26/06/2009 - Brazil faces Argentina in Cannes Advertising Festival
Fonte: Folha online

Folha online

CRISTIANE BARBIERI
Folha de SP special correspondent in Cannes

It is not the World Cup competition, but only two countries are present on the façade of the Palais that holds Cannes International Advertising Festival. With huge banners, Brazil and Argentina strive to get the attention of advertising agencies in order to take the production of international spots to their lands.
“Both banner have the same measures, but we used techniques to make ours look bigger”, says Paulo Henrique Miranda, executive manager of FilmBrazil, an association of 53 production companies of audiovisual segment.
It seams that, so far, Brazil is winning the competition. In addition to create a big lounge on the beach, Brazilian companies affirm to have signed contracts by the end of the festival, while Argentina has only a modest stand in the Palais.
While Argentinean producers have the support of their Tourism Bureau, since 2005, Brazilian producers have a strong support of Apex (Brazilian Trade and Investment Agency).
This support has already brought results. By 2004, in average two international films were shoot in Brazil per year. In 2008, there were 58. The last Cannes Festival generated US$ 2 million in business contracts and, according to FilmBrazil, in the following 12 months it totaled more than US$ 18 million. For 2009, they expect to maintain these numbers.
“Production companies arrive in the festival with pre-scheduled meetings with clients”, says Marianna Souza, FilmBrazil assistant.
The total R$ 1.1 million investment in Cannes is divided between Apex, FilmBrazil and Apro (Brazilian Association of Production of Audivisual Works). Full during the whole festival, Brazilian lounge held workshops about music, technology and film production in the Brazilian market. To offer the traditional caipirinha, FilmBrazil settled partnerships with Ibraf (Brazilian Fruit Industry) and Abic (Brazilian Coffee Industry Association).
“Our major advantage over Argentina is that our locations can represent several countries”, says Miranda. “We can shoot in Brazil films that could represent Germany, Japan, the United States or other places.”
Argentineans recognize the qualities of the Brazilian organization and affirm that the competition between them makes the region an important center of film production.
“Brazilian revolution in this field is permanent”, says Francisco Condorelli, Argentinean associate of Gruposiete. “The constant participation in Cannes festival produced positive results.”