VIS Unveils Writing Room for Diverse Content Creation

ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS) has launched Narrativas Negras (Black Narratives), a Brazil-based collective of Black writers to develop representative and inclusive content.

The team of authors based in Brazil will be led by Marton Olympio and includes the collaboration of Renata Diniz, Eliana Alves Cruz, Estevão Ribeiro and Lidiane Oliveira. Together, they will develop projects across series, fiction and films. They will also serve as diversity and inclusion consultants, providing insights that align with the market’s evolving demands.

ViacomCBS International Studios announced last November that 25 percent of its budget in Latin America would be invested in creating and developing BIPOC content.

Federico Cuervo, senior VP and head of VIS Americas, said: “For us to be successful, it’s important that the content we develop speaks to and attracts the different viewers that are out there. We especially want to raise those voices and highlight stories that are not well represented in media. Black Narratives is an important first step; however, it only marks the beginning of our efforts to create more diverse content that represents cultures worldwide. This initiative is starting in Brazil but will be replicated in other regions to enrich our product offering with different perspectives that identify with other ethnicities and groups.”

Marton Olympio, director of Narrativas Negras, said: “Writers are storytellers. We are extremely excited to be a part of this project and be able to share our stories, important stories that need to be told, all over the world.”