A peasant's son taught Rio to worship feathers, sequins, and pure audacity.
Biopic about the late Joãozinho Trinta, a self-taught classical dancer who turned Rio's Carnival into an international phenomenon in the 1970s and '80s by directing parades for samba schools and putting focus on costumes and decor.
Acting
Nachtergaele's physical transformation into Trinta's flamboyant precision.
Production
Recreating 1970s Sambódromo spectacle on indie budget.
Costume
Feather headdresses that weigh more than your car.
Director
Paulo Machline
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Real Beija-Flor dancers appear as extras; some performed in Trinta's actual 1980s parades.
Trinta's 'poor is beautiful' philosophy directly challenged elite dismissal of samba as 'vulgar'—the film barely scratches how radical this was in 1970s Brazil.
BR
