Brazil's Elas Exportam Debuts Audiovisual Cohort With 14 Women

Brazil's Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (MDIC) is putting 14 women film and television executives through an 88-hour online export course that concludes in November.

The cohort is the first dedicated to audiovisual producers in Elas Exportam, a federal program now in its sixth edition. Debora Ivanov, Janaína Silva and lawyer Raquel Lemos outlined the initiative on a panel at RioMarket, the business section of the Rio Film Festival, in Rio de Janeiro.

Who is in the new cohort?

The 14 participants own, run or direct film, television, post-production and dubbing companies across seven Brazilian states, Silva said. Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, the country's two biggest production hubs, account for most of the group. MDIC selected the cohort in May. Mentors volunteer; participants pay no fees.

The course opened in July with a class by Walkiria Barbosa, executive director of the Rio Film Festival and president of the Audiovisual Industry and Commerce Federation (FICA). Classes meet once or twice a week.

What does the curriculum cover?

The 88-hour program blends technical and socio-emotional training:

• Market intelligence, export operations, e-commerce
• Financial education, intellectual property, regulation
• Strategic positioning, persuasive communication, pitch training
• Weekly one-on-one mentorship paired with group classes

Why was the program created?

MDIC launched Elas Exportam in 2023 after the 2022 study "Women in Foreign Trade: An Analysis for Brazil" found that only 14.5% of Brazilian exporting companies had a majority of women among their shareholders, Silva said. The audiovisual sector joined this year after New Industry Brazil (NIB), the federal government's flagship modernization plan, formally incorporated screen production into its scope.

How do veterans view the course?

Ivanov, a partner at Gullane Filmes and president of Instituto +Mulheres, brought the perspective of one of Brazil's most internationally active producers. Gullane has sold the rights to its films and series in more than 100 countries, with productions reaching audiences in more than 190 countries through streaming and other channels.

"The program offers a very substantial curriculum of high-quality content," Ivanov said at the panel. "We work with foreign trade and are familiar with university curricula, and I can say that there is no training course in Brazil dedicated to women with the quality offered by the Elas Exportam program."

What comes after the November graduation?

Silva framed the initiative as a network-building exercise, not only a classroom. "Elas Exportam contributes not only to the training of women professionals," she said. "The program also helps build networks among women, enabling collaboration, information-sharing and the clarification of questions. In addition, the mentors serve as examples of professional success for women who are entering the international market."

Barbosa pointed to a broader export push already taking shape inside the federal government. "The audiovisual working group within NIB is working to create a major program designed to increase the exports of Brazilian productions," she said, citing the Oscar win for "I'm Still Here," the Oscar nominations for "The Secret Agent" and awards at Cannes and Venice as evidence that the "Brazil brand" is gaining traction abroad.

The November completion of the 14-person audiovisual class will be the program's first test of whether targeted women's training can move the needle on screen industry exports.