At the time of yet another Oscar ceremony, Brazilian cinema returns to the international spotlight. After winning best international film in last year’s edition, the country is once again in contention with The Secret Agent, .
Directed by Walter Salles and starring Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here surpassed 5.8 million spectators in Brazilian cinemas, becoming one of the largest audiences in the history of national cinema.
The Secret Agent, by Kleber Mendonça Filho, starring Wagner Moura, also achieved great repercussion in theaters and surpassed the mark of 2.5 million tickets sold in Brazil, consolidating itself among the biggest recent national successes and boosting the debate about the space of Brazilian cinema in the market.
The success of the two films at the awards and at the box office creates the impression of a moment of expansion for Brazilian audiovisual. However, despite the good results of these titles, experts point out that the performance of Brazilian cinema in theaters still reveals an uneven scenario.
Audiovisual Sector Fund
Data from the (National Cinema Agency) show that Brazilian audiovisual is experiencing a moment of strong expansion in production.
In 2025, the sector recorded R$1.41 billion in public resources disbursed, the highest volume in the historical series. The amount represents growth of 29% compared to 2024 and 179% compared to 2021.
Currently, 1,556 audiovisual projects are being implemented with direct support from the agency, while another 3,697 are in the fundraising or contracting phase.
The country also registered 3,981 non-advertising audiovisual works in 2025, a new record.
A large part of this boost comes from the (FSA), the sector’s main financing mechanism, responsible for supporting films, series, infrastructure and professional training.
In the direct investment modality alone, the fund contracted R$564 million in 2025.
The increase in public financing contributed to expanding production and generating jobs, in addition to strengthening the international presence of Brazilian audiovisual.
Public
Even with the growth in production, audience numbers indicate that most national films still face difficulties in reaching viewers.
According to a survey by the specialized portal Filme B, the total audience for Brazilian productions shown in cinemas in 2025 was 11.9 million viewers. However, almost half of that number came from films released the previous year.
Among the 203 Brazilian titles released in 2025, only seven concentrated 73% of the entire registered audience. At the same time, 111 films, more than half of the total, did not reach a thousand spectators in cinemas.
The average audience per film was just 719 spectators. For sector analysts, the contrast highlights one of the main challenges of the Brazilian audiovisual chain: the distance between production and distribution.
“The resources invested in making films are not accompanied by proportional investments in the marketing and release of these works”, points out exhibitor and market consultant Rodrigo Saturnino Braga, in an analysis published on the Filme B portal.
According to him, public promotion policies need to look at the entire audiovisual production chain – from production to circulation in theaters and on other platforms.
chain mail
One of the tools used to expand the space of national cinema in theaters is the screen quota policy, measure that integrates the , which extended the policy until 2033.
In December 2025, the federal government regulated new rules for 2026, determining that all commercial cinemas in the country reserve a minimum number of sessions or screening days for Brazilian films.
The requirement varies according to the number of theaters in each exhibition complex and also establishes limits so that a single national film does not occupy the entire quota, encouraging a diversity of titles on display.
For experts, the mechanism seeks to balance the market dominated by major foreign launches and guarantee visibility for Brazilian production.
Even with record investment and growing international recognition, Brazilian cinema still faces the challenge of expanding its audience.
The sector chain, which involves creation, financing, production, distribution and exhibition, is complex and depends on integrated policies to ensure that films effectively reach screens and viewers.
Kleber Mendonça Filho himself addressed this topic in Retratos Fantasmas, a documentary he made before The Secret Agent. In the film, the director revisits the history of street cinemas in Recife and shows how many of these spaces have disappeared in recent decades.
For Silvia Cruz, director of distributor Vitrine Filmes, responsible for launching The Secret Agent in Brazil, the film’s success demonstrates a change in the public’s relationship with culture.
“The moment shows that culture is no longer something peripheral and has become a source of collective pride. The Secret Agent represents a country that sees itself recognized in the world and that mobilizes around a cultural work.”
“More than the box office numbers, there was a spontaneous mobilization. Audiences decided to embrace the film and make it part of everyday conversation. During Carnival, for example, thousands of people dressed up as Secret Agents”, says Silvia Cruz.
For the director, the engagement of the Brazilian public also had an international impact.
“Every time Brazil was mentioned in international awards or publications, there was a wave of comments and support on the networks. This collective behavior caught the attention of partners and brands, expanding the film’s reach.”
She also highlights that the recent reconstruction of cultural policies was fundamental to this moment.
“In recent years, the audiovisual sector has gone through a period of weakening, but public funding has returned, planning has resumed and the production system has been reorganized. The result was the consistent return of Brazilian cinema to the main festivals and awards in the world.”
According to Silvia Cruz, the movement shows that audiovisual also has an economic impact: “Cinema moves the economy, creates jobs and reinforces a sense of national identity.”
“Brazil begins to be seen not only as a country of football, but also as a country of culture”, he concludes.
With information from
