English Language Movies in São Paulo

Information on how to find full listings of what's showing at the movies today in São Paulo, and where to find your nearest cinema...

There are many cinemas in São Paulo that show foreign language movies. These may be either dubbed into Portuguese or in the original language with Portuguese subtitles.

• The cinema programme will show LEG or legendado if the film is to be shown in its original language with Portuguese subtitles
• It will show DUB or dublado if the film will be shown dubbed into Portuguese

Children's foreign films will almost invariably be dubbed into Portuguese. It is usually possible to find a cinema showing recent releases in their original language with subtitles, at least during the first few of weeks after release.

Find out more about a particular film and its original language with the Internet Movie Database.

Programme Guides

Cinemas change their programming on Fridays and both the leading newspapers in São Paulo, Folha de São Paulo and Estado de São Paulo, publish a weekly events guide called Guia da Semana, which is distributed free with the Friday edition. As well as providing a full cinema guide with films, show times and addresses, these guides also provide information on theatre, clubs, children's activities, restaurants, galleries and other events taking place in and around the city.

Ticket Prices

Full price cinema tickets (inteira) vary in price. Children, students and the elderly pay half price (meia entrada). All cinemas offer special discounts for all sessions on Wednesdays.

Cinemas in São Paulo

The cinema infrastructure in São Paulo is split into the large US-style cinema chains and the smaller independent movie houses.

There are two large chains operating in the city, with the majority of their cinemas located in shopping centres: Cinemark and Playarte. These chains tend to present first run features from the USA and the UK, as well as the more popular foreign language films from Europe and Latin America.

Some of the independent movie theatres show a mix of both first run feature films and art house films from all over the world, while some specialise in one or the other, and there are a few which specialise in the classics.

The main cinemas are:

• Espaço Unibanco Augusta
  At: Rua Augusta 1,740, Consolação 
  Tel: (11) 3288 6780
• Espaço Unibanco Pompéia (São Paulo's first Imax cinema)
  At: Rua Turiassu 2,100, Perdizes 
  Tel: (11) 3673 3949
• Unibanco Arteplex 
  At: Shopping Frei Caneca, Rua Frei Caneca 569, Centro 
  Tel: (11) 3472 2365
• Cine IG
  At: Rua Fradique Coutinho 361, Pinheiros 
  Tel: (11) 5096 0585
• HSBC Belas Artes
  At: Rua da Consolação 2423, Centro 
  Tel: (11) 3258 4092
• Reserva Cultural de Cinema
  At: Avenida Paulista 900, Centro
  Tel: (11) 3287 3529

Arts cinemas

• MIS (Museum of Image and Sound)
  At: Avenida Europa, 158, Jardim Europa 
  Tel: (11) 3093 7800

Cinemateca is a federally controlled arts cinema and archive, housing the nation's film collection. The films change daily based around a number of different classic and Brazilian film seasons which run simultaneously.

• Cinemateca
  At: Largo Senador Raul Cardoso 207, Vila Clementino
  Tel: (11) 3512 6111