Screen can reveal the first trailer for Julia de Simone’s Brazilian drama Praia Formosa which will have its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR, January 25-February 4) in the Tiger Competition. 

The Portuguese-language film explores the multi-ethnic ethos of Rio de Janeiro from the perspective of Muanza, a woman from the kingdom of Congo smuggled into Brazil in the 19th century. As the protagonist mysteriously wakes up in the present day, she explores Rio de Janeiro’s mercurial port region of Pequena Africa (Little Africa).

Competing for the top prize at IFFR, Praia Formosa is the third feature-length film by de Simone. Regular collaborator Aline Portugal returns to co-write the screenplay with Mariana Luiza.

Praia Formosa is produced by Brazil’s Mirada Filmes, the company created by de Simone, Portugal, and Marcelo Grabowsky. 

Anavilhana (Luana Melgoço) and Uma pedra no sapato (Filipa Reis) are co-producers along with Mirada Filmes. Uma pedra no sapato/Magenta is handling world sales.

It will start screening at IFFR on January 26 and will continue showing till February 3.

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