Established by Brazilian artist and filmmaker Verena Barbosa in 2024, Brazil On Screen is a cultural platform dedicated to discussing and sharing Brazilian culture in Ireland through cinema.
With thoughtful human curation and a unique blend of Brazilian and Irish identity, we discover and harness the power of film to transform hearts and minds, creating experiences that inspire, inform, and sensitize. Through great films and honest conversations, we aim to create a genuine path for integration between Brazil and Ireland.
Beyond our mission to promote Brazilian cinema, we are driven by a passion for community building and critical thinking. We often pair our screenings with discussions, workshops, live music, and mixed-media art designed for people of all ages and backgrounds.
We are proud to be a key reference point for this connection, supported by the Brazilian Embassy and acknowledged by President Michael D. Higgins for making a real difference through social engagement.
Brazil on Screen curated the debut screening for the 126 Artist-Run Gallery cinema club, featuring the 1931 avant-garde landmark Limite by Mário Peixoto. Once a "lost" masterpiece of the Brazilian avant-garde, this fever-dream silent film was resurrected from the ether, offering our audience a rare encounter with one of cinema’s most enduring and once forgotten miracles.
In January 2026, Brazil on Screen is teaming up with CATU Galway at Áras na nGael for a special event about housing and land rights. Screening Fala da Terra (Voice of the Land) we highlight the struggles of Brazil’s Landless Workers’ Movement (MST). The evening aims to connect international stories of resistance with the current housing crisis in Ireland. The event will end with a celebration of Brazilian and Irish culture, featuring a performance by GaelSamba, a new band blending Irish traditional music with Brazilian rhythms.
Presented by Brazil on Screen as part of Galway Climate Inspirations, Wild Arrow (Flecha Selvagem) brought the complete seven-part film collection to Eyre Square in September 2025. Based on the original ideas of Indigenous thinker Ailton Krenak, the project functions as a "cognitive experience" that weaves together ancestral, scientific, and artistic knowledge to challenge modern monoculture. By sharing these diverse narratives, the screening aimed to "oxygenate diversity" and offer a vital study cycle on life as a tool to postpone the end of the world.
Proudly funded to be one of the featured events for Culture Night Galway, hosted at Pálás Cinema. This event, curated and presented by Verena Barbosa, explored the shared revolutionary spirit of Irish and Brazilian cinema, tracing the influence of Latin American ideology and the punk energy of Kneecap followed by a screening of "Bacurau".
Presented by Brazil on Screen in collaboration with Solax Film Club and Silent Cinema, this event featured a rare documentary portrait of the legendary Luiz Melodia. The screening at Galway's Silent Cinema included an exclusive recorded intro from the filmmakers and was followed by a live tribute from the band ÓNinaÓ, who performed Melodia’s iconic blend of poetry and music.
In June 2024, Brazil on Screen launched with a one-day film festival at Gort Town Hall Theatre to celebrate "Brazilian Day." Supported by the Brazilian Embassy and local partners, the event focused on Indigenous cultures, climate action, and community integration. The program included a bilingual poetry performance by artist Rodrigo Freire and an educational workshop led by Aoife Frehan and Maxime Coster, which compared Irish and Brazilian folklore—specifically the Selkie and the Boiúna—to teach children about animal empathy and cultural parallels.
We are grateful to be a reference point for Brazilian-Irish integration and honored by President Michael D. Higgins' invitation to celebrate community organizations that are actively participating and making a difference in Ireland through social engagement and integration
During the Galway Film Fleadh, Brazil on Screen collaborated with the CineLatine program to highlight an exceptional selection of Brazilian short films. This bold and visceral collection spanned various genres—including documentary and animation—to explore themes of memory, gender, and the fight for freedom across Latin America. Verena introduced the films, celebrating the intimate stories of Latine filmmakers that represent a wide range of identities and experiences.
In September 2025, Brazil on Screen joined the Independence Day celebrations in Dublin, hosted by the Brazilian Embassy. This was followed by a vibrant day of community connection at Brazil Day Dublin, where we supported an arts exhibition curated by Patrícia Guimarães. The event served as a beautiful space for exchanging ideas and art, made possible by the production of Real Events.
In September 2025, Brazil on Screen joined the Independence Day celebrations in Dublin, hosted by the Brazilian Embassy.
As part of our one-day festival in Gort, we held a successful raffle to support our community initiatives. Our winner, Yuka—who attended nearly every screening throughout the day—took home the top prize. All proceeds gathered from the raffle were donated to our chosen cause, further strengthening the link between cultural celebration and social support.
Brazilian-Irish artist Rodrigo Freire performs Carlos Drummond de Andrade’s poem "Poema de Sete Faces" in both Portuguese and English, setting the stage for our poetry-focused documentary screening on Drummond.
Our children's screening focused on nurturing empathy for animals began with a unique workshop led by educators Aoife Frehan and Maxime Coster. Children discovered fascinating facts about Irish and Brazilian animals, learned compassionate care practices, and explored folklore through tales of the Irish Selkie and the Amazonian Boiúna, drawing intriguing parallels between them. All of that followed by a fun movie filled with animals afterwards.
The conversation explored how cinema has been used as a weapon for political expression, reflecting histories of resistance and resilience. After the discussion, attendees were treated to a special screening of Bacurau, the award-winning Brazilian film directed by Juliano Dornelles and Kleber Mendonça Filho. The rights to the film were directly given to Verena by the directors after she shared the vision behind Brazil on Screen, highlighting the importance of cultural exchange and political cinema.
In February 2025, Brazil on Screen hosted a ticket giveaway for the pre-premiere of I’m Still Here at Pálás Cinema. This special event allowed our community to experience one of the final screenings at the venue, celebrating the release of this major Brazilian film. Our winner even got to celebrate her birthday at the screening, marking a memorable start to a year dedicated to shared cinematic moments and powerful ideas.
In February 2025, Brazil on Screen hosted a ticket giveaway for the pre-premiere of I’m Still Here at Pálás Cinema. This special event allowed our community to experience one of the final screenings at the venue, celebrating the release of this major Brazilian film. Our winner even got to celebrate her birthday at the screening, marking a memorable start to a year dedicated to shared cinematic moments and powerful ideas.