Brazil has announced the selection of Allan Deberton’s acclaimed sophomore feature Gugu’s World / Feito Pipa as its official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards. The film was chosen by a 15-member selection committee organized by the Brazilian Film Academy from a shortlist of six finalists.
Gugu’s World had its world premiere earlier this year in the Generation Kplus section of the Berlin International Film Festival, where it won both of the section’s top honors: the Crystal Bear for Best Film, awarded by the Youth Jury, and the Grand Prix of the International Jury.
Set in the northeastern Brazilian state of Ceará, the film follows Gugu (newcomer Yuri Gomes), a 12-year-old boy passionate about soccer and dance who lives with his grandmother Dilma (Teca Pereira), a retired teacher who has raised him in a loving and accepting home. When her health begins to decline, Gugu faces the possibility of having to leave his grandmother and live with his estranged father Batista (Lázaro Ramos), whose relationship with his son is marked by absences, expectations, and unspoken affection.
Following its Berlinale premiere, Gugu’s World has enjoyed a solid international festival run. At the Cartagena International Film Festival, Gomes received the Best Performance award in the Cine de los Barrios competition, while at the Guadalajara International Film Festival the film won the Premio Maguey for Best Film and the Premio Maguey for Best Performance for Gomes and Pereira.
The film was also the most awarded feature at the 54th Gramado Film Festival, taking four Kikitos: Best Director for Deberton, Best Actress for Pereira, Best Supporting Actor for Ramos, and the Audience Award for Best Film. Gomes additionally received an Honorable Mention for his performance.
Shot in Quixadá, Ceará, Gugu’s World draws from childhood memories of Deberton and co-screenwriter André Araújo growing up in Russas, in the interior of the northeastern Brazilian state. The film marks Deberton’s second feature following his acclaimed debut Pacarrete (2019).
The selection continues a period of significant international recognition for Brazilian cinema. Walter Salles’ I’m Still Here became the first Brazilian film to win the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film in 2025, while Kleber Mendonça Filho’s The Secret Agent represented the country the following year and was nominated in four categories, including for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best International Feature Film.
The 15-film shortlist for Best International Feature Film will be announced on December 15, with the five nominees revealed on January 21, 2027. The 99th Academy Awards will take place on March 14, 2027.
