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Paulo Branco

Golden Globe-winning film producer Paulo Branco proved revolutionary in his native Portugal when he founded V.O. Filmes with Antonio-Pedro Vasconcelos. At the time, film productions in Portugal were funded almost exclusively by the state, meaning the government had artistic control of the nation's cinematic output. However, using V.O. Filmes, Branco found funding elsewhere and broke this bond of censorship. He also founded his own distribution company, called Hors-Champ, and by distributing his films in France he became familiar with a number of French filmmakers. From there, he began producing international productions. Branco has proved prolific, producing more than 230 titles since he first helped produce the political documentary "Torre Bela" in 1975. Part of the reason for this impressively high output is that Branco's standard pattern is to simultaneously produce two films: one that is likely to do well financially, and one riskier endeavor that is less commercially viable. This method has built and secured his reputation as an artistically respected producer as well as a sharp businessman, and has also created a safe space for budding international auteurs to experiment. For his efforts, Branco has earned a string of Portugal's Golden Globe nominations, finally taking home the statue in 2007 for the haunted house horror "Coisa Ruim."