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Manila Bulletin devider Embassies at Work devider Brazil debuts at QCinema International Film Festival

Brazil debuts at QCinema International Film Festival

Published Nov 24, 2025 02:48 pm
Justin Alcantara, Office of International Linkages of the University of the Philippines; Director Maria Teresa Tirona, External Relations of the Quezon City Government; Ambassador Gilberto Moura; Agricultural Attaché Hope Zhang of the Embassy of Brazil; Virginia Carpi, and Counsellor Gerson Gimenes
Justin Alcantara, Office of International Linkages of the University of the Philippines; Director Maria Teresa Tirona, External Relations of the Quezon City Government; Ambassador Gilberto Moura; Agricultural Attaché Hope Zhang of the Embassy of Brazil; Virginia Carpi, and Counsellor Gerson Gimenes
Brazil is making a remarkable debut at the 2025 QCinema International Film Festival with the screening of the multi-award-winning feature “Manas”, a Brazilian–Portuguese co-production directed by Marianna Brennand. The film is part of QCinema’s New Horizons section, which highlights innovative and socially relevant works from around the world.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, through the Instituto Guimarães Rosa and the Embassy of Brazil in Manila, is honored to join QCinema—now in its 13th edition—as a partner. The embassy extends its appreciation to the Quezon City Government, the QC Film Development Foundation, and the QC Film Commission for their collaboration in strengthening cultural and artistic ties between Brazil and the Philippines.
Before the first screening of “Manas” on Nov. 17 at Gateway 2, Ambassador Gilberto Moura of the embassy of Brazil congratulated both Quezon City, in the Philippines, and São Paulo, in Brazil, on their recent designations by UNESCO as Creative Cities of Film—an acknowledgment that celebrates the dynamism of their film industries and their shared commitment to creativity and cultural innovation.
Filmed in the Brazilian Amazon, “Manas” follows Marcielle, a 13-year-old girl growing up in a riverside community on the island of Marajó. The film portrays her coming of age amid the natural beauty and social challenges of Amazonian life, addressing themes of resilience, gender, and social justice. Though fictional, the story draws on more than a decade of field research by director Marianna Brennand and her team.
Counsellor Gerson Gimenes, Mav Rufino, Ambassador Gilberto Moura (center) with QCinema Film Foundation president Manet Dayrit, Agricultural Attaché Hope Zhang of the Embassy of Brazil, Virginia Carpi, and guests
Counsellor Gerson Gimenes, Mav Rufino, Ambassador Gilberto Moura (center) with QCinema Film Foundation president Manet Dayrit, Agricultural Attaché Hope Zhang of the Embassy of Brazil, Virginia Carpi, and guests
Described as a film made by women, about women, and for women whose voices are often unheard, “Manas” has deeply moved audiences worldwide. It has received more than 30 international awards—including honors in Venice, Cannes, Montreal, and Beijing—and has garnered the support of artists such as Julia Roberts and Sean Penn, who helped bring the film to a broader global audience.
The screening of “Manas” at QCinema also resonates with COP30, currently taking place in Belém, in the heart of the Amazon—the first time a UN Climate Conference has been held in the world’s largest tropical rainforest. Both events highlight the global importance of environmental preservation, cultural exchange, and inclusive, sustainable development.
As one of Brazil’s most celebrated recent productions, “Manas” was shortlisted by the Brazilian Academy of Cinema among six films considered for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. The final Brazilian submission, “The Secret Agent”, directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho and starring Wagner Moura, was honored at the 78th Cannes Film Festival with the Critics’ Prize and is now Brazil’s official contender for the 2026 Oscars.
In 2025, another Brazilian film, “I’m Still Here”, won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, reaffirming the strength, diversity, and growing international recognition of Brazilian cinema.
After the screening, the audience also enjoyed a taste of the Amazon through “açaí” smoothies from Sambazon, provided by HTHD Food & Beverage, a company based in Quezon City. This added a flavorful cultural experience to the evening, allowing viewers to connect with the Amazon through both film and cuisine.

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