CANNES – The Marché du Film, the world's largest film industry marketplace held alongside the 78th Cannes Film Festival (May 13-21), has announced Brazil as its 'Country of Honor' this year, unveiling a diverse program to commemorate the occasion. This selection underscores the growing international stature of Brazilian cinema, following Walter Salles' "Central Station" achieving Brazil's first-ever Academy Award for Best Actress.

The Cannes Film Market has organized a variety of programs to showcase the dynamism of the Brazilian film industry to the world and foster international collaboration, with the participation of key figures including Brazil's Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes. Notably, a panel discussion delving into the Brazilian film industry ecosystem and a 'Co-Production Day' event featuring tailored meetings between 10 Brazilian producers and French partners to explore co-production opportunities are generating significant attention.

This designation as the Country of Honor is particularly meaningful as it coincides with a remarkable 50% increase in the number of Brazilian film industry professionals participating in the Cannes Film Market compared to the previous year. This surge, supported by grants from the Brazilian Ministry of Culture and proactive initiatives from organizations like Projeto Paradiso, the sole philanthropic entity dedicated to supporting the Brazilian film industry, reflects the strong determination of the Brazilian film community to expand its domestic growth momentum onto the international stage.

Guillaume Esmiol, Executive Director of the Cannes Film Market, emphasized in an interview with Variety that Brazil is "currently the most important Latin American country at the Cannes Film Market" and is experiencing "the fastest regional growth in recent years." He added that "Brazilian professionals actively participate in screenings, networking events, conferences, and major market programs, demonstrating a strong and long-term commitment to the international scene."

Furthermore, he stated, "Brazil's presence at major international film festivals and markets has been steadily increasing, further solidifying its position as a growing force on the global stage. Their presence in Cannes this year will be more significant than ever."

Brazil's participation in the Cannes Film Festival, orchestrated by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (through the Guimarães Rosa Institute and the Brazilian Embassy in Paris) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), forms a key part of the 'Brazil-France Season,' a cultural exchange celebrating the 200th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations. Minister of Culture Margareth Menezes will personally attend Cannes to participate in industry events and is expected to attend the opening ceremony of the Cannes Film Market hosted by the Country of Honor, where she will "invite attendees to experience an unforgettable evening of Brazilian culture and celebration."

In an interview with Variety, Minister Menezes highlighted that "since President Lula rebuilt the Ministry of Culture, one of our central pillars has been the strategic vision of culture as an economic axis capable of generating jobs, income, and market competitiveness," explaining the strategic objective of Brazil's prominent showcase at one of the world's most important film events. She also noted, "We are introducing new international co-production initiatives and have supported the attendance of 33 industry professionals at the market."

During the Cannes Film Market, Brazilian film directors, producers, and industry talents are set to feature prominently in several key programs, including the Producers Network, which will host a networking breakfast for five promising Brazilian producers. Cannes Docs will present four Brazilian documentary projects in progress.

The 'Goes to Cannes' program, organized in partnership with the Festival do Rio and the Cannes Film Market, will showcase feature film projects in production to potential distributors, sales agents, and programmers, including the new film by Daniel Almeida, winner of the Teddy Award at the Berlin International Film Festival, and a film invested in by football star Vinicius Júnior.

Two emerging Brazilian professionals will participate in Cannes Makers, an intensive mentoring and training program designed for future leaders in international sales.

Brazil will also host three conference panels highlighting its rapidly growing audiovisual industry. Speakers will include Joelma Gonzaga, National Secretary of Audiovisual; Ricardo Neiva Tavares, Brazilian Ambassador to France; José Luis Gordon, Director of Production Development, Innovation, and Foreign Trade at the Brazilian National Development Bank; Laara Oliveira, President of Spcine; Leonardo Edde, President of RioFilme; and Luiza Cela, Secretary of Culture of the State of Ceará.

For those seeking new collaborations, the Brazilian delegation will be present at the Palais des Festivals. Dedicated stands for Cinema do Brasil, the São Paulo Film and Audiovisual Company (Spcine), and the Rio de Janeiro Film Commission (RioFilme) will provide information on co-production incentives, funding opportunities, and partnership prospects within Brazil's dynamic audiovisual sector.

The full schedule of Brazil's Country of Honor events at the Cannes Film Market is available on the official Cannes Film Market website. Previous Countries of Honor include Switzerland in 2024, Spain in 2023, and India in 2022.

This selection of Brazil as the Country of Honor at the Cannes Film Market is expected to be more than just a cultural exchange; it represents a significant opportunity to elevate the international standing of the Brazilian film industry and expand practical co-production and investment opportunities. In particular, the proactive support of the Brazilian government and key institutions, coupled with the global platform of the Cannes Film Market, provides a golden opportunity to showcase the creativity and potential of Brazilian cinema to the world. This is anticipated to be a positive driving force for the continued growth and increased international influence of the Brazilian film community.