Ranking: The best Brazilian films of all time

From classic Brazilian comedies to captivating dramas, check out this list of the best Brazilian films of all time, ranked in descending order by rating. 

The Quatrilho (1995) 

6,8 on IMDB

Where to watch: bandplay, Prime Video, balloon play e Youtube

Set in 1910 in an Italian immigrant community in Rio Grande do Sul, one of the best Brazilian films follows two couples who share the same house. Their routine is disrupted when one wife and the other's husband fall in love and decide to elope, forcing the betrayed partners into an unexpected union. The cast includes... Patricia Pillar, Gloria Pires, Alexandre Paternost e Bruno Campos.

The Normals: The Movie (2003)  

6,8 on IMDB

Where to watch: currently unavailable

In this comedy film that expands the universe of the iconic television series, Rui (Luiz Fernando Guimarães) e Vani (Fernanda Torres) They are about to marry different partners. Fate brings them face to face when their ceremonies coincide in the same church, where the couple's first encounter sets off a series of hilarious mix-ups and absurd situations.

Madam Satan (2002)  

7,0 on IMDB

Where to watch: balloon play

Based on the true story of John Francis of Santos, one of the best Brazilian films, presents a visceral portrait of one of the icons of Rio de Janeiro's bohemian scene in the 1930s. Played by Lázaro RamosThe protagonist navigates between marginality and artistic dreams, assuming the roles of father, lover, and drag queen while leading a group of people marginalized by society.

The Man of the Future (2011) 

7,0 on IMDB

Where to watch: Paramount +

In this blend of romance and science fiction, Zero (Wagner Moura) He is a brilliant but bitter scientist who, after an accident with his latest invention, ends up traveling back in time. Returning to his college days, he has the chance to win back... Helena (Alinne Moraes) and change its trajectory, but soon realizes that altering the past can cause disastrous consequences in the present. Now, Zero He needs to find a way to fix the future without losing the love of his life again.

Benzinho (2018) 

7,1 on IMDB

Where to watch: balloon play

In one of the best Brazilian films, Irene (Karine Teles) She needs to deal with the whirlwind of emotions caused by the departure of her eldest son. Fernando (Konstantinos Sarris), who is leaving Brazil to play professional handball in Germany. While helping her husband. Klaus (Otávio Müller) dealing with household problems and taking care of young children, Irene She faces the challenge of seeing the empty nest and rediscovering herself as a woman.

God and the Devil in the Land of the Sun (1964) 

7,1 on IMDB

Where to watch: currently unavailable

One of the greatest representatives of Cinema Novo, the film by Glauber Rocha Follow the cowboy Manuel (Geraldo Del Rey) who, after rebelling against the exploitation by a colonel, flees into the backlands with his wife. Rosa (Yoná Magalhães)In their journey, the couple moves between the mysticism of the blessed. Sebastião (Lídio Silva) and the violence of the bandit Corisco (Othon Bastos), while being hunted by the ruthless hitman Antonio das Mortes (Maurício do Valle).

Marighella (2019)  

7,1 on IMDB

Where to watch: balloon play, Prime Video e Youtube

Em marighella, a biopic directed by Wagner MouraWe have been following the last few years of Carlos Marighella (Seu Jorge), a former congressman who became the main leader of the armed struggle against the military dictatorship. At the head of a group of young guerrillas, he tries to combat censorship and mobilize resistance against the regime, while facing the relentless hunt commanded by the police. Lúcio (Bruno Gagliasso), his biggest opponent. The cast also includes Humberto Carrão, Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos e Adriana Esteves.

Suely's Heaven (2006) 

7,1 on IMDB

Where to watch: Netflix

Em Suely's Sky, best Brazilian film directed by Karim Ainouz, after being abandoned by her husband in her small hometown in Ceará, Hermila (Hermila Guedes) She decides to leave in search of a new life. To finance her escape, she adopts the pseudonym Suely and organizes an unusual raffle, offering her own body as the prize.

Last Stop 174 (2008)  

7,1 on IMDB

Where to watch: Paramount +

Based on a tragic true story, the film by Bruno Barreto reconstructs the trajectory of Sandro do Nascimento (Michel Gomes), a survivor of the Candelária Massacre. The story explores the young man's past of exclusion and the events that led him to hijack a bus in Rio de Janeiro in 2000. The cast includes... Marcello Melo Jr. e Cris Vianna.

Like Our Fathers (2017) 

7,2 on IMDB

Where to watch: Netflix

In the film directed by Lais Bodanzky, Rosa (Maria Ribeiro) She lives under the pressure of being the perfect woman until a surprising revelation from her mother makes her question her entire life path. Deciding to break free from her usual obligations and family expectations, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and liberation.

Housemaids (2001)  

7,2 on IMDB

Where to watch: bandplay, Prime Video e Youtube

Using a language that blends fiction and documentary, the film follows the daily lives of five maids: Cida (Renata Melo), Quitéria (Olivia Araújo), Raimunda (Cláudia Missura), Roxane (Graziela Moretto) e Zefa (Cleide Eunice Queiroz)Between confessions and dreams, they reveal their visions of paradise and the dilemmas of a profession marked by social invisibility.

My Name Is Not Johnny (2008)  

7,2 on IMDB

Where to watch: Prime Video, Netflix e Youtube

In the story based on true events, João Guilherme Estrella (Selton Mello) He is a charismatic young man from Rio de Janeiro's middle class who, almost by chance, becomes the biggest drug supplier to the elite in the 1990s. Between lavish parties and international trips, his life of excess ends in a downfall when he is arrested by the Federal Police.

My Lima Orange Tree (2012) 

7,2 on IMDB

Where to watch: Prime Video e Youtube

In history, Zezé (João Guilherme) He is an eight-year-old boy, creative and humble, who deals with his father's unemployment by talking to a lime tree in the backyard. His life takes on new colors when he meets... Portugal (José de Abreu), a gentleman who becomes a great friend.

The Red Light Bandit (1968) 

7,2 on IMDB

Where to watch: Youtube

Inspired by true crimes, the film tells the story of... Jorge (Paulo Villaça), a robber who uses extravagant techniques to rob mansions in São Paulo, nicknamed Red Light BanditWhile he spends the money on women and debauchery, the policeman Big Head (Luiz Linhares) He begins a relentless hunt to capture him.

The Clown (2011) 

7,2 on IMDB

Where to watch: Netflix e balloon play

In one of the best Brazilian films, Benjamin (Selton Mello) and your father Valdemar (Paulo José) They form the clown duo Pangaré and Puro Sangue in a traveling circus. Amidst an identity crisis, Benjamin He questions his ability to make people laugh and decides to leave in search of his own dreams.

The Last Blue (2025)  

7,2 on IMDB

Where to watch: showing in Brazilian cinemas

In the film of Gabriel MascaraIn a future where the government orders the isolation of elderly people in distant colonies, Tereza (Denise Weinberg)A 77-year-old woman refuses to accept the fate imposed by the State. She flees to the Amazon on an epic journey of self-discovery and resistance, seeking to reconnect with freedom and nature.

Nighthawk (2019)  

7,3 on IMDB

Where to watch: Netflix, balloon play e Youtube

In history, Teresa (Barbara Colen) He returns to the village of Bacurau for his grandmother's funeral and realizes, along with Domingas (Sonia Braga) e Lunga (Silvero Pereira)...that the city disappeared from the maps. Under siege by foreign invaders led by Michael (Udo Kier)The residents organize an armed resistance in order to survive.

The Year My Parents Went on Vacation (2006)   

7,3 on IMDB

Where to watch: Netflix

In 1970, the young man Mauro (Michel Joelsas) He is left in São Paulo by his parents, who unexpectedly go on vacation but are actually activists forced into exile by the dictatorship. With the sudden death of his grandfather, he ends up under the care of... Shlomo (Germano Haiut)A lonely Jewish neighbor. While waiting for his family to return and cheering for Brazil in the World Cup, the boy discovers new forms of affection and solidarity.

Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)  

7,3 on IMDB

Where to watch: Prime Video

In a prison cell in Latin America, two polarized prisoners are forced to live together: Molina (William Hurt), a dreamy homosexual, and Valentin (Raul Julia), a left-wing political activist. To escape the brutal reality, Molina It tells romantic, cinematic stories that ultimately strengthen the bond between the two and reveal deep layers of sacrifice and dignity.

Terra em Transe (1967)  

7,3 on IMDB

Where to watch: currently unavailable

In the fictional country of Eldorado, the poet and journalist Paulo Martins (Jardel Filho) The film explores the dilemma between art and political action, oscillating between two antagonistic leaders: a populist and a conservative. Through a fragmented narrative, the film exposes the inner workings of power, authoritarianism, and the contradictions of the Latin American intellectual elite.

The Hanged Men (2025) 

7,3 on IMDB

Where to watch: Telecine

Em The Hanged Men, Valério (Irandhir Santos) e Regina (Leandra Leal) They are a happy couple searching for a way out of the family's criminal business. However, their efforts push them further and further into the hole they hoped to escape.

The Best Mother in the World (2025)  

7,4 on IMDB

Where to watch: Netflix

In a desperate struggle for survival, Gal (Shirley Cruz) It's about a mother who decides to flee her abusive husband with her children and shelters them inside her recycling cart. Living on the streets, she uses her imagination and affection to transform the brutal reality into a playful journey, protecting the children's innocence in the face of extreme vulnerability.

Aquarius (2016) 

7,4 on IMDB

Where to watch: balloon play

In one of the best national films, directed by Kleber Mendonça Son, Clara (Sonia Braga), a retired journalist and widow, is the last resident of the Aquarius building in Recife. She begins a battle of resistance against a construction company that wants to demolish the building to make way for a new development, facing psychological pressure and threats to her history and dignity.

What is this fellow? (1997)  

7,4 on IMDB

Where to watch: bandplay, MUBI, Prime Video, Telecine e Youtube

Based on true events during the military dictatorship, the film narrates the audacious kidnapping of the United States ambassador by a group of young guerrillas seeking the liberation of political prisoners. Amidst the tension of captivity and the police siege, the group faces ethical and ideological dilemmas regarding armed struggle. The film is directed by... Bruno Barreto count with Fernanda Montenegro, Peter Cardoso, Fernanda Torres, Luiz Fernando Guimarães, Claudia Abreu, Selton Mello e Matheus Nachtergael.

The Wolf Behind the Door (2013)  

7,4 on IMDB

Where to watch: balloon play

Inspired by a true story, one of the best Brazilian films begins with the mysterious disappearance of a child. At the police station, the father's testimony unfolds. Bernardo (Milhem Cortaz), from the mother Sylvia and the mistress Rose (Leandra Leal) protocols for delegate (Juliano Cazarré) They reveal a dark plot of desire, revenge, and manipulation.

West Again (2024)  

7,5 on IMDB

Where to watch: balloon play

In the isolated backlands of Goiás, rough and bitter men live a cycle of violence after being abandoned by the women they loved. Unable to cope with their own loneliness and fragility, they take out their frustrations on each other in an environment dominated by machismo and isolation. The cast includes... Angelo Antonio, Antonio Pitanga e Adanilo.

Basic Sanitation, the Movie (2007) 

7,5 on IMDB

Where to watch: HBO Max, Netflix, MUBI e balloon play

While trying to solve the lack of sewage in their village, residents discover that the only available federal funding is earmarked for the production of a fiction film. Led by Marina (Fernanda Torres)They decide to improvise the filming of a horror movie to use the money for the public works project. The best Brazilian comedy film also features names such as... Wagner Moura, Camila Pitanga, Bruno Garcia e Lázaro Ramos.

Victory (2025)  

7,5 on IMDB

Where to watch: balloon play

Based on a true story, one of the best recent Brazilian films, directed by Andrucha waddington, accompanies Dona Nina (Fernanda Montenegro), a lonely elderly woman who decides to film, from the window of her apartment in Copacabana, the routine of drug dealers on her street. With the help of Flávio (Alan Rocha)As an investigative journalist, she risks her own life to expose corruption and violence.

April Shattered (2001)   

7,6 on IMDB

Where to watch: currently unavailable

Set in the northeastern backlands of Brazil in 1910, one of the best Brazilian films follows the young man. Tonho (Rodrigo Santoro) He is forced by his father to avenge the death of his brother, a victim of a violent family feud. Accepting his fate, he knows the next bullet will be for him, as tradition dictates. Torn between the code of vengeance and the desire to live, the young man begins to question the logic of violence when the arrival of a circus makes him see a new possibility for the future.

Carandiru (2003) 

7,6 on IMDB

Where to watch: Netflix, balloon play e Youtube 

Based on the book by Drauzio VarellaThe film follows the daily routine of a doctor.(Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos) who carries out AIDS prevention work in the largest prison in Latin America. Through their work, we learn about the stories of humanity, crime, and survival of the inmates in a system on the verge of collapse. The cast includes... Wagner Moura, Lázaro Ramos, Gaius Blat, Milton Gonçalves, Ailton Graça e Rodrigo Santoro.

Lisbela and the Prisoner (2003)  

7,6 on IMDB

Where to watch: currently unavailable

In the best Brazilian romance film, the young woman Lisbela (Debora Falabella) shows that he loves going to the movies and is always dreaming about the Hollywood heartthrobs in the films he watches. Leléu (Selton Mello) is a conquering scoundrel, who in the midst of one of his many adventures arrives in the girl's city. After meeting each other, they soon fall in love, but Lisbela is set to get married. Amidst the doubts and family problems that the new passion awakens, there is also the presence of a killer who is after Leléu.

The Man Who Copied (2003)  

7,6 on IMDB

Where to watch: Netflix e balloon play

Em The Man Who Copied, André (Lazaro Ramos)A photocopier operator in Porto Alegre leads a monotonous life until he falls in love with his neighbor. Silvia (Leandra Leal)To get money and get closer to her, he starts using his job to carry out small forgeries, triggering a series of increasingly audacious plans.

All the Women in the World (1966) 

7,6 on IMDB

Where to watch: currently unavailable

In the story, the journalist Paulo (Paulo José), a natural charmer, sees his life change when he falls madly in love with Maria Alice (Leila Diniz)To live out this great love, he tries to abandon his bohemian lifestyle, but the couple must deal with insecurities and the scars of past relationships.

The Invisible Life (2019)  

7,7 on IMDB

Where to watch: HBO Max, Netflix e Globoplay

In one of the best Brazilian films, old letters from his sister Guida (Julia Stockler), long gone, surprise Eurydice (Fernanda Montenegro), an 80-year-old woman. In Rio de Janeiro in the 1950s, Guide e Eurydice They are cruelly separated, prevented from living the dreams they nurtured together as teenagers. Invisible in a paternalistic and conservative society, they struggle to move forward.

Seven-Headed Beast (2000)  

7,7 on IMDB

Where to watch: MUBI e Netflix

Amidst a conflict at home, the young man Grandson (Rodrigo Santoro) is pushed to the limit by his father, Wilson (Othon Bastos), who forcibly commits him to a mental institution. There, he is subjected to inhumane and anachronistic treatments, exposing the reality of an institution that oppresses rather than heals. The young man, in his struggle for freedom, must resist to maintain his sanity.

Stomach (2007)  

7,8 on IMDB

Where to watch: balloon play

Em Stomach, Raimundo Nonato (João Miguel) She leaves the Northeast to try her luck in São Paulo and, by chance, discovers she has a talent for cooking. Everything goes well until a betrayal completely changes the course of her life.

What time does she come back? (2015)  

7,8 on IMDB

Where to watch: Netflix, balloon play e Youtube

Em What time does she come back?, one of the best Brazilian films, the Pernambuco native Val (Regina Case) moved to São Paulo with the aim of providing better living conditions for her daughter, Jessica (Camila Mardila)Years later, the girl calls him, saying she wants to go to the city to take the entrance exam. Her bosses Val They welcome the girl with open arms, but the difference in realities creates discomfort in the house.

Manas (2024)  

7,8 on IMDB

Where to watch: Telecine

Em my, best current national film, Marcielle (Jamilli Correa), a 13-year-old girl living on Marajó Island, Pará, begins to realize that the future holds few options for her. Trapped by her mother's resignation and driven by the idealization of her departed sister, she decides to confront the violent machinery that governs her family and the women in her community.

Man with H (2025)  

7,8 on IMDB

Where to watch: Netflix

In one of the best Brazilian films, we follow the different phases of the singer's career. Ney Matogrosso (Jesuit Barbosa), from his childhood, through adolescence, and into adulthood. This is a journey through time that follows a young man from humble origins who breaks down prejudices and becomes an influential artist.

Bingo: The King of Mornings (2017)  

7,9 on IMDB

Where to watch: HBO Max

Inspired by the true story of Arlindo Barretothe film follows Augustus (Vladimir Brichta), an actor seeking recognition who becomes Bingo the Clown, a ratings phenomenon on 1980s TV. However, success comes with the frustration of the anonymity imposed by his contract, causing him to sink into excesses and personal conflicts.

Today I Want to Go Back Alone (2014)  

7,9 on IMDB

Where to watch: Telecine e Youtube

One of the best Brazilian films tells the story of Leonardo (Ghilherme Lobo), a blind teenager who tries to deal with his overprotective mother while also seeking his independence. When Gabriel (Fabio Audi) arrives at his school, new feelings begin to arise in Leonardo, making him discover more about himself and his sexuality.

Pixote, the Law of the Weakest (1980)  

7,9 on IMDB

Where to watch: Netflix e balloon play

In the film of Hector Babenco, abandoned by his parents at the age of ten, Pixote (Fernando Ramos da Silva) He survives amidst the violence of the streets and the brutality of juvenile institutions in São Paulo. After escaping from a reformatory, he becomes involved in a spiral of crime that includes drug trafficking and robberies.

The Secret Agent (2025)   

7,9 on IMDB

Where to watch: showing in Brazilian cinemas

Set in 1977, the film by Kleber Mendonça Son accompanies Marcelo (Wagner Moura)A technology professor flees a violent past in São Paulo to seek refuge in Recife during Carnival. However, his fresh start is interrupted when he realizes he's being watched by his neighbors and that the country's political chaos has followed him. The cast also includes... Maria Fernanda Cândido, Gabriel Leone, Alice Carvalho e Thomas Aquinas.

Central do Brasil (1998) 

8,0 on IMDB

Where to watch: Netflix, balloon play e Youtube

In one of the best national films, Dora (Fernanda Montenegro)A bitter former teacher earns a living writing letters for illiterate people at Central Station in Brazil. After the tragic death of a client, she decides to accompany the young boy. Joshua (Vinicius de Oliveira) on a journey through the northeastern backlands in search of the father the boy never knew.

Elite Squad (2007)  

8,0 on IMDB

Where to watch: HBO Max, Prime Video, Netflix e Youtube

The captain Birth (Wagner Moura) He commands a high-risk mission in Morro do Turano while searching for a replacement to leave BOPE. His path intersects with that of the aspiring officers. Neto (Caio Junqueira) e Matias (André Ramiro), who undergo rigorous training by elite troops to combat trafficking.

Elite Squad 2: The Enemy Is Now Another (2010) 

8,0 on IMDB

Where to watch: balloon play

After being removed from BOPE, Birth (Wagner Moura) He serves as Undersecretary of Intelligence in Rio de Janeiro. In his new role, he discovers that the true enemy is not only in drug trafficking, but infiltrated within the state through militias and corrupt politicians. The cast includes names such as Irandhir Santos, Your Jorge, Andre Mattos, Milhem Cortaz e Tainá Muller.

I'm Still Here (2024)  

8,1 on IMDB

Where to watch: balloon play

In this drama of Walter salles Based on the true story of the Paiva family, Brazil in 1970 lives under the harsh rule of the military dictatorship. After the former congressman Rubens Paiva (Selton Mello) to be taken away by agents of the regime and disappear, his wife Eunice (Fernanda Torres) He takes on the task of seeking justice and protecting his five children.

They Don't Wear Black-Tie (1981)  

8,2 on IMDB

Where to watch: Prime Video

Amid a strike movement at a metalworking factory in São Paulo, the veteran Otávio (Gianfrancesco Guarnieri) and your son Tião (Carlos Alberto Riccelli) They enter into a deep ideological clash. While the father leads the union struggle, the young man decides to break the strike for fear of losing his job and jeopardizing his marriage to his pregnant fiancée.

City of God (2002) 

8,6 on IMDB

Where to watch: HBO Max, Paramount +, balloon play e Netflix

With direction Fernando Meirelles e Katia Lund, in the heart of one of the most dangerous favelas in Rio de Janeiro, one of best films of the century The young man accompanies Buscapé (Alexandre Rodrigues) trying to escape a life of crime through his talent as a photographer. While the violent Zé Pequeno (Leandro Firmino) rises in the drug trade, the gaze of Buscapé Through the camera lens, it records the violence of the community over the decades.

O Auto da Compadecida (2000)  

8,6 on IMDB

Where to watch: balloon play

In the best Brazilian film on the list, we follow the adventures of João Grilo (Matheus Nachtergaele) e Chico (Selton Mello), two poor Northeasterners who rely on scams to survive. They are constantly deceiving the people of a small village, including the feared bandit Severino of Aracaju (Marco Nanini), who is chasing them through the region. The cast also includes Fernanda Montenegro, Rogério Cardoso, Denise Fraga, Virginia Cavendish e Bruno Garcia.

Which of these films is the biggest success in Brazilian cinema for you? Leave your comment below!

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Text revised by Alexandre Marques in 11 / 01 / 2025.

Source: Abraccine.