The best Brazilian films of all time
The top 3 according to 0 votes from people: City of God · Central Station · Limite. (Updated Jul 1, 2026.)
A mix of the films most voted by critics (the Abraccine polls of 2015 and 2026) and the great audience and awards hits of Brazilian cinema.
Automatically translated (original in Português). See the original
Top 25
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1
City of God
Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund, 2002. Drug trafficking in a Rio favela told by Rocket; four Oscar nominations.
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2
Central Station
Walter Salles, 1998. Fernanda Montenegro and a boy searching for his father across the sertão; Golden Bear in Berlin.
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3
Limite
Mário Peixoto, 1931. A silent experimental film voted the best Brazilian film of all time by Abraccine.
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4
Black God, White Devil
Glauber Rocha, 1964. The cowherd Manuel between a holy man and a cangaceiro bandit; a landmark of Cinema Novo.
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5
Barren Lives
Nelson Pereira dos Santos, 1963. Graciliano Ramos' family of migrants fleeing the drought.
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6
I'm Still Here
Walter Salles, 2024. Fernanda Torres as Eunice Paiva; Brazil's first Oscar for Best International Feature.
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7
A Dog's Will
Guel Arraes, 2000. João Grilo and Chicó in the adaptation of Ariano Suassuna; the country's best-loved comedy.
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8
Elite Squad
José Padilha, 2007. Captain Nascimento and the BOPE police unit; Golden Bear in Berlin.
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9
The Given Word
Anselmo Duarte, 1962. Zé do Burro carries a cross to Salvador; Brazil's only Palme d'Or.
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10
Entranced Earth
Glauber Rocha, 1967. A political allegory about an imaginary country, Eldorado.
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11
Twenty Years Later
Eduardo Coutinho, 1984. A documentary resumed 17 years after the 1964 coup cut it short.
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12
The Secret Agent
Kleber Mendonça Filho, 2025. Wagner Moura in 1977 Recife; Best Director and Best Actor at Cannes.
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13
Pixote
Hector Babenco, 1980. Street kids in São Paulo, played by non-professional actors.
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14
Bacurau
Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles, 2019. A village in the sertão disappears from the map; Jury Prize at Cannes.
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15
The Second Mother
Anna Muylaert, 2015. Regina Casé as a live-in maid whose daughter arrives in São Paulo.
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16
Neighboring Sounds
Kleber Mendonça Filho, 2012. A middle-class street in Recife and the tension between neighbours and security guards.
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17
Macunaíma
Joaquim Pedro de Andrade, 1969. Grande Otelo as Mário de Andrade's 'hero without any character'.
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18
The Red Light Bandit
Rogério Sganzerla, 1968. São Paulo's 'marginal cinema' and a real burglar who became a myth.
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19
Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands
Bruno Barreto, 1976. Sônia Braga and Vadinho's ghost; a box-office record for decades.
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20
Carandiru
Hector Babenco, 2003. The inmates' stories leading up to the 1992 massacre, based on Drauzio Varella's book.
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21
They Don't Wear Black Tie
Leon Hirszman, 1981. A workers' strike divides father and son; Special Jury Prize in Venice.
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22
Aquarius
Kleber Mendonça Filho, 2016. Sônia Braga resists the developer that wants her Recife apartment.
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23
Bus 174
José Padilha, 2002. A documentary on the hijacking of a Rio bus broadcast live in 2000.
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24
To the Left of the Father
Luiz Fernando Carvalho, 2001. Selton Mello in the adaptation of Raduan Nassar's novel.
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25
Bye Bye Brazil
Carlos Diegues, 1979. A travelling troupe crosses a country in the middle of modernisation.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (2)
Ainda Estou Aqui já em sexto! Mais do que merecido, a Fernanda Torres está incrível.
O Agente Secreto merece estar mais acima, que filme! Wagner Moura está incrível.