Feature by Jeferson De finishes shooting in Rio, honors Carolina Maria de Jesus and brings a star-studded cast led by Maria Gal.
Adaptation of a Brazilian literary landmark
Shooting for “Carolina – Quarto de Despejo” has wrapped in Rio de Janeiro. Directed by Jeferson De and produced by Clélia Bessa, the feature stars actress Maria Gal in the lead role. The film adapts the book “Quarto de Despejo: Diário de uma Favelada”, by Carolina Maria de Jesus, first published in 1960.
Filming took place at locations such as the Rio de Janeiro State Legislative Assembly (Alerj) and the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood. In addition, scenes were shot at Estúdios Quanta Rio, where production designer Billy Castilho recreated the Canindé favela of the 1950s on a set of more than 400 m².
To build this environment, the team used two large LED screens with a combined area exceeding 70 m². The film is produced by Move Maria, Raccord Produções and Buda Filmes, with Globo Filmes as coproducer and Elo Studios handling distribution. The script is written by Maíra Oliveira.
Special appearances and emotional scenes
The adaptation of one of the most important works in Brazilian literature features several special appearances. Vera Eunice, daughter of Carolina Maria de Jesus, shares the screen with Maria Gal and Laura Vick, who portrays Vera as a child. On a particularly moving day, cast and crew were touched as Vera revisited memories of her childhood with her mother.
Another emotional moment brought writers Conceição Evaristo, Eliana Alves Cruz and Fernanda Felisberto into a scene that pays homage to the acclaimed film “Central Station” (1998). In Walter Salles’s classic, Dora, played by Fernanda Montenegro, writes letters for illiterate people. In the new film, Carolina fills out eviction forms for residents of the Canindé favela.
In this sequence, the writers play women from the community who seek Carolina’s help. While production was underway, the set also welcomed visitors. Actor Lázaro Ramos and music director Jarbas Bittencourt visited at the start of shooting, contributing to the atmosphere of artistic collaboration.
Tributes on set and the film’s storyline
Actress Glória Pires also visited the set, as did filmmaker Rosane Svartman, who serves as associate producer on the project. Throughout preparation and filming, the team kept an altar with photos of Carolina Maria de Jesus and Lucas Colombo, son of actress Ju Colombo, who passed away suddenly in the United States in April this year.
The film tells the story of Carolina Maria de Jesus, a Black woman and paper collector who transformed her daily life in the Canindé favela into art. Her writings reveal the struggle to feed her children and her powerful relationship with literature, which made her the first Black Brazilian woman writer to gain international recognition.
Over the decades, Carolina’s work has sold more than one million copies in over 40 countries. Her books have been translated into 14 languages, underscoring her lasting importance. In this way, the feature reinforces her legacy for Brazilian and global culture.
Cast and creative team
The cast includes Raphael Logam, Clayton Nascimento – who is also responsible for acting coaching – Liza Del Dala, Carla Cristina Cardoso, Ju Colombo, Fábio Assunção, Caio Manhente, Jack Berraquero and Alan Rocha. Thawan Lucas, Laura Vick, Raphael Raposo and other actors complete the ensemble.
The technical crew invests in strong visual solutions to bring audiences closer to the reality depicted in the book. Production design, LED technology and careful set construction aim to create an immersive atmosphere. Thus, the film seeks to engage audiences across different generations.
Crew credits
Title: Carolina – Quarto de Despejo
Director: Jeferson De
Producer: Clélia Bessa
Screenplay: Maíra Oliveira
Based on: “Quarto de Despejo”, by Carolina Maria de Jesus
Cast: Maria Gal, Raphael Logam, Clayton Nascimento, Liza Del Dala, Carla Cristina Cardoso, Ju Colombo, Fábio Assunção, Caio Manhente, Jack Berraquero, Alan Rocha and ensemble
Production companies: Move Maria, Raccord Produções, Buda Filmes
Coproduction: Globo Filmes
Distribution: Elo Studios
About Move Maria
Founded by Maria Gal, Move Maria is the production company behind the conception of “Carolina” and its fundraising strategy, which involves major corporations such as Ambev, Itaú and Suzano. The company has become a reference in promoting Black and female empowerment in Brazilian audiovisual production.
Move Maria is known for its sensitive approach and strong commitment to racial and gender equity. Each project is guided by values of diversity, social responsibility, accessibility, transparency and education. The goal is to help build a fair, representative audiovisual landscape.
In the documentary “Pequena África”, the company revisits the living memory of one of the most emblematic regions in Afro-Brazilian history, giving visibility to often-silenced narratives. With the talk show “Preto no Branco”, aired by Grupo Band, it reached more than 10 million viewers, bringing key topics to mainstream audiences.
Investing in Move Maria means supporting creative excellence, social responsibility and proven results. The company continues to develop projects that generate legacy, value and meaningful conversations, contributing to a more diverse and transformative Brazilian audiovisual scene.
About Raccord Produções
Founded in 1993, Raccord Produções has released more than 23 projects in the Brazilian market, including feature films, shorts and series. Led by Clélia Bessa, the company has focused on new platforms while strengthening partnerships with Globo Filmes, Disney, Downtown Filmes, Paris Filmes and O2 Play, among others.
The company has traveled the festival circuit with the feature “Madalena”, directed by Madiano Marcheti. It also produced the highest-budget Brazilian children’s film to date, “Pluft, O Fantasminha”, which won the Best Children’s Feature and Best Visual Effects awards from the Brazilian Academy of Cinema.
Directed by Rosane Svartman, “Pluft, O Fantasminha” brought theatrical magic to the big screen, using underwater 3D ghost effects. In 2024, Raccord released the animated children’s series “Vovó Tatá”, featuring Brazilian multi-artist Elisa Lucinda, in coproduction with Gloob, as well as the documentary feature “O Nascimento de H. Teixeira”.
That same year, the company premiered the fiction feature “Câncer com Ascendente em Virgem”, directed by Rosane Svartman and shortlisted for the Grande Otelo Award. In 2025, Raccord presented the feature “Timidez” at the Rio Film Festival, directed by Susan Kalik and Thiago Gomes Rosa.
About Buda Filmes
Buda Filmes is an audiovisual production company founded in 2009, bringing together the experience of Jeferson De and Cristiane Arenas. Its films focus primarily on human rights, identity, ethnicity and Brazilian history, both past and present.
The company is currently developing “Narciso Rap”, another feature directed by Jeferson De and scheduled for release in 2026. With this and other projects, Buda Filmes maintains its commitment to socially engaged stories and diverse perspectives.
About Elo Studios
Elo Studios believes that stories move the world, producing and distributing content that inspires, challenges and connects audiences. The company delivers impactful narratives to a wide range of platforms and territories.
Its catalogue features more than 20 original productions, including “Caindo na Real” (Telecine, TV Globo), “Avenida Beira-Mar” (winner at the Guadalajara Film Festival), “Divinas” (Lifetime), “Desafio Impossível” (Disney+) and “Lupi & Baduki” (Max). Several other projects are in different stages of development and production.
With a focus on innovation, authenticity and impact, Elo Studios also produces branded entertainment, creating stories together with brands, agencies and channels. Among these titles are “Mulheres no Comando”, about female entrepreneurship, and “Contar para Viver”, developed with Unesco and Cappuccino.
Since 2005, the company has distributed more than 500 titles from all regions of Brazil to over 100 countries. Highlights include the Oscar-nominated “The Boy and the World”. In theaters, more than 120 features have been released, such as “Executive Order” by Lázaro Ramos, the most-watched Brazilian film of 2022.
The upcoming lineup includes major productions in partnership with Claro, Globo Filmes, Funcine Investimage, Paramount, Sony, Telecine and Warner. Led by Ruben Feffer, Flavia Feffer and CEO Sabrina Nudeliman Wagon, Elo Studios promotes innovation both in creative terms and in business models.
About Globo Filmes
For more than 25 years, Globo Filmes has built partnerships that help drive Brazilian audiovisual production. Since 1998, it has been the country’s largest coproducer and one of the main investors in national cinema, with over 560 titles released and around 270 million moviegoers in theaters.
Its portfolio includes some of Brazil’s most iconic films, such as “My Mom Is a Character 3” and “Elite Squad 2”, both surpassing 11 million viewers. Recent box office hits include “Minha Irmã e Eu”, “Os Farofeiros 2” and “Vitória”.
The company’s history also features critically acclaimed titles such as “2 Filhos de Francisco”, “Carandiru”, “City of God” – nominated for four Academy Awards – and “Bacurau”, winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes. More recently, films like “O Último Azul” and “Manas” have reinforced the diversity and strength of Brazilian storytelling.
Globo Filmes remains committed to the power of movie theaters and the impact of compelling stories. With a focus on artistic quality and a wide range of content, the company brings the best of Brazilian cinema to audiences of all ages.
