Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Project Paradiso, a charitable initiative supporting the Brazilian Film Division of the Orgarabinovich Institute, and Embratur, the Brazilian Tourism Commission, are working together to launch an initiative to promote the international distribution of films held in major South American countries. Title ScreenBrasil with a pointed “S” will support the distribution of three national feature fiction films produced in 2024 and 2025.
The initiative aimed at enhancing the image of countries overseas and attracting foreign industries by promoting Brazil’s film industry is the result of a technical and financial cooperation agreement between the two organisations. The partnership announcement will be made at Riomark, the industry division of the Rio Film Festival on October 6th.
The announcement of the selected film is scheduled for April 2026, following the submission period from January to March. Each selected film will receive US$15,000 for international distribution. These funds can be used for subtitles, international marketing, press and other promotional and distribution initiatives. A professional technical committee is assembled to select the films to participate in.
Embratur President Marcelo Freixo noted that ScreenBrasil is “part of the institution’s strategy to recognize the audiovisual industry as a tool for promoting international tourism.”
“This project is the culmination of a strategy launched during his tenure at Embratur, recognizing the audiovisual industry as a strategic vector to promote Brazil internationally,” he added. “We understand that films, series, documentaries and other audiovisual products serve as powerful showcases that our country must provide and inspire interest in first-hand experiences of Brazil.”
Freixo points out that the initiative is “attempting to reach an international audience with works that highlight our quality and cinema talent and portray our stories, diversity and creativity,” highlighting that Brazil is “experienced in an era of great visibility for films abroad.”
“There are also examples of countries such as Spain, Portuga and South Korea, which have established the audiovisual industry as an important strategic sector for promoting soft power. More than that, it has been shown that around 800,000 tourists around the world choose destinations that are affected by audiovisual production.
Ahead of the kickoff of this year’s Rio Film Festival, Variety spoke with Rio Mayor Eduardo Peace. Eduardo Peze repeated fry slugs to praise Rio’s great moments against Brazilian films, while at the same time Rio is one of the most popular cities in the world today. According to the Rio Film Committee, Rio held a record-breaking filming of 8, 782 days of 505 productions in 2024. 27 is an international production company, accounting for a 100% increase over 2023, 748 filmed days. series.
Projeto Paradiso has made investments in international exhibitions a central strategic priority. “Since 2019, we have supported the presence of over 150 films and projects in major festivals and international markets through our Brasil No Mundo (Brazil in the World) program.” “Now, we are taking a step forward and expanding the release window for Brazilian productions around the world. Our goal is to expand the possibilities for international audiences to connect with Brazilian cinemas and strengthen the industry.”
