Discover which national productions have already competed for the most coveted statuette in cinema, where to watch them and the details of each nomination
Although Brazil is recognized worldwide for the quality of its audiovisual production, the long-awaited Oscar statuette is still a milestone to be achieved in the main categories. The country’s relationship with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is marked by great works, unforgettable performances and “almost” moments that mobilized the national fan base.
If you are looking for Brazilian films nominated for an Oscar list complete, it is important to differentiate the categories. Brazil has already had four official nominations in the Best International Film category (formerly Best Foreign Film), in addition to notable presences in categories such as Best Director, Actress, Animation and Documentary.
Below, we have prepared a complete guide with synopses, technical sheets and where to find these classics.
The nominees for Best International Film
This is the category most targeted by national productions. To date, four Brazilian films have managed to overcome the pre-selection barrier and reached the final list of five competitors.
1. The Promise Payer (1963)
It was the first South American film to be nominated for an Oscar. Directed by Anselmo Duarte, the work adapts the play by Dias Gomes. Although it did not win the statuette (it lost to the French “Semper aos Domingos”), the film holds an unprecedented feat to this day: it is the only Brazilian production to win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Festival.
- Synopsis: Zé do Burro, a humble man, makes a promise in a Candomblé terreiro to save his pet donkey. When he tries to fulfill his promise by carrying a cross to a Catholic church in Salvador, he is stopped by the priest, generating a conflict that involves the press, the church and the people.
- List: Leonardo Villar, Glória Menezes.
2. The Quadrilho (1996)
Directed by Fábio Barreto, the film marked the resumption of Brazilian cinema on the international scene. The plot takes place in 1910, in a community of Italian immigrants in Rio Grande do Sul.
- Synopsis: Two couples share the same house and life in the countryside. Over time, one of the husbands falls in love with the other’s wife, deciding to run away together and leaving their respective spouses behind. The two abandoned people need to learn to live together and end up rebuilding their lives together.
- List: Glória Pires, Patrícia Pillar, Alexandre Paternost, Bruno Campos.
3. What’s That, Mate? (1998)
Based on the book by Fernando Gabeira and directed by Bruno Barreto, the film addresses one of the most tense periods of the Brazilian military dictatorship: the kidnapping of US ambassador Charles Burke Elbrick.
- Synopsis: Young militants from left-wing groups plan to kidnap the US ambassador to negotiate the release of political prisoners. The film explores the moral dilemmas and psychological tension between the kidnappers and the hostage.
- List: Pedro Cardoso, Fernanda Torres, Alan Arkin.
4. Central do Brasil (1999)
Perhaps the most painful defeat for the Brazilian public. Directed by Walter Salles, the film won the Golden Globe and the Golden Bear in Berlin, reaching the Oscar as favorite. He lost to the Italian “Life is Beautiful”.
- Synopsis: Dora, an embittered former teacher, makes a living writing letters to illiterate people at the Central do Brasil station in Rio de Janeiro. Her life changes when she decides to help Josué, a boy who has just lost his mother, to find his father in the interior of the Northeast.
- List: Fernanda Montenegro, Vinícius de Oliveira, Marília Pêra.
The City of God phenomenon and other categories
Confusion is common, but City of God (2002) It was not nominated for Best International Film. Due to eligibility and distribution rules, the film was left out of this specific category, but made history the following year (2004) by receiving four nominations in the main categories, an unprecedented feat for Brazil.
- Best Direction: Fernando Meirelles
- Best Adapted Screenplay: Braulio Mantovani
- Best Edition: Daniel Rezende
- Best Photography: Cesar Charlone
Synopsis: The plot follows the growth of organized crime in Cidade de Deus, a favela in Rio de Janeiro, between the end of the 60s and the beginning of the 80s, from the perspective of Buscapé, a young man who dreams of being a photographer and tries not to be absorbed by local violence.
Fernanda Montenegro: the historical indication
In 1999, Fernanda Montenegro became the first (and to date only) Brazilian actress nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for his work in Central Brazil. Her performance is considered by international critics as one of the best in the history of cinema, and Gwyneth Paltrow’s (Shakespeare in Love) victory that year is still seen today as one of the Academy’s greatest injustices.
Animations and documentaries
Brazil was also present in other technical and artistic categories:
- The Boy and the World (2016): Nominated for Best Animation. Alê Abreu’s film, with simple features and stunning visuals, competed against Disney/Pixar giants.
- The Salt of the Earth (2015): Nominated for Best Documentary. Directed by Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, it portrays the life and work of photographer Sebastião Salgado.
- Democracy in Vertigo (2020): Nominated for Best Documentary. Director Petra Costa narrates the behind-the-scenes of President Dilma Rousseff’s impeachment and political polarization in Brazil.
- A Football Story (2001): Fictional short film nominated in the Best Live Action Short category.
Curiosities and the current scenario
Recently, national cinema has once again gained strength in campaigns for the Oscars. The film “I’m Still Here”directed by Walter Salles and starring Fernanda Torres, emerged as the great Brazilian representative in the 2025 season, rekindling the hope of the first statuette and consolidating the strength of the Montenegro/Torres family in world dramaturgy.
Another curiosity involves music: Brazil has already had nominations in Best Original Songlike “Real in Rio” (from the film Rio), composed by Carlinhos Brown and Sérgio Mendes.
Where to watch the nominated classics
Many of these films are available on streaming platforms, making it easy to access these masterpieces:
- Central Brazil: Globoplay, Netflix, Apple TV.
- City of God: Netflix, Globoplay, Prime Video, Max.
- The Promise Payer: Globoplay (subscribers).
- The Quadrilho: Globoplay.
- Vertigo Democracy: Exclusivo Netflix.
- The Boy and the World: Globoplay.
Even without winning in the main category so far, Brazil’s presence at the Oscars serves as a showcase for the country’s diversity and cultural power. Each nomination listed above helped open doors for new filmmakers and actors, ensuring that national cinema continues to be debated and admired around the world.
