Brazilian Tourism Board Embratur and leading philanthropic initiative Projeto Paradiso have announced the three films selected for their inaugural Screen Brasil initiative, aimed at promoting Brazilian cinema internationally. The selected films include Silver Bear-winning “The Blue Trail” by Gabriel Mascaro, Rafaela Camelo’s coming-of-age “The Nature of Invisible Things” and Priscilla Kellen’s animated feature “Papaya.” Embratur and Projeto Paradiso have also confirmed that the Screen Brasil initiative will return for a sophomore edition, expanding its pool to four feature films for the next batch.
Screen Brasil was launched late last year during the Rio Film Festival and envisioned as a program to support the distribution of feature-length fiction films produced in Brazil, with the goal of expanding the global presence of the country’s national productions, strengthening Brazil’s image abroad and sparking international interest through Brazil’s film industry.
The inaugural selection was announced during Matinée Brésil, an event inside Marché du Film’s official program organized by Festival do Rio, Globo, RioFilme, Spcine, Embratur, and the Brazilian Ministry of Culture, in which new internationalization policies, cash rebate opportunities and original Brazilian content are being presented.
On top of expanding its selection to four films, the second edition of Screen Brasil will be divided into two application rounds, with the first taking place in the second semester of 2026 and the second in the first semester of 2027. The decision is aimed to accommodate various stages of negotiations with sales agents at festivals throughout the year. The required release window has also been extended: Films may begin distribution within 12 months instead of the six required in the first edition. The move will offer distributors greater flexibility in setting release dates.
The Blue Trail
The Blue Trail, Courtesy of Pacifica Grey
Screen Brasil reaffirms Embratur’s role in promoting the country internationally and expanding the international reach of Brazilian productions. Each selected film will receive $15,000 for international distribution efforts, including subtitling, marketing, press relations and other strategies aimed at promoting the film internationally.
Roberto Gevaerd, director of management and Innovation at Embratur, praised the initiative’s goals: “Encouraging the international circulation of Brazilian audiovisual productions means promoting Brazil to the world. Each film that wins over audiences abroad carries with it our culture and our stories.”
“Our cinema is a powerful expression of our soft power, capable of arousing interest, creating emotional connections, and inspiring people from different countries to get to know Brazil up close,” added Gevaerd. “At the same time, this strategy strengthens the creative economy, expands the country’s international visibility, and promotes a more sustainable development model for Brazil’s tourism and audiovisual ecosystem.”
Josephine Bourgois, executive director of Projeto Paradiso, added that this selection “represents an important step in expanding the presence of Brazilian cinema on the international circuit and strengthening the circulation of our stories in different territories.”
“These are films with great artistic potential and universal appeal, which can now reach new audiences and strategic markets around the world,” continued Bourgois. “Supporting their international career is also a way to consolidate the recognition of Brazilian audiovisual production as a relevant creative force on the global stage.”
The selected films for Screen Brasil are:
“Papaya,” directed by Priscilla Kellen, with international sales by the Belgian company Best Friend Forever for Portugal, Germany, and Mexico.
“The Blue Trail,” directed by Gabriel Mascaro, with international sales by the French company Lucky Number, to Australia and Taiwan.
“The Nature of Invisible Things,” directed by Rafaela Camelo, with international sales by the Italian company The Open Reel to German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein)
