'Adrift' Director Heitor Dhalia Preps Talks 'DNA do Crime', Brazil's New Netflix Banner Thriller (EXCLUSIVE)

Heitor Dhalia, one of the most important and ambitious Brazilian film writers, director of 'Drained', 'Adrift' and 'Bald Mountain' are teaming up with Netflix to create 'DNA do Crime', a banner title for the American streaming giant in Brazil, one of its biggest international markets.

Described by Dhalia as "one of the greatest series ever produced in Brazil", the series in The eight-part scripted skein, which goes into production on October 31, revolves around a heist of epic proportions, which takes place on the Brazil-Paraguay border.

When feds are called to investigate, they find "the start of a thread coming undone , like no other, the construction of crime in the country,” the synopsis continues.

"The series will attempt to open up a new paradigm for the genre," Dhalia said Variety . “It also speaks to the tragic flaws in all of us, to our core nature,” he added.

Inspired by real facts, "DNA do Crime" is created by Dhalia. Its initial idea was developed by Dhalia, Leonardo Levis ("Brotherhood") and editor-scribe 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 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 and essay author Aly Muritiba, pivot point of view specialist ( "Rust", "Deserto Particular ”), collaborated 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, "Drained" (2006) a comedy drama from the obsession, with Selton Mello, then directed Daughter-Father Relationship "Adrift" with Vincent Cassel, selected for Cannes 2009 Un Certain Regard. After the English-language abduction thriller "Gone", starring Amanda Seyfried, he took another change of direction by co-writing and directing "Bald Mountain" (2013), an epic-scale western-tinged gangster film , torn by greed and corruption. in 1980 at Sierra Pelada, the largest hellish surface mine in modern history, in the Amazon jungle.

From what Dhalia said Variety (see below ), “DNA do Crime” looks set to inherit that film's ambition. Predictably, it will adopt some of its kinetic style in the action scenes as well.

Dhalia's latest big title comes as it has alternated films over the past few decades - Multi-part 'Tungsten' (2018) and 'Anna' (2019) - featuring high-profile detective series such as Globo's 'Tainted' (2014), and most notably 'Arcanjo Renegado' (2020-21) for service Premium SVID from Globo, Globoplay.

"DNA do Crime" is one of four new productions announced by Netflix Brazil on Monday, September 5 Two other new titles star Brazilian comedy megastar Leandro Hassum – the “B.O.” series and the movie “Meu Cunhado e um Vámpiro.” Production began on a new four-part miniseries, inspired by the 1993 murder of eight homeless people, including six minors, outside Candelária Church in Rio de Janeiro. Luis Lomenha ("Minha Rua") serves as showrunner.

Netflix Brazil also announced a sequel to the film "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 is ramping up banner shows, such as "Senna", diversifying across genres and strongly attracting regional and minority talent. In 2022, Netflix will invest 5 million Brazilian reais ($967,000) in training programs for local talent, in part targeting underrepresented groups. Programs include a new initiative, Segundo Ato, for Black and Indigenous screenwriters.