The BRAVO Film Festival (formerly known as the Hollywood Brazilian Film Festival) is set to kick off its 17th edition soon. On Tuesday, TheWrap exclusively learned the seven entries that will screen in the festival’s Feature Film Competition — a new division debuting this year from the Brazilian Audiovisual Organization (BRAVO).
It was previously announced that Kleber Mendonça Filho’s critically acclaimed “O Agente Secreto” (“The Secret Agent“) would open the BRAVO Film Festival. The film, which stars Wagner Moura and was acquired by Neon for North American distribution, dominated at Cannes winning Best Actor, Best Director, the Art House Cinema Award and the FIPRESCI Prize for Best Film.
Seven films were selected for BRAVO’s first Feature Film Competition, each a piece of contemporary Brazilian cinema brought to the Los Angeles-set festival. The competition entries will be “O Último Azul” (“The Blue Trail”), directed by Gabriel Mascaro; “Papagaios” (“Parrots”), directed by Douglas Soares; “A Natureza das Coisas Invisíveis” (“The Nature of Invisible Things”), directed by Rafaela Camelo; “Mambembe,” directed by Fabio Meira; “Cais” (“Dock/Quay”), directed by Safira Moreira; “Nó” (“Knot”), directed by Laís Melo; and “Futuro Futuro” (“Future Future”), directed by Davi Pretto.
“This year’s selection captures the heartbeat of Brazil,” Talize Sayegh, the festival’s founder and executive director, said in a statement. “Through the bold vision of our emerging filmmakers, we invite Angelenos to experience the passion, complexity and imagination that define Brazilian cinema—stories that remind us how film transcends borders.”
Thousands of dollars in competition prizes will be distributed at the festival — a first for BRAVO. The winner of Best Film will receive $10,000, while the Best Performance recipient will get $3,000. Various Best Achievement craft awards — recognizing screenplay, soundtrack, cinematography and editing — will include $2,000 each. The BRAVO Film Festival is presented in partnership with American Cinematheque and supported by the São Paulo Film Commission, Santos Lloyd, Copa Airlines and the Consulate of Brazil in Los Angeles.
BRAVO will also collaborate with the Consulate General of Brazil in Los Angeles in partnership with the LA Times for an Oct. 21 event called BRAVO FYC. The event will highlight three critically acclaimed films that, though not selected for Best International Feature, are in contention elsewhere at the 2026 Academy Awards (namely, Best Documentary Feature and various short film categories). André Hayato Saito’s “Amarela,” Gabriel Novis’ “Alice” and Petra Costa’s
“Apocalypse in the Tropics” (on Netflix now) will all screen during the event.
“This year’s program is a vibrant reflection of where Brazilian cinema stands today,” BRAVO creative director Thiago Macêdo Correia said. “It brings together filmmakers with distinct voices and perspectives who are redefining how stories from Brazil are told and experienced. From intimate dramas to bold experiments in form, these films showcase the creativity and spirit of a country in constant transformation — and we’re thrilled to share that energy with audiences in Los Angeles.”
The BRAVO Film Festival will run Oct. 19-25 in Los Angeles.
