Brazil will be the official country of honor at this year’s Marché du Film, the Cannes film market, an acknowledgment of the growing strength of Brazilian cinema internationally.

The South American country's rich cinema and cultural legacy to be highlighted during the 78th Cannes Film Festival, tied to Brazil-France bicentennial

Brazil, which is having a banner start of the year with Walter Salles’ “I’m Still Here” nominated for three Academy Awards including best picture, has been named country of honor for the upcoming edition of the Cannes Film Market.

Brazil will be the country of honor at the Cannes Film Festival’s Marché du Film, running from May 13 to 21. The spotlight comes amid Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s drive to make the audiovisual sector a key pole of his country’s economic strategy.