Opening Night - I only rest in the storm
O Riso e a Faca (2025), directed by Pedro Pinho, 211 min
Sérgio, a Portuguese environmental engineer, arrives in Guinea-Bissau to assess the impact of a new road project. Isolated by the heat and unfamiliar landscape, he encounters Diara and Guilherme, a Brazilian expatriate, each searching for their own path. As desire and tension unfold between them, Sérgio is forced to confront the capitalist and post-colonial forces underlying his mission. In a world shaped by borders, power, and globalization, they must each reckon with who they are—and where they belong. An incredible, realistic trip to Africa. Competed in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival, where Cleo Diara won the Best Actress award.
Little creatures
Little Creatures (originally titled Pequenas Criaturas) is a prize-winning 2025 Brazilian drama film written and directed by Anne Pinheiro Guimarães. [1]
Plot and Setting
Set in Brasília in 1986, the story takes place in Brazil's capital during the early days of a brand-new democracy. A mother moves to the futuristic city with her family, but her husband soon leaves on a business trip. Left alone in an unfamiliar place, she struggles with loneliness and self-reflection.
Featured - Gugu’s World
An interactive session for makers and thinkers to collaborate, connect, and spark new ideas.
In the end, Jazz (short story)
No Final, Jazz (2025) - director: Cecilia Shroeder Cararino and Gui Mallman An apartment. A restless body. In the monotony and silence of breakfast, he tries to inhabit the space of a night that insists on lingering — and everything ends in jazz.
The Flesh Itself
A própria carne (2025), directed by Ian SBF, 90 min
Genre: Horror, suspense, psychological horror, thrills.
Three deserting soldiers during the Paraguayan War in 1870 stumble upon a secluded house inhabited only by a mysterious farmer and a young woman. What seemed like a haven turns into a terrifying nightmare. As night falls, the men realize that there are terrifying secrets far more sinister than the war they fled. If you like Backroom and Obsession and are ready for the Horror Season, see this! Before the movie: In the end, Jazz - No Final, Jazz (2025), directed by Cecilia Shoerder Catarino.
Short Stories: Resistance!
Four Short stories about resilience.
Fremd, the Foreigner - (Estrangeiro) - The complex and challenging process of civilization and whitening policy that was implemented in Brazil by the Portuguese Court, as well as the beginning of migratory movements and their effects on today’s society. Directed by Angelisa Stein.
Mapago - Between the pulse of funk and the ancestral call of the Pantanal, a young Guató Indigenous woman journeys into the strength of her female ancestors, discovering a powerful path of resistance, identity, and belonging. Directed by Marcus Telles.
Now I can see (Agora eu posso)- After a suicide attempt, a young woman awakens in a strange, otherworldly place. Guided by a mysterious presence, she journeys through fragments of her past, confronting the memories, fears, and deeply held beliefs that have shaped the way she sees herself. Directed by Rubens Sant’Ana.
Teia - A suspenseful and ironic short film about belonging, desire, and the price of finding a place to call your own. After the death of her twin sister, Olívia joins a women’s empowerment group in search of healing and enlightenment. Drawn in by the warmth of its embrace and captivated by its rituals, she surrenders to the promise of a new sisterhood. Directed by Claudia Castro.
Now I can see (short)
Three of the Four Short Stories
Agora eu posso, directed by Rubens Sant’Ana, 20 min
After a suicide attempt, a young woman awakens in a strange, otherworldly place. Guided by a mysterious presence, she journeys through fragments of her past, confronting the memories, fears, and deeply held beliefs that have shaped the way she sees herself.
Magago (short)
Two of four short stories about resilience.
Mapago, directed by Marcus Telles, 20 min
Between the pulse of funk and the ancestral call of the Pantanal, a young Guató Indigenous woman journeys into the strength of her female ancestors, discovering a powerful path of resistance, identity, and belonging.
Teia (short)
Four of Four Short Stories
Teia, directed by Claudia Castro, 20 min
A short film about belonging, desire, and the price of finding a place to call your own. After the death of her twin sister, Olívia joins a women’s empowerment group in search of healing and enlightenment. Drawn in by its rituals, she surrenders to the promise of a new sisterhood.
Fremd, the Foreigner (short)
One of Four Short Stories -
Estrangeiro, directed by Angelisa Stein, 25 min
The complex and challenging process of civilization and whitening policy that was implemented in Brazil by the Portuguese Court, as well as the beginning of migratory movements and their effects on today’s society.
Streets of Gloria
Ruas da Glória (2024), directed by Felipe Scholl, 1h 43min
A young teacher, Gabriel, moves to Rio de Janeiro after his grandmother dies. He discovers a local bar and cruising spot named The Glory, a hidden corner. His love affair with an escort triggers a dangerous obsession.
The day I met you
O dia que te conheci (2023), directed by André Novais Oliveira, 71 min
This micro portrait of two individuals finding comfort in each other’s company offers a refreshing reprieve from the daily grind. Set in the vicinity of Belo Horizonte, the capital of the mountainous Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, the film follows Zeca (Renato Novaes), whose job, body, and mind have all gone out of whack. The weight of setbacks is lifted when he spends a few impromptu hours with Luisa (Grace Passô), his colleague at a local school, and the two even find joy in poking fun at their shared misery. Combining a chic sense of pace and magical long takes, director André Novais Oliveira makes the most unassuming encounter infinitely cool and full of hope.
Featured - Marighella
An interactive session for makers and thinkers to collaborate, connect, and spark new ideas.
Clay Men
Homens de Barro (2025), directed by Angelisa Stein and Fernando Musa, 1h 12min
Desire and guilt traverse the journey of Pássaro, the only son of the Tamai family, and Ângelo, the youngest son of the Miranda family and Marciano's brother. Living in a small town, Pássaro and Marciano were best friends as children, despite the constant tension that surrounded their neighbors. Years later, Pássaro and Ângelo meet again at a party and become attracted to each other, experiencing a passion that defies prejudice and stigma. Portuguese with English subtitles.
Cyclone
Cyclone (2025), directed by Flávia Castro, 1h 40min
In São Paulo, 1919, a young playwright wins a coveted scholarship to study theater in Paris-only to discover that the greatest obstacle to pursuing her dream is being born into a world where women have no control over their bodies.
Featured - Central Station 4K Restoration
From workshops to community gatherings, here's what we have coming up. Mark your calendar—we'd love to see you there.
Closing Night - The Blue Trail
O Último Azul, directed by Gabriel Mascaro, 85 min
A breathtaking cinematic odyssey that follows the misadventures of a remarkable Brazilian woman who, as her working life draws to an end, secretly sets out on a trip down the Amazon to fulfil a long-held dream. In the near future, independent 77-year-old Tereza (the astonishing Denise Weinberg) has lived her whole life in a small, industrialised town, working at a local factory. One day she receives an official government order, forcing relocation to an isolated housing colony where people are brought to ‘enjoy’ their lives in comfort. Refusing to accept the order, Tereza impulsively decides to embark on a journey down the rivers and tributaries of the Amazon… one that will change her destiny forever. This is an enchanting celebration of vitality, resilience, and defiance that will make hearts and spirits soar. The best-reviewed film of the 2025 Berlinale. On the list of the Best Movies of the Year 2026!