Argentina will be one of the countries targeted in future editions of the distribution grant program created to help the release of Brazilian films overseas.

Launched by the Cinema of Brazil last year, the program continues in 2010 and will be extended to 2011, providing $15,000 in P&A funds – plus $10,000 offered by the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Despite the fact that we are neighbours, which ensures lower transport costs of copies, very few Brazilians films are released in Argentina and vice-versa, a situation that we want to reverse,” said Ludmila Enkim, representative of the Cinema of Brazil in the latest edition of the Festival de Gramado.

Enkim unveiled the support grant program to professionals from Argentina who attended the Brazilian festival held in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. One of the oldest film festivals in the country, Gramado showcased Brazilian and Latin American in its 38th edition, which wrapped Aug 14.

“Besides Argentina, a market that is still unexplored by Brazilian films, we want to promote this grant program to other countries that were represented in Gramado as well, such as Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela, Colombia etc,’’ Enkim explained.

Distributors interested in the grant must submit the proposal for a film release and distribution to Cinema do Brasil – the Brazilian film export program created by the State of São Paulo’s Audiovisual Industry Guild and sponsored by the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency and the Ministry of Culture. Ten releases are selected per year. “This program is not restricted to new films. Last year, a French distributor received a grant to release Anna Muylaert’s Durval Discos,’’ says Enkim, referring to the winner of Gramado best film award in 2002.

Gramado winners 2010

Brazilian films

Best film: BRÓDER, by JEFERSON DE 

Best director: JEFERSON DE (BRÓDER)

Best actor: CAIO BLAT (BRÓDER)

Best actress: SIMONE SPOLADORE (NÃO SE PODE VIVER SEM AMOR)

Best screenplay: DANI PATARRA and JORGE DÚRAN (NÃO SE PODE VIVER SEM AMOR)

Special Jury award: O ÚLTIMO ROMANCE DE BALZAC, by GERALDO SARNO 

Critics award: DIÁRIO DE UMA BUSCA, by FLAVIA CASTRO

Audience award: 180º, by EDUARDO VAISMAN

Latin American films 

Best film: MI VIDA CON CARLOS (Chile), by GERMAN BERGER

Best director: NICOLAS PEREDA (PERPETUUM MOBILE/ Mexico)

Best actor: GABINO RODRIGUEZ (PERPETUUM MOBILE) and MARTIN PIROYANSKY (LA VIEJA DE ATRAS/ Argentina)

Best actress: ALMA BLANCO (LA YUMA/ Nicaragua)

Best screenplay: PABLO JOSE MEZA (LA VIEJA DE ATRAS)

Special Jury award: LA YUMA, by FLORENCE JANGEY

Critics award: EL VUELCO DEL CANGREJO (Colombia), by OSCAR RUIZ NAVIA

Audience award: MI VIDA COM CARLOS, by GERMAN BERGER

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