Liberal Party presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro affirmed on Sunday that there was no wrongdoing involved in the private financing of Dark Horse, an upcoming biographical film about his father, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
Speaking in an interview with Brazilian television network TV Record, the senator denied that the film's production had drawn on any public money. He said he remained entirely calm regarding scrutiny over the project's financial backing, insisting that all funds were raised legally through private sources.
Flávio Bolsonaro stated that it was completely legitimate for a son to seek private corporate sponsorship for a commercial project without turning to taxpayer funding. He specifically noted that the filmmakers did not apply for support under the Rouanet Law, Brazil's federal cultural incentive framework that allows businesses to deduct tax liabilities when funding approved arts projects. He added that the finished production would be ready for public viewing very soon.
Court Audit and Financial Accountability
According to the senator, the production company responsible for Dark Horse submitted its complete financial accounts directly to the judiciary, which reviewed the documentation and found no evidence of improper conduct. He explained that an official expert audit was conducted on the records, confirming that no public money was allocated to the film and that no illegalities took place during its creation. In Brazil, formal accounting filings submitted to judicial authorities undergo systematic audits to verify compliance with private and public financial regulations.
Flávio Bolsonaro emphasized that corporate sponsorship for the movie began in 2025, well after Jair Bolsonaro had concluded his term as head of state. Jair Bolsonaro served as president of Brazil from 2019 to 2022 as leader of the right-wing Liberal Party. Flávio Bolsonaro currently represents Rio de Janeiro in the Federal Senate of Brazil and is campaigning for the country's presidency, while the production team prepares to release the film to audiences.
