Brazil will be honoured as the Country of Honour at the 2025 Marché du Film, taking place from 13-21 May during the 78th Cannes Film Festival. This recognition underscores Brazil’s vibrant film industry and its ongoing dedication to fostering international collaboration.

The country’s participation coincides with the Saison Brésil-France (Brazil-France Season), a cultural exchange initiative celebrating the 200th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations. The collaboration is part of a broader effort between Brazil and France to deepen their cultural, academic, and economic ties. The Saison will feature a series of events highlighting both countries’ mutual contributions to arts and culture, with Brazil taking centre stage at Cannes in May.

The Marché du Film, the premier global film market, offers Brazil a unique opportunity to showcase its extensive audiovisual industry to an international audience. Leading Brazilian filmmakers, producers, and industry figures will participate in various events, including film presentations, networking functions, and collaborative initiatives aimed at expanding Brazil’s international presence, showcasing the diversity and strength of its film and audiovisual industry, and fostering dialogue to enhance co-productions and expand the global reach of Brazilian storytelling.

Brazil’s involvement will kick off with an Opening Night celebration at the Plage des Palmes, the joint venue of the Festival de Cannes and the Marché du Film, where attendees will be immersed in the rhythms and culture of Brazil. In addition, Brazil will host several institutions within the Palais des Festivals, creating a hub for networking, industry meetings, and business collaborations. The country’s participation will span several of the Marché du Film’s key programmes, including film and documentary work-in-progress showcases, several industry panels and networking events, presentations, providing important spaces for promotion and business development within the Brazilian audiovisual sector.

Margareth Menezes, Brazil’s Minister of Culture, reflected on the importance of the occasion and will attend Cannes this year. She underlined: “Brazil and France have long shared a strong and evolving partnership, and this extends to the world of cinema and the creative industries. As we celebrate two centuries of diplomatic relations in 2025, this occasion strengthens the cultural and artistic ties between our two nations."

Joelma Gonzaga, secretary of audiovisual affairs at Brazil’s Ministry of Culture, who will also be in attendance at Cannes, added: “Brazil has always had a strong presence in international cinema, especially in Cannes. This has been consistently reflected at the Marché du Film and being the Country of Honor in 2025 further cements and amplifies this partnership. This is a unique opportunity to expand our connections, strengthen dialogues and show the world the diversity and creativity of Brazilian cinema. Furthermore, our presence aligns with the celebrations marking 200 years of diplomatic and cultural relations between our countries. We are ready to take this stage with the full strength of our industry!"

Guillaume Esmiol, executive director of the Marché du Film, expressed his enthusiasm for this collaboration: "We are thrilled to welcome Brazil as our Country of Honour for the 2025 edition of the Marché du Film. Brazil is a very creative country with a vibrant film industry. We have observed a steady rise in the number of Brazilian professionals in Cannes in recent years, with a +26% increase last year alone. With the added significance of the Brazil-France Season, this partnership is a symbol of the global strength of the Brazilian film industry and its strong relation with Cannes."

Brazil is the fourth country, after Switzerland (2024), Spain (2023), and India (2022) to receive the Country of Honour title. Established by the Marché du Film, this initiative celebrates a different nation each year, recognizing its contributions to the global film industry. The event is organized in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of Brazil and in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — through the Guimarães Rosa Institute (IGR) and the Brazilian Embassy in Paris — as well as the Brazilian Trade & Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).