When the Lens Meets the Leaf: Cannabis Film Festival Debuts in Brazil
Free event brings together films, debates, and exhibitions to rethink cannabis through the lens of art and culture
Amid the sounds of the city and the beauty of Rio de Janeiro, cannabis, often silenced, becomes the protagonist. For the first time in Brazil, the International Cannabis Film Festival (FICC) arrives to impact the way society views the plant and everything it represents.
From October 20 to 24, 2025, the Cultural Center of UERJ (COART), at the Maracanã Campus of the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), will host the first Brazilian edition of FICC. Admission is free, and the event promises to broaden and deepen the debate about cannabis in Brazil and the world, from a cultural and communicational perspective.
Much More Than Cinema: Art, Dialogue, and Resistance
Since 2019, the festival has passed through Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, with editions marked by diverse perspectives. Now, organized by Cannabis Monitor Brazil, FICC expands its territory and arrives in Brazil to build new bridges between cannabis culture and civil society.
At the heart of the project is the desire to deconstruct stigmas and stimulate critical dialogue about cannabis, valuing productions that address the plant with artistic and political depth.
According to the organizers, the festival is transversal and inclusive, aimed at activists, artists, musicians, cultural producers, film lovers, students, media professionals, patients, doctors, researchers, entrepreneurs, and all those interested in understanding the role of cannabis in contemporary culture. Special attention will be given to urban peripheries, which experience the impacts of prohibition daily and will now have a voice through art.
Films, Debates, and Discussion Circles
The program will feature short and feature films, including documentaries, fiction, music videos, and animations, focusing on cannabis. The categories of the main showcase include: Best Feature Film; Best Documentary; Best Short Film; and Best Film (Audience Choice).
In addition to screenings, there will be discussion panels and conversation circles with directors, researchers, and activists. FICC will also feature workshops, a literary space, and an art exhibition.
Submissions Open for Films
The call for films will be open from July 15 to August 15, 2025. Interested parties can apply for this and future South American editions (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay) through this link.
Service
International Cannabis Film Festival (FICC) – Rio de Janeiro Edition
Date: October 20 to 24, 2025;
Time: from 11 AM to 8 PM;
Location: Cultural Center of UERJ (COART), R. São Francisco Xavier, 524 – Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro – RJ;
Admission: free;
Film submission period: July 15 to August 15, 2025.