As Beijing endures the lingering winter, the silver screen is heating things up with tropical tales from Brazil's Amazon rainforest.
The Brazil film festival, Amazon: A Forest on Screen, officially opened at Palace Cinema of China World Trade Center in Beijing on Friday. Supported by the Brazilian embassy, the festival features seven films, including three live-action dramas and four animated films, and will run until Feb 8.
This year marks the China-Brazil Year of Culture. Brazilian Ambassador to China Marcos Galvao explained, "The Amazon is usually thought of in terms of its biome — its forest and waters — but it's also about the people who live there."
In recent years, Brazilian cinema has gained international recognition. In 2025, the film I'm Still Here won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film, becoming the first Brazilian film to receive the award.
Galvao added that Brazilian filmmakers do not shy away from confronting reality. Through cinema, they seek to discuss social issues and promote national progress.
"We also hope Chinese audiences can gain insight into aspects of our reality that are less positive."
The three live-action films showcased at the festival all explore the lives of women in the Amazon region. Premiering at the event, Manas, directed by Mariana Brennan in 2024, is based on a true story and follows a 13-year-old girl living in the rainforest, depicting the systemic oppression she faces from both family and society.
The film has earned multiple accolades, including Best Film in the Venice Days section at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, and Audience Choice for Most Popular Film at the Golden Rooster International Film Festival.
Shi Chengrong, the curator of the Brazilian film showcase, highlighted the animated films in the festival's lineup, noting one titled The Boy and the World, which she described as "very classic and wonderful animation, even if viewed 10 years from now."
She noted, "Brazilian cinema is also rich in music, and we hope audiences enjoy it. We want these films to bring a bit of warmth to Beijing's winter."
Bai Shuhao contributed to this story.
