Film and TV Sector Leaders to Launch Association FICA and Industry Development Plan During Rio Fest 2025

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – On October 6, during RioMarket, the commercial segment of the Rio International Film Festival, the Audiovisual Industry and Commerce Federation (FICA) will be officially inaugurated, according to Walkiria Barbosa, the Executive Director of Rio Fest as well as the International Marketing lead and President of FICA.

The primary mission of FICA is to foster the establishment of a cohesive state policy aimed at developing Brazil’s audiovisual industry. This initiative is designed to be comprehensive and is inspired by the successful international frameworks, particularly that of South Korea.

In the previous year, a coalition of industry leaders, who are instrumental in the formation of FICA, presented a strategic plan for the sustainable growth of Brazil’s film and television sectors to the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce, and Services (MIDC). This plan has since been integrated into the New Industry Brazil (NIB), which represents a strategic development blueprint put forth by President Lula da Silva’s administration.

The audiovisual task force under NIB has convened three times, and a collection of proposals is set to be unveiled on October 6 during RioMarket alongside FICA’s launch.

“These proposals encompass new financial mechanisms for the sector, strategies to enhance the gaming industry and export potentials for Brazilian films and television shows, initiatives to combat piracy, incentives for innovation, and the establishment of robust governance for the sector,” Barbosa conveyed to Variety.

During the session on October 6, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) will introduce a comprehensive study by Oxford Economics titled “A contribuição econômica da indústria audiovisual no Brasil em 2024” (The Economic Contribution of the Audiovisual Industry in Brazil in 2024), which offers in-depth insights into the local film and television landscape.

Barbosa highlighted that South Korea serves as a pivotal model for FICA’s objectives concerning the enhancement of Brazil’s cultural influence on a global scale.

“Over a few decades, South Korea transformed from an obscure nation into a powerhouse in film, series, and music. By promoting a nation’s culture worldwide, it inevitably boosts the visibility of its products, such as Samsung electronics and Hyundai vehicles,” she remarked.

Amanda Groom, a UK consultant with extensive experience working alongside South Korean governmental bodies to implement policies that have successfully bolstered the nation’s film and television industry, will be present at the FICA launch event and will share insights during a lecture at RioMarket on October 7.

Barbosa expressed her desire to engage Groom’s expertise in Brazil’s efforts to advance its audiovisual sector, leveraging her experience in South Korea. Groom is the founder and Managing Director of The Bridge.

FICA’s board of directors features representatives from various segments of the film and television industry, including Marcos Barros, CEO of prominent exhibitor Cinesystem and president of the Brazilian Association of Multiplex Exhibitors (Abraplex); Marcos Attberg, CEO of the production company lndiana; Fábio Lima, CEO of the independent specialty channel network Sofa; Leonardo Edde, President Director of Rio’s film production company RioFilme; and Marcio Fraccaroli, general director of the distribution and production company Paris Filmes.