In a Landmark Event, Netflix Celebrates the Strength of Brazilian Productions and Unveils What's Ahead for Next Year

"Every story created here carries the value of our culture, the strength of our creativity, and the boldness of those who never stop dreaming. And when these stories travel, they take to the world the best of who we are: original, diverse, and resilient." With a manifesto narrated by Juliana Paes, Netflix opened, on Tuesday evening in São Paulo, the first edition of Made Here - Born in Brazil. Travels the World, an event celebrating its partnership with the audiovisual industry and announcing new Brazilian stories entering production from 2026 onward.

On stage, Elisabetta Zenatti, Netflix's VP of Content in Brazil; Haná Vaisman, Head of Fiction Series; Elisa Chalfon, Head of Non-Fiction; and Higia Ikeda, Head of Films, celebrated Netflix's recent Brazilian hits as the result of a long-standing partnership with the country's audiovisual industry - made up of creators, producers, directors, and professionals attending the event. "More than ten years ago, when we began producing in Brazil, we believed in the potential of stories made and told here. In 2025, we released several standout titles that, because of their success, also crossed borders. This is the result of experimentation, boldness, and the risks we take together, in a movement that has supported the growth of the market," said Elisabetta.

To open the segment dedicated to Netflix's interface with its members, actress Mel Maia took the stage, logged into her own Netflix account live, and demonstrated in practice how personalized recommendations help propel our stories around the world. Mel also highlighted Netflix's ongoing investment in dubbing and subtitling, entertaining the audience with iconic scenes from the fiction series Rulers of Fortune in other languages - including the unmistakable Rio lilt dubbed in Italian and Turkish.

What's Coming in 2026

Alongside major industry talent, Netflix announced the next two series and two films entering production in the first quarter of 2026, in addition to a brand-new, 100% Brazilian reality show that has just wrapped filming.

Author Ray Tavares and showrunner Carol Durão announced Os 12 Signos de Valentina, an adaptation of Ray's book of the same name. Ray, who previously worked as a writer on Back to 15, now leads the script alongside Bia Crespo. Produced by Boutique Filmes, the series challenged the creative team to explore new ways of connecting with young audiences by telling the story of Valentina, who - after being cheated on and learning that the breakup was due to astrological incompatibility - decides to turn revenge into a method: dating men from each zodiac sign and recounting her encounters in a videocast. The show is produced by Tiago Mello.

Creator and writer Cláudio Paiva revealed that he has just received the green light for As Crianças Estão de Volta (working title), a comedy designed to bring the whole family together on the couch, marking another collaboration with artistic director Maurício Farias. Originally created by Patrícia Leme, the series follows a couple who, after moving to Paraty to enjoy life as empty nesters, see their dreams and plans derailed when their adult children return home. Luiz Noronha of A Fábrica also spoke about the production's attention to ensuring connection across generations.

Among the new films, both arise from books. Creator, writer, and executive producer Raphael Montes and director Esmir Filho unveiled A Estranha na Cama, developed by Casa Montes and produced by A Fábrica - an adaptation of Raphael's upcoming novel of the same name. The gripping thriller follows a couple in crisis who decide to open their relationship in an attempt to save their marriage. They invite a third woman into their dynamic, but things don't go as planned. The film is a bold, sensual thriller that reinterprets the genre through a Brazilian lens. Another highlight was the announcement that The Pilgrimage, produced by Gullane and adapted from the bestselling novel, will be directed by Vicente Amorim, who plans to infuse the road movie with magical realism. In a video message, the director shared that he had recently been in Geneva, Switzerland, for a special meeting with Paulo Coelho.

Netflix is also delivering another 100% Brazilian reality show, reinforcing the strength of format development in the country. Sua Mãe Te Conhece, hosted by Claudia Raia in her second project with Netflix, brings mothers and children face-to-face in a fun, surprise-filled competition for a prize of up to one million reais. Filming took place last month, led by BoxFish in co-production with Farra.

The announcements join titles that began production in November. Rauls, the second collaboration with Kondzilla and LB Entretenimento and produced by Manas Filmes, featured creators and producers Konrad Dantas, Kaique Alves, and Felipe Braga sharing the first images from set. Also highlighted were Habeas Corpus, Netflix's first Brazilian legal drama, produced by Café Royal and directed by Luiz Villaça and Flávia Lacerda, and a new Netflix melodrama created in partnership with Amaia Produções and Conspiração, with general direction by Mauro Mendonça Filho.

Licensing

In addition to original productions, Netflix emphasized the importance of licensing both new and classic Brazilian films as a way to celebrate local culture, broaden access to Brazilian works in Brazil and worldwide, and support the preservation of the nation's audiovisual heritage. In 2025 alone, Netflix licensed 55 Brazilian titles. For 2026, confirmed premieres include The Blue Trail, arriving on Netflix early in the year, and Bacurau, available next Saturday, December 13.

Tribute

The event also featured an exhibition of behind-the-scenes images from productions released in 2025. Panels dedicated to each title highlighted creative and production details as well as audience reach in Brazil and globally, celebrating the international trajectory of these stories. Creators, directors, producers, and industry professionals revisited memorable moments from their collaborations with Netflix and learned more about the impact of each work.

"A robust and vibrant audiovisual ecosystem creates a virtuous cycle that drives the economy and inspires new cultural expressions," said Elisabetta. "Today, Netflix celebrates its partnerships and renews its commitment to expanding opportunities for Brazilian audiovisual production - a creative ecosystem that has evolved and now speaks on equal footing with the rest of the world. We are immensely proud of what we have built together, and of everything still to come from what is made here."