This year, Ventana Sur has turned its spotlight on Brazil, showcasing the impactful efforts of São Paulo’s film-TV commission, Spcine, alongside Cinema do Brazil and Projeto Paradiso. In a concerted effort to signal Brazil’s resurgence after the challenging era under Jair Bolsonaro, Spcine has curated a series of panels and events to mark the country’s return to normalcy.
With President Lula da Silva back in the saddle since his stunning re-election in October 2022, confidence in Brazil as a partner in film and TV investments is awakening large expectation.
As part of its VS agenda, Spcine will be promoting São Paulo city’s 20%-30% cash rebate for foreign shoots and international co-productions in a bid to attract new investments to São Paulo’s audiovisual sector and expand relations with international companies and institutions.
Attending the Buenos Aires confab organized by Cannes’ Festival and Marché du Film and Argentine film-TV institute INCAA is a delegation from the Spcine Affirmative Network as well as professionals from key São Paulo companies and representative entities.
“We are very excited about our participation in Ventana Sur, which is an extremely important spotlight for the creative economy in Latin America,” said Viviane Ferreira, president of Spcine, who added: “We have designed activities and institutional supports that demonstrate the political, economic and social potential of São Paulo’s audiovisual industry.”
A survey on the socioeconomic impact of the São Paulo’s audiovisual sector has revealed that it contributes approximately BRL 5.18 billion ($1.05 billion) to the GDP and generates 57,600 jobs in Brazil.
Notable among Spcine’s scheduled events is the panel titled ‘Panorama of the Brazilian Audiovisual Industry and Opportunities for Collaboration with São Paulo’ taking place on Nov. 27 with Luiz Toledo, Spcine director of investments and strategic partnerships, moderating a discussion that will delve into São Paulo’s cash rebate incentives.
On Nov. 30, a panel titled ‘Diversity, Parity and Equality in Ibero-American Audiovisual’ will gather reps from Argentina, Spain, Colombia and Mexico to foster collaborative networking for women in the Ibero-American audiovisual industry.
Lyara Oliveira, director of innovation and audiovisual policy at Spcine, will moderate this panel as well as the discussion on the ‘Spcine Affirmative Network: The importance of Affirmative Action in the Audiovisual Sector,’ which will highlight the significance of diversity and inclusivity in the industry through public policies.
In line with the Spcine panel, initiative +Mulheres Lideranças do Audiovisual Brasileiro (Women Leaders of Brazil’s Audiovisual Sector) will bring two discussion panels to Ventana Sur: ‘Context, Actions, and Advances in Women’s Audiovisual Worldwide’ on Nov. 29 and ‘Diversity, Parity, and Equality in Ibero-American Audiovisual’ on Nov. 30. Both round tables are integral components of Punto Género, the market’s diversity-focused agenda.
Despite comprising more than 50% of the Brazilian population, women remain underrepresented in leadership positions within the audiovisual sector. Recent data from the Brazilian Film Agency, Ancine, reveals that in scripting and directing, women’s participation has consistently hovered around 20% of registered works until 2021, with a slightly better figure of 40% in production.
Established in 2019, the Spcine Affirmative Network has integrated affirmative action policies into funding bids and training programs. With around 200 professionals, the network emphasizes diversity and inclusivity in the audiovisual sector, seeking to empower professionals and students facing inequalities and barriers.
