In addition to state-level interference, the letter points to irregularities on social media. The signatories cite reports from media observers regarding the reach of political content on Meta-owned platforms, specifically Instagram. They allege that President Lula da Silva’s official accounts have experienced sudden and unexplained declines in visibility, difficulties with search results, and a total inability to utilize paid advertising tools. Conversely, they highlight a suspicious scheme involving a US-based website that allegedly promoted advertisements for Flávio Bolsonaro in exchange for cryptocurrency tokens, under the guise of a charitable initiative for children in Uganda. These digital discrepancies, along with ongoing Federal Police investigations into suspected cash payments to voters in rural areas, paint a picture of an electoral process that the filmmakers believe is being systematically undermined.
For the Brazilian film community, the stakes of this election are also deeply professional. The letter serves as a reminder of the "scorched earth" policy enacted against the arts during the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro. During that period, the Ministry of Culture was abolished and relegated to a minor secretariat, the Audiovisual Sector Fund (FSA) was frozen, and numerous cultural institutions were gutted of leadership and funding. The signatories recall a climate of "ideological screening" and de facto censorship that paralyzed the industry for years. They argue that the health of the audiovisual sector is "inseparable from defending democracy," and they fear that a Flávio Bolsonaro victory would lead to a permanent dismantling of the infrastructure that allows Brazilian stories to reach the world stage.
The humanitarian record of the previous administration also looms large in the letter. The filmmakers reference the complaint filed against Jair Bolsonaro at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which focused on his administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 600,000 recorded deaths, the complaint argues that more than half of those fatalities could have been prevented through standard public health measures and the timely acquisition of vaccines. Furthermore, the letter notes that Brazil returned to the United Nations’ Hunger Map under the elder Bolsonaro’s watch—a tragic reversal of decades of social progress.
The signatories express alarm that Flávio Bolsonaro’s economic platform appears to be modeled on the aggressive austerity policies of President Javier Milei in neighboring Argentina. They warn that these "chainsaw" cuts to social security and public services would disproportionately harm the most vulnerable sectors of Brazilian society while further starving the cultural and educational sectors of necessary investment. The letter criticizes much of Brazil’s mainstream media for "normalizing" these developments and failing to treat the allegations of criminal conduct and democratic subversion with the necessary gravity.
Beyond the headlining names, the letter is supported by a broad spectrum of the industry’s most respected figures. Signatories include Alice Braga (I’m Still Here, City of God), Karim Aïnouz (The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão), Sônia Braga (Aquarius, Kiss of the Spider Woman), Gabriel Mascaro (The Blue Trail), Carolina Markowicz (Charcoal), Anita Rocha da Silveira (Medusa), Anna Muylaert (The Second Mother), and Laís Bodanzky (Brainstorm). The support of Ilda Santiago, the director of the Rio Film Festival, further emphasizes the institutional weight behind the message.
