The Rise of Brazilian Art

S. Gebara

For decades, Brazilian art thrived in the shadows of European and North American movements. But in 2025, it is on the main Oscar nomination list.
Already handed with a golden globe, Fernanda Torres, a Brazilian actress, runs for 3 nominations at the 97th Academy Awards: Best Movie, actress and International Feature Film for her outstanding performance in "Ainda Estou Aqui, directed by Walter Salles.
Since her mother, Fernanda Montenegro, lost her Oscar nomination for her role in Central Station to Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare In Love in 1999, no Brazilian artist has ever been nominated again for the Oscars. Given that, Fernanda Torres's stellar performance has conquered many Brazilians' hearts and is now reaching internationally—opening new windows of opportunity for Brazilian entertainment.
The cinematic piece, Ainda Estou Aqui, foretells the memoir of Marcello Rubens Paiva centring on the story of Eunice Paiva's journey during Brazil's military dictatorship period, as she confronts the sudden disappearance and death of her husband, politician Rubens Paiva, and her transformation into a human rights activist. The narrative delves into themes of loss, resilience, and the fight for justice in a tumultuous period of Brazilian history.
The film received several critical acclaims for its remarkable performance and storytelling.
Best Screenplay at the 81st Venice Film Festival (September 7, 2024): Screenwriters Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega were honoured for their adaptation of Marcelo Rubens Paiva's memoir.
Goya Award for Best Ibero-American Film (February 8, 2025): The film received this prestigious Spanish award, marking the first time a Brazilian production has won in this category.
Audience Award at the Rotterdam International Film Festival (February 8, 2025): The film was honoured with the Audience Award at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in the Netherlands.
Virtuoso Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (February 9, 2025): Actress Fernanda Torres was recognized for her outstanding performance.
The Golden Globes and Satellite Awards for Best Actress: Fernanda Torres received both awards for her role in the film.


Moreover, modernist artists such as Tarsila do Amaral, known for incorporating Brazilian root identity into her art, has once again regained significant recognition. Her artworks were presented in the Royal Academy London in the exhibition ‘Brasil! Brasil!, The Birth of Modernism’ is a major exhibition featuring over 130 works by ten critical Brazilian artists from the twentieth century, capturing the diversity of Brazilian art at the time.
The exhibition brings an expanded view of Brazilian Modernism to UK audiences, showing work by artists who have historically received less exposure in the UK, including Anita Malfatti, who spearheaded the movement, and Tarsila do Amaral, now internationally celebrated as a leading female figure of Brazilian Modernism. The exhibition also includes the self-taught artists Alfredo Volpi and Djanira da Motta e Silva, an artist of indigenous descent, Afro-Brazilian artist Rubem Valentim and performance artist, Flávio de Carvalho.
Most importantly, most of the works come from rarely seen private Brazilian collections and Brazilian public collections, most of which have never been exhibited internationally—especially in the UK.