Projeto Paradiso founder Olga Rabinovich will receive the first Encounters Award at the São Paulo International Film Festival, according to Variety. The Olga Rabinovich Encounters Award, called the Prêmio Encontros in Portuguese, was created with her in mind, festival director Renata de Almeida told the trade outlet.
Rabinovich founded Projeto Paradiso, a program that supports Brazilian film talent and helps local projects reach international audiences.
Why the Olga Rabinovich Encounters Award exists
Almeida said the Olga Rabinovich Encounters Award takes its name from how the relationship began: with an introduction. She told Variety she first heard Rabinovich’s name in early 2018, when a colleague connected her with a business figure who wanted to start a cinema-focused institute. That effort grew into the Olga Rabinovich Institute, which was announced during the festival’s 42nd edition.
The festival director credited Projeto Paradiso with helping to find and champion a new generation of filmmakers and strengthening Brazil’s audiovisual sector. Rabinovich, for her part, said she was drawn to supporting cinema because she sees it as a magical art form, per Variety. Almeida noted that eight years after that first introduction, the project has already made a major contribution to the sector, according to Variety. The festival created a new honor for her instead of using an existing prize, and she is its first recipient.
What Projeto Paradiso does
Projeto Paradiso runs under the Olga Rabinovich Institute, where Rabinovich serves as founder-president, according to the organization’s Projeto Paradiso annual report. The report says the program’s talent network reached 245 members in 2025, and 62 professionals received direct support that year from 32 cities across 15 states.
The program offers fellowships, residencies and incubation, and professional development. The report also highlights films it has supported that went on to major recognition, including “The Blue Trail,” which won a Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, and “The Secret Agent,” which earned Cannes honors for best director and best actor.
In 2025, Projeto Paradiso partnered with Brazil’s tourism board, Embratur, on Screen Brasil, an initiative that backs the international distribution of Brazilian films. The annual report says the program was announced at RioMarket 2025.
About the festival and the award ceremony
The São Paulo International Film Festival, known in Portuguese as the Mostra Internacional de Cinema em São Paulo, runs Oct. 15-29 for its 50th edition, according to The Rio Times. Almeida has directed the festival since the death of founder Leon Cakoff in 2011. Rabinovich will receive the Olga Rabinovich Encounters Award during the festival.
The timing fits a strong stretch for Brazilian cinema abroad. The Projeto Paradiso report points to “I’m Still Here,” which won the Oscar for best international feature, alongside the Berlin and Cannes honors for films the program backed. The Olga Rabinovich Encounters Award adds a festival-level honor for the person behind that support.
The São Paulo festival was founded by Leon Cakoff, and its 50th edition is a milestone for one of Latin America’s best-known film events. Giving the first Olga Rabinovich Encounters Award to its namesake ties that anniversary to the festival’s growing relationship with the Olga Rabinovich Institute.
The same edition will honor filmmaker James Gray with the festival’s Leon Cakoff Award and a retrospective of his films. For more festival coverage, see our guides to the Tokyo Film Festival 2026, the Pakistan Oscar submission and the Ivors Academy Honours 2026.
What’s next
Rabinovich will receive the Olga Rabinovich Encounters Award at the festival, which opens to the public Oct. 15. The festival has already announced the film selection for its 50th edition, according to Brazilian outlet Revista de Cinema.
Reporting from Variety, The Rio Times and Projeto Paradiso contributed to this story.
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