Theo Selected for Three Brazilian Film Festivals

Theo, the 15-minute Brazilian fiction short film co-written and co-directed by Jo Galvv and Monica Palazzo, has been selected for three Brazilian film festivals in 2026, expanding its reach among audiences across the country.

Set in Brazil during the 1986 FIFA World Cup, the film follows seven-year-old Theo, who challenges rigid gender expectations by claiming a place on the boys’ soccer team. Through a passion for football and quiet acts of rebellion, Theo begins to define their own identity in a world that seeks to dictate who they should be.

The new selections include the 11th Festival Curta Campos do Jordão, taking place from October 17 to 24; the fourth Goiânia International Film Festival (GIFF), scheduled for November 18 to 23; and the eighth OFFCine – International Independent Film Festival, running from November 26 to December 6.

Held in Campos do Jordão, São Paulo, the Festival Curta Campos do Jordão celebrates independent short filmmaking from across Brazil, with in-person screenings and online access to its competitive programme. The Goiânia International Film Festival brings independent Brazilian and international cinema to audiences through screenings, discussions and activities dedicated to film culture. At this year’s GIFF, Theo was selected for Mostra Giffinho, the festival’s programme dedicated to children’s films.

OFFCine, based in Varginha, Minas Gerais, promotes independent cinema and encourages cultural exchange between filmmakers and audiences beyond Brazil’s major filmmaking centres.

These selections continue Theo’s festival journey following its world premiere at BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival and its international circulation through Five Films for Freedom, a partnership between the British Council and BFI Flare. In 2026, the film also received the TV Cultura Acquisition Award and the CineSolar Award at the 37th São Paulo International Short Film Festival, Kinoforum.

Co-produced by Filmes de Abril, Casa Díaz and ZZ Imagem e Som, Theo was supported by the Audiovisual Narratives for Children – Shorts programme (FSA/MinC/ANCINE).