Despite the lack of more films by Brazilian directors in Cannes’ main categories in Brazil, representatives of the Latin American country still arrived at the Marché du Film confident to build on the extraordinary momentum generated by films such as last year’s Cannes Prize-winning political drama The Secret Agent. São Paulo state government officials were at the market to spread the word about the huge success of recent investments in film and television, and to celebrate the release of the first wave of films benefiting from the pioneering Paulo Gustavo Law.
The Paulo Gustavo Law, a post-pandemic recovery initiative named after acclaimed cartoonist and actor Paulo Gustavo, who tragically passed away due to complications from COVID-19 in 2021, awarded Brazil’s audiovisual sector 2.8 billion reais ($571 million) in May 2023. The cash pot was delivered to 27 states and 5,000 cities in Brazil to be used to create production and distribution incentives, or subsidies. Local knowledge economy São Paulo State receives $50 million grant.
Last year, the state launched an audiovisual development plan that includes strategic investments in various areas such as governance, infrastructure, training, financing and international promotion. Currently, the team leading the state initiative is preparing to launch a 20-year plan entitled “Plano de Desenvolvimento da Indústria Audiovisual Paulista” (São Paulo Audiovisual Industry Development Plan). The plan, expected to become law, would ensure that the state’s recent efforts to boost the film industry are protected from instability caused by changes in federal and state governments.
In an interview with Variety in Cannes, Marilia Martón, Secretary of Culture, Economy and Creative Industries in Brazil’s São Paulo state, recalled how, shortly after the enactment of the Paulo Gustavo Law, the state realized that producing large-scale, high-quality films was an “expensive and difficult task.”
“We feel we had the right sensibilities at the right time to choose to listen to the industry and understand its needs and how to respond to them,” she added. “From that moment on, the state of São Paulo started offering a continuous support program, which was important when considering the long-term success of the industry. Obviously, we no longer have as much money as we had with the Paulo Gustavo Law in the beginning, but this sense of stability and continuity is extremely valuable.”
“A Conspiração Condor”, provided by LEP Filmes
Marton points out that the fruits of the past three years’ investment are now beginning to be seen, with films like Andre Sturm’s Paulo Gustavo-backed political thriller “The Intrigue of the Condor” being shown in Brazil.
“We focused on film as an industry that brings significant economic benefits to the state,” she points out. “When we talk about the audiovisual industry, there are about 1.6 million jobs created in the state of São Paulo alone. This has a huge impact. We also invested in human resources development, such as by opening training schools, and we wanted continuity for professionals to share their learning with the next generation.”
Now that the Paulo Gustavo pot has been emptied, Merton is turning his attention to ensuring the industry can not only maintain significant momentum, but also gain some much-needed stability. “The industry needs predictability,” she says. “Filmmakers need to think ahead about specific dates, and producers need a calendar. That way we can negotiate international partnerships and increase our visibility abroad. This is also an important part of our mission. We need to increase our reputation by participating in events like the Marché du Film to know that people will take us seriously as a potential partner.”
“By listening to industry and truly listening to their deepest issues and grievances with public support, we understood that solutions are not about a single strategy, but about coordinating efforts over the long term,” the Secretary emphasizes. “We cannot bet on isolated efforts alone. We come from Paulo Gustavo to look broadly at the audiovisual production chain, from development to exhibition. We are committed to bringing audiences back to cinema.”
In an election year, the need to solidify solid plans for the future is even more urgent. “Governments come and go, but nations remain. We need to make sure we have stable, long-term policies in place,” Merton says. “As we approach the end of the mandatory period, it is natural for people to be anxious about what will happen next, but we are working hard to calm the sector.”
São Paulo is investing heavily in internationalizing its industry, and the state is currently filming Michael Almereyda’s sci-fi Zero K, starring Peter Sarsgaard, Caleb Landry Jones and Britt Lower. Netflix’s recent chart-topper “Emergency Radioactivity” was also filmed in the interior of São Paulo state.
“This was part of an intensive effort by the São Paulo Film Commission that we launched last year,” Marton said. “We have mapped the state’s 1,600 filming locations and worked on a strategy to ensure we can attract productions across the state and provide them with the best possible logistical and financial support. There is also a film commission, and thanks to the available infrastructure, human resources and the fact that filming is relatively cheap, as the currency is still quite cheap compared to the euro and the dollar, we have made great strides in terms of attracting national and international productions.”Brazil. ”
“Last year saw the launch of the first edition of the São Paulo Audiovisual Hub, which brought together the main names of the international industry, and Netflix also opened an office in São Paulo,” she continues. “All this shows how friendly São Paulo is towards big players.”
