Academy Chief Hails Brazil's Oscar Triumph, Touts Global Expansion

In a visit to the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival, Bill Kramer, the CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, celebrated Brazil's recent Oscar triumph and the organization's ongoing efforts to expand its global reach.

Just a few months ago, Brazil made history when Walter Salles' film "I'm Still Here" won the Academy Award for Best International Feature. Kramer expressed his excitement over the "joy, love and excitement" surrounding the win, which also saw Fernanda Torres nominated for Best Actress.

The Academy executive highlighted that 20% of the organization's over 11,000 members are now from outside the United States, including 200 Latin Americans and 60 Brazilians. This international growth is a key priority, with Kramer noting that "if it becomes harder to make a film in a certain country, you can [move the production] to Lisbon, Hungary, Vancouver, Rio...."

Looking ahead, Brazil is hopeful for another Oscar nod, having recently selected Kleber Mendonça Filho's "The Secret Agent" as its entry for the International Feature category. Variety critic Peter Debruge praised the film as a "terrific '70s thriller" with a "powerful sense of place."

Kramer expressed optimism about the growing partnership between the Academy and the Rio Film Festival, stating he believes this is "the beginning of a beautiful friendship" between the two organizations.