https://rollingstone.com.br/cinema/mostra-internacional-de-cinema-de-sao-paulo-vencedores-49a-edicao/

THE 49th International Film Festival in São Paulo held the awards ceremony and closing of the edition on the night of Thursday, October 30th. The event, which took place in the Sala Petrobras na Mostra, located at the Cinemateca Brasileira, awarded 15 titles, in different categories.

The 2025 jury was formed by the South African producer Atilla Salih Yücerby Brazilian producer based in Los Angeles Daniel Dreifussby Portuguese filmmaker Denise Fernandesby Colombian director Laura Mora and by the chief critic of Variety magazine, the North American Peter Debruge.

The quintet chose best film The President’s Cakefrom Hasan Hadico-production between Iraq, the United States and Qatar. They also won a special prize DJ Ahmetfrom Georgi M. Unkovski. The Fightfrom Jose Alayónreceived an honorable mention, and Doha Ramadan won best performance for his work in the Egyptian work Happy birthdayfrom Sarah Goher.

In addition to the Bandeira Paulista trophies — a creation by the artist Tomie Ohtake — given by the judges, the traditional ones were awarded: Audience Award, Critics Award, Netflix Award, Brada Award, Abraccine Award for Brazilian Cinema and Paradiso Award, in addition to the new Prisma Queer Award. Tributes to those awarded the Humanity Award and the Leon Cakoff Award also marked the ceremony.

At the time, Joelma GonzagaNational Audiovisual Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, took the stage to announce the Rouanet Festivals tender, worth R$ 17 million, in partnership with BB Asset and Petrobras. The MinC chose the closing of Mostra 2025 for the news about the program, whose objective is to democratize access to Brazilian audiovisual and strengthen the diffusion policy throughout the country. “Film festivals need support and support from public policy“, he said Gonzaga in the ad.

Some of the award-winning films are in the recap selection, which takes place between October 31st and November 5th in three theaters, at CineSesc and Cine Satyros Bijou, throughout the period, and at Cultura Artística on October 31st and November 1st. See the schedule at www.mostra.org. Check out the winners of the 49th edition::

• Jury Prize | Best Film

The President’s Cake, by Hasan Hadi (Iraq, USA, Qatar)

• Special Jury Prize

DJ Ahmet by Georgi M. Unkovski (North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Serbia, Croatia)

• Jury Prize | Honorable Mention

The Fight, by Jose Alayón (Spain, Colombia)

• Jury Prize | Best Performance

Doha Ramadan by the film Happy Birthday, by Sarah Goher (Egypt)

• Audience Award | Best Brazilian Documentary

Cadernos Negros, by Joel Zito Araújo (Brazil)

• Audience Award | Best Brazilian Fiction Film

Maids, by Carol Rodrigues (Brazil)

• Audience Award | Best International Documentary

Yanuni, by Richard Ladkani (Austria, Brazil, USA, Canada, Germany)

• Audience Award | Best International Fiction Film

Palestine 36, by Annemarie Jacir (Palestine, United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Norway, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan)

• Critics Award | Best International Film

My Father’s Shadow by Akinola Davies Jr. (United Kingdom, Nigeria)

• Critics Award | Best Brazilian Film

The Nature of Invisible Things, by Rafaela Camelo (Brazil, Chile)

• Brada Award | Best Art Direction

Jennifer Anti and Pablo Anti in the film The Shadow of My Father, by Akinola Davies Jr. (United Kingdom, Nigeria)

• Netflix Prize

Virtuosas, by Cíntia Domit Bittar (Brazil)

• Abraccine Brazilian Cinema Award

O Pai e o Pajé, by Iawarete Kaiabi, co-directed by Felipe Tomazelli and Luís Villaça (Brazil)

• Paradiso Project Award

Heart of Darkness, by Rogério Nunes (Brazil, France)

• Prisma Queer Award | Best International Film

Queerpanorama, by Jun Li (USA, Hong Kong, China)

• Prisma Queer Award | Best Brazilian Film

The Nature of Invisible Things, by Rafaela Camelo (Brazil, Chile)

• Prisma Queer Award | Jury Special

Death and Life Madalena, by Guto Parente (Brazil, Portugal)

• Humanity Award

Euzhan Palcy

Jafar Panahi

Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne

• Leon Cakoff Award

Charlie Kaufman

Mauricio de Sousa

READ ALSO: 49th São Paulo Film Festival: Follow Rolling Stone Brasil’s coverage

• 49th São Paulo International Film Festival

• My Father’s Shadow

• Death and Life Madalena

• Palestine 36

• The President’s Cake

• Virtuosas