Fernando Aranha

Motel Destino, a sex hotel in Northern Brazil, is run by the hot-headed Elias and his restless wife, Dayana. When a young gang member on the run named Heraldo stays at the motel, Dayana becomes intrigued with him. As the two navigate a dance of power and desire, a dangerous plan for freedom emerges.

Thirty years after a school photo was taken in City of God, a filmmaker and former student seeks out his old classmates from Class 101. The documentary explores life paths shaped by inequality, survival, and loss. A reunion at their old school culminates in the recreation of the original image, bridging past and present in a collective portrait of the favela.

In a dystopian future, the Brazilian government decrees a measure that forces black citizens to migrate to Africa in an attempt to return to their origins. Seeing themselves in the center of terror, two cousins take refuge in an apartment, where they debate social and racial issues, and share the same yearning for the change of country.

Adyr, a brilliant scientist working at a public university in Rio de Janeiro, conducts cutting-edge research into psychedelics as a treatment for alcoholism—the disease that claimed her husband’s life. When she becomes the target of a group seeking to appropriate her work, Adyr must fight to complete her research while protecting her own life and that of her son, Tom.

The historical, political, and social context of Brazil in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, and the impact of each decade on the life and work of the acclaimed actress Marília Pêra.

Dé, Adrianim and Martins are three black teenagers from Chatuba, Rio de Janeiro. When Dé receives the news that Almerinda, his grandmother, is in the terminal phase of Alzheimer's disease, he decides to enjoy the last days of her life together with his two best friends.

On the border between the real and the fantastic, between the colonial past and the overwhelming modernity of agribusiness, the city of Goiás is the scene of the meeting between the young Fernanda and her secret roots. She returns to the home of her wealthy uncle, after the death of her adoptive mother, in order to implode the certainties and to reveal the painful truth about its origin.

Thiago Soares is a young man from the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro who leaves hip hop behind and embarks on the world of classical ballet. His story takes on unexpected turns through his troubled relationship with his mentor, the Cuban Dino Carrera, who improves Thiago's talent until he reaches stardom by becoming the principal dancer of the Royal Ballet in London.

After retiring in 2022, Squel Jorgea decided to return to Rio’s Carnival. A flag-bearer for over twenty years, she began her career at Grande Rio, where she danced for eleven seasons and became the first to represent both Mangueira and Portela, the two most traditional samba schools. After navigating single motherhood, she has rediscovered the physicality, movement, and strength that established her as a leading figure in the art form; she now dances a theme inspired by the book "Um Defeito de Cor", a son’s letter to his enslaved mother, a narrative that deeply resonates with her own life story. Between the silence and the beat of the drums, her dance transforms into a ritual, an act of resistance, and a celebration of Afro-Brazilian culture.

One couple, one night, an entire relationship of years.

This work explores the culture and influences that shaped the creation and performance of the songs on Vivo!, the third album by Pernambuco-born singer-songwriter Alceu Valença, released in 1976. Through this album, it paints a portrait of the birth of Pernambuco’s psychedelic scene, ranging from its visual art and fantastical characters to the initial forays toward Rio de Janeiro and mainstream success. It is a journey back to the 1970s, viewed through the lens of today and the eyes of tomorrow.

Less than three months before the presidential elections in Brazil, a renowned newscaster faces an explosive ethical conflict that involves his work at the head of his program and his personal relationship with two presidential candidates named as favorites in the polls.

Célio, a regular at samba circles, falls in love with a beautiful and mysterious woman who is always singing at the edge of the circle. Every time he tries to approach her, she disappears—always at the same time.

Mia is a self-centered witch who possesses an unusual power: whoever kisses her falls in love with her or falls back in love with the last person they loved. In one of her jobs, however, she ends up falling in love with the woman she was supposed to cast a spell on.

A young boy on a mission to collect what he believes to be his father’s remains gets sucked into the underbelly of the migrant industry in Mexico.

Short film about the importance of sound in cinema made by filmmaker and sound designer Fernando Aranha.

Finding shelter in an abandoned mansion, a group faces the challenges of coexistence. Free from traditional power structures, the black women experience power, love, and the possibility of dreaming about the future, while the white women resist learning to help with household chores, take care of themselves, and face their mistakes. When an old threat resurfaces, however, they all must band together to survive.

An old man and a boy exchange shots in the fog.