'Bittersweet Rain' Wins the First Edition of the Netflix Prize

São Paulo, November 1, 2023 — Wednesday, on the closing night of the São Paulo International Film Festival, Netflix announced the film Bittersweet Rain as the winner of the first edition of the Netflix Prize. The production was selected from the Brazilian films at the festival and will be shown on the platform in over 190 countries, on a date yet to be announced.

“Bittersweet Rain is a production that represents the diversity and richness of Brazilian cinema, and we look forward to audiences around the world having the opportunity to discover this story,” said Gabriel Gurman, Netflix's director of films in Brazil.

Directed by Haroldo Borges, from the Bahian collective Plano 3 Filmes, Bittersweet Rain tells the story of Bruno (played by Bruno Jeferson), a 15-year-old boy suffering from incurable sight loss. With all the uncertainties of adolescence, amplified by his impending blindness, the film turns the tragic fate of its protagonist into a collective learning experience.

“It's highly significant that a film from Bahia is present on a platform with a global reach. I hope that this award is a sign of a new era and that it galvanizes our collective struggle to build Brazilian cinema. Here's hoping our stories feature on each and every screen!” proclaimed Borges.

The film was chosen by a jury comprising Gurman; journalist and documentary filmmaker Flávia Guerra; and filmmaker Anita Rocha da Silveira.

About Netflix:

Netflix is one of the world's leading entertainment services with over 247 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.

About Plano 3 Filmes:

Created by Haroldo Borges, Paula Gomes, Ernesto Molinero and Marcos Bautista, the Bahian collective Plano 3 Filmes is responsible for award-winning films such as the documentary Jonas and the Backyard Circus and the fictional feature film Son of Ox, which have been screened at festivals in more than 30 countries, such as the IDFA (Netherlands), the Málaga Film Festival (Spain), the Busan International Film Festival (South Korea) and the Mar del Plata International Film Festival (Argentina). Its new film Bittersweet Rain has so far garnered 10 awards at international festivals, including Best Film at the Mar de Plata International Film Festival and Best Film at the Rio Festival's Novos Rumos Competition.

About São Paulo International Film Festival:

The traditional São Paulo International Film Festival has been taking place every year for the past 47 years, and for two weeks, São Paulo hosts the festival directed by Renata de Almeida. Held in October, the event shows unreleased films from various countries around the world, hosts special screenings of restored versions of classics, holds meetings with directors and producers, and offers seminars and free public showings around São Paulo in places such as Vale do Anhangabaú. In addition, every year, the show honors personalities with the 'Humanity Award,' and since 2012, with the Leon Cakoff Award, named for the event's creator who died in 2011.