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Expocine 2024: Revitalizing Brazil’s cinema industry
Sao Paulo, Brazil – The vibrant city of Sao Paulo is set to host Expocine 2024, the premier business event for the motion picture theater industry in Latin America, from October 8-11. This gathering comes at a crucial time as Brazil’s theatrical market is gradually recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of Hollywood’s double strikes.
A slow but steady recovery
The pandemic significantly affected Brazil’s cinema industry, but the number of screens has seen a slight increase, now totaling 3,530 compared to 3,507 at the end of 2019. While the box office is on the mend, it has yet to reach pre-pandemic levels, primarily due to the scarcity of U.S. films resulting from the Hollywood strikes.
Lucio Otoni, president of the Federation of Exhibitors in Brazil (FENEEC), remains optimistic. ”Brazilian exhibitors are resilient,” he says. “We have reasons to believe that 2025 and 2026 will be better, not only because we will have a stronger lineup of films but also because the Brazilian economy is improving.”
Expocine 2024: A beacon of hope
Reflecting this cautious optimism, Expocine 2024 is expected to match or even surpass the record attendance of 2,700 participants seen in 2019. Marcelo Lima, CEO of Tonks and organizer of Expocine, highlights the event’s significance: “About 70% of the participants traditionally work in the exhibition and distribution sectors, while the remaining 30% are film producers, theater equipment and concessions manufacturers, and service providers.”
Most attendees are Brazilian, with a significant concentration from Sao Paulo, home to the largest distributors and exhibitors. However, the event also attracts industry executives from other South American countries, particularly Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay. “With the unfavorable exchange rate and the proximity, they tend to choose Expocine over similar industry events on other continents,” Lima explains.
A comprehensive event lineup
Expocine 2024 will be held at two venues near Paulista Avenue: the Renaissance Hotel and the multiplex Cine Marquise. The event will feature panels, workshops, presentations, and screenings by distributors to exhibitors, as well as an expanded trade fair.
This year’s theme, “Connecting the cinema to the future,” will be explored in the opening panel, featuring key speakers such as Lima; Hernán Viviano, VP Latam, Warner and Universal; Iafa Britz, director of Migdal Filmes; Marcio Fraccaroli, general director of Paris Filmes; and Marcos Barros, president of Cinesystem.
In-depth discussions and workshops
The panels will cover a range of topics, including international co-productions, attracting a new generation to cinemas, the digitalization of the Brazilian exhibition circuit over the past decade, biopics, the tradeoff of purchasing vs. renting projectors, the popularity of true crime, the impact of social media on theatrical attendance, and the profile of moviegoers.
Workshops will delve into the effects of AI and Brazil’s new tax system on the industry, providing valuable insights for attendees.
A highlight for distributors
For distributors, the presentations and screenings at Cine Marquise’s theaters are a major highlight. Igor Kupstas, director of O2 Play, will present Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis”, set for release in Brazil on October 31. “Distribution is about seducing the exhibitors, making them believe in my film,” Kupstas explains. “The presentation is my chance to convince them, to make them think about my film.”
Marcio Fraccaroli of Paris Filmes adds, “Our presentations of Brazilian films are made by directors, actors, and screenwriters, who are the best to talk about their films.”
Supporting small and medium-sized exhibitors
Lucio Otoni emphasizes the importance of Expocine for small and medium-sized exhibitors. Brazil’s theatrical market is one of the least concentrated in the world, with major players like Cinemark, Cinepolis, Kinoplex, Araujo, and UCI sharing 59% of the total 118 million ticket sales, 65% of the 2.3 billion reais ($474 million) box office, and 46% of the screens in 2023. About 100 smaller exhibitors, many family-owned with a few screens, account for the rest of the market.
“Expocine allows these small players access to information about upcoming films, on par with the big exhibitors. Additionally, they attend the Expocine trade fair, where they can find everything they need in terms of equipment and services. All suppliers are there,” Otoni says.
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