The Cannes Marché du Film has announced the recipient of the Goes to Cannes Award. This year, the honour has gone to Virtuous Woman, a chilling psychological drama directed by Brazil’s Cíntia Domit Bittar, and produced by Ana Paula Mendes and the director herself. The film was selected by Festival do Rio, one of Latin America’s most significant showcases for national and international cinema, and a partner of the Goes to Cannes initiative.

In a timely recognition of Brazil’s independent film sector, Virtuous Woman emerges as a genre-bending entry. The story centres on a group of devout Christian women attending an exclusive VIP retreat. As the gathering unfolds in luxurious isolation, their reality begins to unravel with the resurfacing of an obscure witch legend that haunts them and plunges their paradise into chaos and horror.

Brazil’s selection as Country of Honour for the 2025 Marché du Film lends particular resonance to this year’s award. Domit Bittar’s movie, blending the surreal with the spiritual, stands as a compelling example of the fearless storytelling now defining Brazilian cinema on the world stage.

The Goes to Cannes programme connects leading film festivals and markets with the international industry by showcasing curated works in progress from up-and-coming talents. By inviting partner festivals to present their selections during Cannes, the Marché du Film offers films in post-production critical visibility and access to potential collaborators across sales, distribution and festival circuits.

Backing this initiative is Sideral Cinema, the Spanish distribution company committed to championing original voices in global independent filmmaking. Its contribution of a €10,000 minimum guarantee to the winning project underscores its continued support for emerging auteurs and genre innovation.

Virtuous Woman is a Brazilian co-production by Novelo Filmes and Olhar Filmes. The project is currently in post-production and is expected to be completed in late 2025.