World Focus · 2027

World Focus 2027: Brazil

Carnival colours, comic-book heroes and Oscar-nominated animation — a journey through a century of Brazilian films for children.

Brazil has one of the richest traditions of children’s film in the world — and one of the most surprising. For much of the 20th century, films for young audiences were rare. Then, from the 1970s, comedians, TV stars and comic-book heroes filled cinemas with families, and for a whole decade children’s films were what kept Brazilian cinema going.

Today Brazil’s young-audience films travel the world. Hand-drawn animation like O Menino e o Mundo has reached the Oscars, Turma da Mônica has jumped from comic strips to live action, TV series such as Peixonauta and O Show da Luna! are watched in many countries, and in 2026 Feito Pipa (Gugu’s World) won over both the children’s jury and the international jury in Berlin.

What you’ll see at World Focus 2027

Classics — the family comedies and fantasy films that generations of Brazilian kids grew up with.
Animation — from hand-drawn art films to modern series made in São Paulo, Rio and beyond.
New voices — recent films from every region of Brazil, including the Northeast and the Amazon.
Talks and workshops — meet Brazilian filmmakers and learn how their films are made.

World Focus is a celebration, not a competition: these films are not in competition for awards. The full World Focus program will be announced with the 2027 lineup.

A short history

1927Brazil’s “Code of Minors” limits children’s access to cinemas — for decades, films were made about kids more than for them.

1936The National Institute of Educational Cinema (INCE) is founded. Pioneer Humberto Mauro makes hundreds of short educational films for schools.

1951“O Saci”, adapted from Monteiro Lobato’s beloved stories, is one of Brazil’s first feature films made for children.

1970s–80sThe golden age of family comedies: Os Trapalhões, led by Renato Aragão, make more than 40 films. “O Trapalhão nas Minas do Rei Salomão” (1977) sells over 5 million tickets.

1988TV star Xuxa brings her audience to the big screen with “Super Xuxa contra Baixo Astral”, starting a string of hit children’s films.

1990sWhen the state film agency Embrafilme closes in 1990, children’s films keep Brazilian cinema alive — they draw most of the audience for the decade’s top Brazilian films.

1995“Menino Maluquinho” brings Ziraldo’s famous “Nutty Boy” book to life.

1999“Castelo Rá-Tim-Bum”, directed by Cao Hamburger, turns the much-loved TV show about a 300-year-old young wizard into a feature film.

2001ANCINE, the national film agency, is created. New funding helps animation and children’s films grow again.

2013–2016Alê Abreu’s hand-drawn “O Menino e o Mundo” (Boy and the World) wins the Cristal at Annecy and is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

2014A new law asks schools to show Brazilian films, putting cinema into the classroom.

2019“Turma da Mônica: Laços”, directed by Daniel Rezende, brings Mauricio de Sousa’s Monica and Friends to live action and becomes a box-office hit.

2026“Feito Pipa” (Gugu’s World) by Allan Deberton, shot in Ceará, wins the Crystal Bear from the children’s jury and the Grand Prix at the Berlinale Generation Kplus.