Embaúba Filmes

What Embaúba Filmes does

Embaúba Filmes is a privately held Brazilian cinema distribution company founded in 2018 and headquartered in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The company specializes in distributing Brazilian auteur and independent films with cultural and political relevance, operating a three-pillar distribution model: (1) traditional theatrical and festival distribution, (2) the Embaúba Play proprietary streaming platform launched in 2021 with more than 550 titles focused on contemporary Brazilian cinema, and (3) the Circuito Embaúba alternative exhibition network that brings screenings to cineclubs, schools, and universities in cities lacking commercial cinemas. The company serves film exhibition industry clients (cinemas, streaming platforms, pay-TV operators, alternative exhibition spaces) as well as Brazilian cinema enthusiast consumers through Embaúba Play.

Embaúba generates revenue through transaction fees on theatrical exhibition, licensing royalties from VOD/streaming sales to platforms including Netflix, Globoplay, Apple TV, Prime Video, Claro tv+, and Vivo Play, transaction fees from special screening sessions via Circuito Embaúba, and consumer subscription or transactional revenue on Embaúba Play. The company leverages film festival premieres — Cannes, Festival do Rio, Brasília, Tiradentes, and FidMarseille — as a primary go-to-market channel, with films opening Cannes (Marte Um, 2022) and receiving Special Jury Prize at Un Certain Regard (Chuva é Cantoria, 2024) anchoring international visibility.

The company is founder-led by Daniel Queiroz, a film programmer with over a decade of experience at Cine Humberto Mauro, Cine 104, Festival Internacional de Curtas de Belo Horizonte, Festival de Brasília, and Semana dos Realizadores. Embaúba operates with approximately 8 employees, is not publicly listed, and shows no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or institutional investor involvement. Films in the Embaúba catalog have been exhibited internationally in France, Chile, Switzerland, the United States, England, Portugal, Austria, and Uruguay.

Name

Embaúba Filmes

Legal name

Embaúba Filmes

Website

https://embaubafilmes.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Embaúba Filmes is a privately held Brazilian independent cinema distributor founded in 2018 in Belo Horizonte, operating theatrical distribution, the Embaúba Play streaming platform (550+ titles), and the Circuito Embaúba alternative exhibition network for Brazilian auteur films.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Film Distribution Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (512120), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Theatrical Distribution (Educational, Airlines, Cruise, Community) (MPADAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theatrical Distribution (International) (MPADAJAB), International Sales & Licensing (Territory Pre-Sales) (MPADAJAC)

Keywords

• Independent film distribution
• Brazilian auteur cinema
• VOD licensing services
• Alternative film exhibition
• Film festival strategy

Headquarters

HQ city

Belo Horizonte

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Cinema Distribution: Revenue from theatrical distribution of Brazilian independent films in commercial cinemas across Brazil.
2. Streaming/VOD Licensing: Licensing of film rights to streaming platforms including Netflix, Globoplay, Apple TV, Prime Video, and the company's own Embaúba Play platform.
3. Special Screening Sessions: Revenue from special screening events through the Circuito Embaúba network, partnering with cineclubs, schools, and independent exhibition spaces.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Embaúba Filmes is a Brazilian cinema distribution company that manages the full distribution cycle for independent auteur films, including festival premieres, theatrical release in commercial cinemas, TV and VOD licensing, and special screenings. It operates the Embaúba Play streaming platform with over 550 films and the Circuito Embaúba alternative exhibition network that reaches cities without commercial cinema presence. The company focuses on culturally and politically significant Brazilian films rather than commercial mainstream content.

Product overview

Embaúba Filmes is a specialized Brazilian cinema distributor created in 2018 and headquartered in Belo Horizonte. The company operates a multi-channel distribution model consisting of three interconnected offerings: its core Embaúba Filmes distribution service (handling theatrical releases, festival premieres, and TV/VOD licensing), the Embaúba Play streaming platform (providing consumer access to over 550 contemporary Brazilian films), and the Circuito Embaúba (an alternative screening circuit targeting non-commercial venues such as film clubs, universities, and schools). The distributor focuses on culturally and politically significant authorial films, with Daniel Queiroz serving as director.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Embaúba Play: Streaming platform focused on contemporary Brazilian cinema with over 550 films available. Launched in 2021.

Products and services

• Embaúba Filmes Distribution Service
• Embaúba Play Streaming Platform
• Circuito Embaúba Alternative Exhibition Network

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 550 films available on Embaúba Play platform
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Cineclubs and Independent Exhibition SpacescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership network through Circuito Embaúba with cineclubs, schools, universities, and independent exhibition spaces across Brazil to enable film screenings in cities without commercial cinema presence.
• NetflixcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensing agreement for distributing Embaúba films on Netflix platform, including titles like A Flor do Buriti, Marte Um, and A Filha do Palhaço.
• GloboplaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Brazilian streaming platform Globoplay for distribution of Embaúba's film catalog including Marte Um.
• Apple TVmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational digital distribution partnership through Apple TV for films like A Flor do Buriti, Morte e Vida Madalena, and others.
• Prime VideomajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational streaming distribution through Amazon Prime Video for Embaúba film catalog.
• Claro tv+majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrazilian pay-TV platform distribution for Embaúba catalog films.
• Vivo PlaymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrazilian streaming platform distribution for Embaúba catalog including films like As Cores e Amores de Lore, Zé, and others.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MUBI: Global curated streaming platform specializing in arthouse, independent, and festival cinema. Comparable to Embaúba Play in vertical specialization on auteur cinema with a curated catalog model.
• Pandora Filmes: Brazilian independent distributor focused on auteur cinema with theatrical, festival, and TV/VOD sales operations. Closely aligned with Embaúba in serving the same filmmaker and exhibitor ecosystem.
• Vitrine Filmes: One of Brazil's leading independent film distributors, distributing auteur and festival-circuit Brazilian films theatrically and to VOD platforms. Directly comparable in mission, catalog focus, and GTM motion to Embaúba.
• Films Boutique: Berlin-based international sales company representing auteur and festival-circuit films for global licensing. Comparable in festival strategy, sales-agent function, and relationship with auteur filmmakers.
• California Filmes: Brazilian independent film distributor with theatrical release expertise across Brazilian auteur cinema. Directly comparable in distribution channels, target filmmakers, and theatrical-to-VOD cycle.
• Imovision: Brazilian distributor with a long-standing catalog of independent and international films, operating theatrical and home entertainment channels. Comparable in distribution model and target audience.
• Bretz Filmes: Brazilian independent distributor with a focus on documentary and auteur cinema, operating across festivals, theatrical, and streaming. Comparable in catalog type, filmmaker relationships, and alternative exhibition approach.

Broad incumbents

• A24: US-based independent entertainment company producing and distributing arthouse and festival-grade films globally. Comparable in auteur cinema focus, festival-driven strategy, and expansion into streaming/owned platforms.
• NEON: US independent film distributor with strong festival-tied acquisitions and theatrical release capabilities. Comparable in festival strategy, auteur positioning, and selective distribution approach.
• Janus Films: Long-established US distributor of arthouse and repertory cinema, also associated with The Criterion Collection streaming service. Comparable in curatorial approach and deep catalog of auteur cinema.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/embaubafilmes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/embauba-filmes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Embaúba Filmes