brazil stood out immediately with its cinematic heritage, a dynamic industry undergoing a strong resurgence, and a prominent presence in Cannes,' Marché du Film Executive Director Guillaume Esmiol tells Variety of choosing the Country of Honor. 'And, of course, Brazil brings an unmistakable festive spirit to the Croisette.' More from Variety Knowledgeable Producers and 'Unprecedented' Government Incentives Turn Brazil Into a Burgeoning Co-Production Power Kleber Mendonça Filho on Why 'The Secret Agent' Is His First 'Political' Film, Casting 'Classic Movie Star' Wagner Moura 'Enzo' Review: Robin Campillo Honors the Late Laurent Cantet With a Film That Embodies the Best of Both Directors Some of the initiatives connected to the celebrations at this year's Marché du Film include a selection of emerging Brazilian producers at the Producers Network; four Brazilian documentaries at Cannes Docs and new fiction projects in the Rio Film Festival Goes to Cannes showcase; plus masterclasses and training programmes. Brazil is the leading Latin American territory in the market, with the fastest regional growth in recent years. Minister of Culture Margareth Menezes, who will be in Cannes to attend the celebrations, highlights that one of the priorities since President Lula reinstated the Ministry of Culture — dismantled by former President Jair Bolsonaro — is 'a strategic vision of culture as an economic pillar that can generate jobs, income and market competitiveness.' 'Brazil is back in cinemas,' she continues. 'National productions took over 12 million people to cinemas in 2024, with five national films selling over 1 million tickets. The total gross from national titles reached $45 million, and cinemas earned over $442 million last year. Since the beginning of our term, we reinstated cultural policies that had been stopped or dismantled and are responsible for a historic investment in the sector.' A representative for Ancine, the country's National Film Agency, notes a significant strengthening of Brazil's internal market, with titles like 'I'm Still Here' elevating the market share of Brazilian films to 30% at the beginning of 2025. 'Ancine will continue to prioritize the production and international circulation of works that strengthen Brazil's image as a production hub,' they said. Over 2023-24, the Ministry of Culture invested over $742 million in Brazil's audiovisual industry through the country's primary public financing mechanism, the Audiovisual Sector Fund (ASF). The federal government also invested a further $495 million in the sector through the Paulo Gustavo Law, a historic post-pandemic recovery initiative that saw a historic one-time cash injection delivered to the country's 27 states and 5,000 cities to use in production and distribution incentives or the creation of a local knowledge economy. The Ministry of Culture also created 94 new screening rooms, taking the country to a record 3,509 screens nationwide, and reinstated the national quota in cinemas to 'ensure Brazilian films have a strong theatrical presence.' Other initiatives include Tela Brazil, a free streaming platform for Brazilian content, and plans to create a National Film Commission. Menezes also recently published an executive order extending fiscal incentives through the Audiovisual Law until 2029. 'We've been consolidating our independent audiovisual industry for the last 25 years,' says producer Fabiano Gullane, one of the founders of Gullane, the major production company behind 'Senna,' Netflix's first global series produced in Brazil. 'Today, not only are we a key consumer market to streamers — we are Netflix's second largest market in the world — but we are also protagonists in content production.' 'We have producers in all stages, who speak all languages, and are ready to take on any project,' adds Gullane. 'Brazil has a very mature market. It's not just about 'I'm Still Here,' it's about the work of 30 years. But this moment, of course, clearly enables international producers to see Brazil as a strategic partner. Today, we have resources, technology, and talent comparable to any country.' 'I'm Still Here' is the first original feature film produced by Globoplay, the streaming arm of media powerhouse Globo. Alex Medeiros, the director of drama, documentaries and films at Globoplay originals, says the success of 'a film in Portuguese, with a Brazilian story, is very meaningful to us.' 'An Oscar places a spotlight on new Brazilian productions, within the country and internationally. It's a defining moment for Brazilian audiovisual production.' Gustavo Gontijo, executive producer for development at O2 Filmes ('City of God'), similarly emphasizes the need for Brazilian producers to 'seize this great moment.' 'We have just come out of years under Bolsonaro in a government that unfortunately did not invest in our audiovisual industry and said we were not a priority. Thankfully, with Lula back in power, incentives and investments have returned, and we are already seeing the consequences.' 'In the next few years, we will see many projects being made in Brazil, thanks to the return of federal incentives, including projects by O2 Filmes.' The production company is currently working on big partnerships with streamers such as Fernando Meirelles's ambitious Amazon film 'Animal Race' and Netflix mini-series 'Pssica.' We made a strategic decision not to seek public funds under Bolsonaro, but we are now bidding again. We want to make cinema,' Gontijo says. 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