“We Want to Give Them Back Their Right to be Children,' Says Luis Lomenha About the Miniseries, 'Children of the Church Steps', at the International Literary Festival of Paraty

São Paulo, October 11, 2024- This Friday morning, at Casa de Histórias, a partnership between Netflix and Piauí and Janela + Mapa Lab, director Luis Lomenha and reporter Tiago Coelho led the round-table discussion on "Children of the Church Steps - From the News to the Screen" and talked about the challenges of transforming the tragic story of the Candelária Massacre into a miniseries.

Lomenha emphasized the care and the sense of responsibility that go into portraying such a painful episode of Brazil's history. "Our aim was to show the interrupted dreams of these four children, who imagined a world far removed from the harsh reality they faced. The same rules and violence that affected them persist today, but it is imperative that we remember: they were just children. Throughout the production process, we seek to give them back the right to dream," said the director.

The discussion also addressed the role that film plays in constructing collective memory and promoting broader social debates, such as structural racism and urban violence, both central themes of Children of the Church Steps. Lomenha reaffirmed the production company's commitment to authenticity, while underlining the importance of working with a young cast, mostly Black, as a way of lending visibility and a voice to those who experience the daily consequences of social exclusion.

During the round-table discussion, Netflix revealed an unprecedented behind-the-scenes video from the series, with testimonials from directors Luis Lomenha and Márcia Faria and the cast. The young stars - Samuel Silva, Patrick Congo, Andrei Marques and Wendy Queiroz - shared their experiences and reflected on the complexity of their roles and their own responsibility in bringing these real stories to life.

The four-part miniseries,Children of the Church Steps , narrates the last 36 hours of four children's lives, before the fateful night that forever marked the history of Rio de Janeiro. The episodes premiere on Netflix on October 30th.

Casa de Histórias is a space for meeting and making connections: a meeting place for viewers who are passionate about great narratives in a wide diversity of formats.

Casa de Histórias - Flip 2024

Rua Dona Geralda, 140 - Paraty/RJ

October 9 to 13, 2024

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