Heitor Dhalia, one of Brazil’s most prominent and ambitious filmmakers, director of “Drained”, “Adrift” and “Bald Mountain”, has partnered with Netflix to create “DNA do Crime”, a standout title for the giant streaming American in Brazil. , one of its largest international markets.
Described by Dhalia as “one of the biggest series ever produced in Brazil,” the eight-part scripted skein, set to begin production on October 31, revolves around a heist of epic proportions, taking place on the border between Brazil and Paraguay.
When the federal police officers are called to investigate, they discover “the beginning of a thread that unravels, like no other, the construction of crime in the country,” reads the synopsis.
“The series will try to open a new paradigm for the genre,” said Dhalia. Variety. “It also speaks to the tragic flaws in all of us, our deep nature,” she added.
Inspired by real events, Dhalia creates “DNA do Crime”. The initial idea for him was developed by Dhalia, Leonardo Levis (“Hermandad”) and editor-writer Bernardo Barcellos (“Dente por Dente”). It is produced by Paranoid Filmes, Dhalia’s label, and Netflix Brazil. Dhalia will oversee the overall direction of the series and its production in conjunction with Netflix. The screenwriters are Barcellos and Bruno Passeri (“Os Ausentes”), “both extremely talented and with a lot of experience in the genre”, commented Dhalia.
Admired art-essay author Aly Muritiba, a specialist in the pivotal point of view (“Rust”, “Desert Particular”), assisted in the development of the first stage, as did Levis. The writers room includes David Kobi, Rosana Rodini, Mariana Vielmond, Eduardo Melo and Juaar.
Dhalia broke out with her second feature film, “Drained” (2006), a dramatic comedy of obsession, with Selton Mello, then directed the father-daughter relationship “Adrift”, with Vincent Cassel, selected for Un Certain Regard at Cannes 2009. After the The English-language abduction thriller “Gone,” with Amanda Seyfried, took another change of direction by co-writing and directing “Bald Mountain” (2013), a gangster-tinged Western epic about a friendship torn apart by greed and corruption. in 1980 in Sierra Pelada, the largest open pit mine in modern history, in the Amazon jungle.
From what Dahlia said Variety (see below), “DNA do Crime” seems to inherit the ambition of that film. Predictably, he will also adopt some of his kinetic style in the action scenes.
Dhalia’s latest big title comes as in recent decades he has alternated films, multi-part “Tungsten” (2018) and “Anna” (2019), with high-profile crime series like Globo’s “Tainted” (2014). , and more especially “Arcanjo Renegado,” (2020-21) for Globo’s exclusive SVID service, Globoplay.
“DNA do Crime” is one of the four new productions announced by Netflix Brazil on Monday, September 5. Two more new titles star Brazilian comedy megastar Leandro Hassum: the “BO” series and the movie “Meu Cunhado e um Vámpiro.” He has started production on a new four-part miniseries, inspired by the 1993 murder of eight homeless people, including six minors, in front of the Candelária Church in Rio de Janeiro. Luis Lomenha (“Minha Rua”) acts as showrunner.
Netflix Brazil also announced a sequel to the movie “Rich in Love” and four series renewals: “Sintonia” Season 4, “Back to 15” Season 2, “Smother-in-Law” Season 2 and “Love Is Blind: Brazil”. “Season 3.
The new slate announcement, Netflix’s third in 10 months in Brazil, comes as it scales up top shows like “Senna,” branching out across genres and strongly pushing regional and minority talent. In 2022, Netflix will invest 5 million Brazilian reais ($967,000) in training programs for local talent, targeting in part underrepresented groups. The programs include a new initiative, Segundo Ato, for black and indigenous screenwriters.
“We want our creative and production partners to have the best experience working with us to bring amazing stories to our members. And although today the landscape is very different from where we started, there is one thing that remains absolutely the same: our commitment to the Brazilian creative community. Brazil is a fundamental part of our strategy”, said Elizabetta Zenatti, VP of Brazil Content at Netflix.
Here is a more complete version of variety short interview with Heitor Dhalia:
How new is the series for the Brazilian production? And what’s new?
This is one of the biggest series ever produced in Brazil. A series about crime and borders. We are rising to a place that has not yet been reached in Brazil. The series will try to open a new paradigm for the genre, raising the complexity of the elements involved.
And how big? I think it’s Netflix’s big thriller bet for the second half of 2022…
The series covers bank robberies, city domination and brings to the forefront the world’s biggest gangs of bank robbers. These are highly complex and highly planned operations. My creative process as director contemplated all these challenges, as if we were going to build a chessboard, in which our lenses occupy the columns and diagonals. A series about reasoning, investigation and spectacular actions.
How do you envision yourself directing the episodes, with what kind of directing style in terms of camera work, lenses, lighting, etc.
The series, inspired by real events, aims to understand the DNA of crime in Brazil and show the complexity of the country’s criminal groups, which are expanding to other countries on the continent. It also speaks to the tragic flaws in all of us, our deep nature. The series also shows the police trying to reinvent themselves as an increasingly prepared antagonist, with ever-growing ambitions.
The series, I think, traces the heist back to parts of Brazil’s ruling elite, including political bigwigs. It is advertised as “unraveling, like no other, the construction of crime in the country.” Could you comment?
I’ve always done auteur films, but for the last three years we’ve been doing very successful crime series. I always liked this genre that has attracted great directors. Crime has a fascinating plot and takes us to a deep place in the human being. I want to bring an author’s signature every time to such a fascinating genre. I am still interested in another type of narrative, but the enormous success and recognition of recent works encourages me to continue in this line. Doing big projects for a big audience in my country and around the world encourages me to keep going.
How would you place “DNA do Crime” in your work as an author and where do you want to take your career as a director and producer?
“DNA do Crime” has high values of creation, direction and production. We are working on this pre-production phase, as we will start filming at the end of October, to turn this crime investigation story into an incredible series for fans of the genre.
