Politics · Brazil · 2 hrs ago
São Paulo film festival audience chants support for Lula
Guests at the São Paulo film festival’s opening chanted in support of Lula on Wednesday night.
The festival is marking its 50th year and screens films from major international festivals as well as less widely seen productions.
Lula is facing Flávio Bolsonaro in Brazil’s presidential runoff on Oct.
25.
Audiovisual Secretary Joelma Gonzaga linked Brazilian cinema with democracy and urged people to support Lula.
Producer Rodrigo Teixeira made Lula’s “L” hand sign on stage, while filmmaker James Gray stood beside him.
The festival runs through Oct.
29, with films showing in cinemas across São Paulo.
Audience members at the opening of the São Paulo International Film Festival chanted in support of President Lula.
The chants began after presenter Serginho Groisman recalled the festival’s first edition in 1977 and spoke about Brazil’s military dictatorship.
The audience chanted Lula’s name again after a speech by Audiovisual Secretary Joelma Gonzaga.
Producer Rodrigo Teixeira made Lula’s “L” hand sign on stage but did not mention the election in his speech.
Lula is set to face Flávio Bolsonaro in the presidential election’s second round on October 25.
The festival’s 50th edition runs through October 29.
- Who
- Audience members, many from the audiovisual sector, at the festival opening.
- What
- They chanted in support of President Lula.
- When
- Wednesday night; the article was published on October 14, 2026.
- Where
- Sala São Paulo, in São Paulo, Brazil.
- Why
- The sources report the chants followed speeches recalling the military dictatorship and warning about the stakes of the election.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The first edition of the São Paulo International Film Festival was held.
At the festival’s opening, the audience chanted Lula’s name after Serginho Groisman recalled the event’s first edition.
The audience chanted in support of Lula again after Joelma Gonzaga’s speech.
Lula is set to face Flávio Bolsonaro in the presidential election’s second round.
The festival is scheduled to end.
- Festival edition
- 50th
- Opening venue
- Sala São Paulo
- Festival end date
- October 29
- Election second round
- October 25
- Opening film
- Tigre de Papel, directed by James Gray
What people are saying
We only have one path. We only have President Lula.
There are 12 days to decide whether we will allow a project of necropolitics to advance across the country.
It was a very difficult time, which I hope does not return.