The Year of Brazil
- Laura Malin
- May 28
- 3 min read
Forget Carnaval and Soccer. This year Brazil is celebrating its powerful entertainment industry. From triumphs at Venice and Cannes to sweeping major awards at the Golden Globes and the Oscars, Brazil is emerging as a dominant force on the international stage. Recently recognized as both Country of Honor and Creative Country of the Year in Cannes, the nation has also become the second-largest market for streaming subscriptions globally.
On the business front, Brazil continues to lead as the entertainment powerhouse of Latin America, hosting Rio2C, the region’s main creativity hub. Adding to its prestige, the country proudly hosted the International Academy Day, reinforcing its growing stature in the global content ecosystem. With all this momentum, 2025 is shaping up to be the year of Brazil in entertainment.
First Timers
In March, Brazil made history as the film I'm Still Here became the country’s first production to win an Oscar in a major category. Fernanda Torres, who plays the main character, won the Golden Globes for best actress – also a first-time victory. Set during the era of the military dictatorship, the film tells the powerful true story of a mother of five whose husband disappears — shedding light on a dark chapter of Brazil’s past and resonating with audiences worldwide (Reuters).
Film and Politics
Showing a different side of the same 70s, Brazil garnered two awards at the Cannes Film Festival last Saturday for director Kleber Mendonça Filho and actor Wagner Moura with the thriller The Secret Agent (The Guardian). Each of those awards also have a deep political meaning against tyranny and its dangerous resurrection.
Subscribers
On the business side, Brazil is also ahead. Global analyst Omdia place the nation as the second-largest Netflix market worldwide, with 20.6 million paid subscribers, just after the US (66.7 million). That puts the South American country ahead of major European markets such as the U.K. (17.7 million), Germany (17.5 million), and France (14.6 million), underscoring its strategic value in Netflix’s global expansion. Ten new productions have been announced by the giant streamer this week — highlighting Brazil’s growing importance also as a content producer (Variety).
Runner-Up
The country is poised to become the world’s no. 2 international market for Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) by 2029. As digital consumption accelerates, Brazil is playing an increasingly influential role in shaping the future of connected TV and global streaming trends (Variety).
Latin America's Hub
Rio2C, Latin America’s top creativity and innovation event, is returning to Rio de Janeiro this week for its sixth in-person edition. This year marks a milestone, with an expected record attendance of approximately 52,000 participants and 483 executives representing 39 countries (Variety).
The host city, Rio de Janeiro, is also home to Grupo Globo, South America’s largest broadcaster and a major force in telenovela production that reaches more than 130 million viewers in Brazil (more than half of the population). A constant presence in the international market for more than 50 years, its content has been distributed to more than 160 territories and translated into 70 languages.
Intl. Academy Day
Last April, Rio de Janeiro also welcomed the International Academy Day — which we had the privileged of attending. The event sparked important conversations around Brazilian creativity, co-productions, and the evolving landscape of the country’s domestic industry. The outlook is promising, with growing international interest and collaboration on the horizon.
BR-LA
As a Brazilian-born, LA based company, our mission is to build meaningful bridges between global markets, fostering the creation of stories that are more inclusive, relevant, and resonant with audiences worldwide. Whether you’re looking to co-produce with Brazil or are a Brazilian producer seeking international partners, we are here for you.
Cheers,
Laura Malin
