Abstract

This paper focuses on the flourishing presence of Lusophone women filmmakers in contemporary cinema, particularly in Brazil, Portugal, and Portuguesespeaking African countries. While earlier studies highlighted the scarcity of women’s contributions, we now shift the lens to the remarkable advances in recent decades. Drawing on ongoing doctoral research, we analyze more recent publications — such as Karla Holanda’s Mulheres de Cinema (2019), Nina Rodrigues’s intersectional approaches, and Helena Ignez’s pioneering work — alongside data compiled on the “Mulheres Audiovisual” platform. We also incorporate insights from bell hooks, Lélia Gonzalez, and Beatriz Nascimento to underscore how race, gender, and identity dialogues shape today’s cinematic narratives. This open-access digital tool catalogs and publicizes the work of various women directors, including Black and Indigenous filmmakers whose voices are increasingly reshaping the audiovisual field. We explore new policy frameworks and funding programs, referencing Orlandi (2021) and Martins (2021) on strategies and challenges faced by contemporary women filmmakers. Rather than reiterating invisibility, this paper highlights collective networks, digital expansion, and social critique. Ultimately, we argue that Lusophone women now shape the cinematic sphere through artistic innovation and collaborative agency.