Rio de Janeiro has recently announced a significant package of incentives for film and TV production and distribution, totaling R$131 million ($23 million). The president director of Rio’s state-owned film agency, RioFilme, Leonardo Edde, made the announcement during a panel at Rio2C. The panel also included Alex Braga, president director of Brazilian film-TV agency Ancine, and Marcio Tavares, the executive secretary of Brazil’s Ministry of Culture. Together, they discussed the priorities for federal and Rio film-TV policy.
The federal government will contribute R$100 million ($17.5 million) from its Audiovisual Sector Fund (FSA), administered by Ancine, while Rio’s City Hall will cover the remaining R$31 million ($5.5 million) in a collaborative effort between federal and local governments. RioFilme will distribute the funds to Rio-based companies through public tenders, with applications opening on June 25.
The incentives provided in the package cover various areas of production and distribution. R$39 million ($6.8 million) will support the financing of 12 live-action or animated feature film projects, aimed at achieving strong box office success. Another R$20 million ($3.5 million) will go towards 10 low-budget film projects that require additional financing to start production. Additionally, R$16 million ($2.8 million) will be allocated to support the financing of six fictional live-action or animated series.
Furthermore, a funding line of R$5 million ($880,000) is dedicated to the development of films, TV series, animations, and documentaries. For distribution, there is an R$8 million ($1.4 million) subsidy budget to facilitate the theatrical release of 10 features.
Alex Braga emphasized the importance of having a local partner like RioFilme to ensure proper investment of the funding. Leonardo Edde expressed his appreciation for the cooperation with the federal government and pledged to continue the partnership. They are already in negotiations for a second round of financing to be finalized by the end of the year.
Marcio Tavares addressed the need for investment quotas for VOD players in Brazil, similar to regulations in European countries. He stressed the importance of passing regulations in Congress this year to capitalize on the success of Brazilian films on the international stage.
The announcement was made during Rio2C, Latin America’s largest creativity event, taking place in Rio from May 27 to June 1. The industry is looking forward to the positive impact of these incentives on the Brazilian film and TV sector.
