SHOOTING SCHEDULED FOR 2026
Feature Film
Aprox. Length: 120’
Directed by: Beatriz Seigner
Written by: Beatriz Seigner and Nataly Cabanas
Spoken Languages: Portuguese, French, German
Synopsis
When the Austrian princess, Leopoldina Habsburg, sets foot in Brazil at the end of 1817 to consolidate her geopolitical marriage with Prince Dom Pedro de Alcântara of Portugal, she was promised that she would soon be back in Europe, the center of Western civilization at the time.
She could not imagine that such a wild-natured land, full of ores, enchantments and gems to be discovered, would be the place where she gave birth to 6 children in the short term of 9 years and that she would be called the Mother of the Homeland and urged to get involved in the turbulent process of independence of the colony from its metropolis, thus becoming Empress of Brazil.
Why Tell this Story Now?
“We know that official history has always tried to erase the importance of women, especially those involved in crucial political and scientific transformations. However, as Leopoldina was at the center of monarchical power and the privileges of that time, a complete erasure was not possible. So, what official history did was to move her to the margins, diminishing her influence and blanking out her leading role in Brazil’s independence process. Her achievements were replaced by stereotypes and rumors, and various stigmas fell upon her, such as that of the betrayed and resigned wife.
As the 200th anniversary of Brazil’s Independence draws near, we are presented with a unique opportunity to give visibility to this under-represented character in our History: a mineralogist who used her wedding dowry to finance the first scientific expeditions in Brazil, as well as to encourage the creation of the first universities, museums, theaters and a social structure with civil servants, a modern state for the time. And what better way to popularize a narrative and bring it closer to contemporary people and women, than an audiovisual production by women directors who are inspired by her and who carry on her legacy?”
About Us
BEATRIZ SEIGNER é a diretora, roteirista e produtora do aclamado filme “Los Silencios” (Brazil, Colombia, França) que estreiou na Quinzaine des Realizateurs do Festival de Cannes 2018, tendo sido distribuído em mais de 40 países ao redor do globo e com o qual venceu inúmeros prêmios entre os quais o Prêmio CICAE dos distribuidores Europeus, o Impact Award by Ai Weiwei, do festival de Estocolmo, o de Melhor Direção e Prêmio da Crítica no Festival de Brasilia 2018, Melhor Direção no festival de Cartagena de las Indias, Melhor Contribuição Artística no Festival de Havana, Melhor Filme da Cooperação Espanhola no Festival de San Sebastian, Melhor Filme do Festival de Nuremberg, Melhor Roteiro e Direção no Festival de Lima, além de uma Menção Honrosa da UNESCO entre outros. É também diretora, roteirista e produtora dos filmes: “Entre Nós, Um Segredo (2021)” documentário filmado no Mali com os contadores de historias e mediadores de conflitos tradicionais do Oeste Africano; Do curta “A Familia de Olga (2019)” que compõe o longa-metragem “Neigbours” (China, Brasil, Russia, India, Africa do Sul), produzido pelo renomado cineasta chinês Jia Zhang-Ke; Do longa-metragem de ficção “Bollywood Dream – O Sonho Bollywoodiano (2009)”, que estreou com muito sucesso nos cinemas brasileiros em 2011, depois de ter sido premiado em mais de 20 festivais ao redor do mundo.
Além destes filmes que alçaram Beatriz como diretora de prestigio Internacional, Beatriz também trabalhou como roteirista para Walter Salles, Daniela Thomas, Sérgio Machado, Vinicius Reis, Heloisa Passos, Katia Lund e Marilia Rocha tendo também escrito séries para HBO, GNT, e SescTV , com a qual recebeu o premio TAL de melhor roteiro de serie da América Latina em 2013.Em 2023 a bigBonsai está produzindo a segunda temporada de “Minha Vida é um Circo”, agora em 5 países da Ásia, e a primeira temporada da série documental “Acende a Luz” para o GNT, com previsão de estreia em outubro desse mesmo ano.
Co-Producers
BIGBONSAI is a production company that focus on international co-production, new ta- lents and female narratives. Its documentaries “Dominguinhos” and “O Barato de Iacanga” have been shown at the world’s most important documentary festivals - IDFA, DOK Leipzig, SXSW and É Tudo Verdade, as well as on cable TV and streaming platforms such as Netflix and Prime Video.
Its feature film, “The Book of Delights”, a coproduction with Rizoma Films (Argentina), won awards at film festivals such as BAFICI (Argentina), Cinecitta IFF (Holland), Vitória Festival and Vassouras (Brazil). The production company has five series on TV: “Minha Vida é um Circo”, recorded in 8 countries (HBO); “Palavras Permanecem” (Curta!) and “Tudo ou Nada: Seleção Brasileira”, the first Amazon Originals series recorded in Brazil. It also produced the recently released talk show “Olhares Brasileiros” and “CNN 200+ A evolução do Brasil”, both for CNN Brazil. bigBonsai develops its portfolio of projects under the creative supervision of British filmmaker (and Oscar winner) Kevin Macdonald. In 2022, diversifying its field of activity, it launched its first podcast with Globoplay, “Leila”, a true crime story narrated by Leandra Leal, which became one of the most listened podcasts in Brazil in the week of its launch.
Currently (2023), bigBonsai is producing the second season of “My Life is a Circus”, now in 5 Asian countries, and the first season of the documentary series “Turn on the Light”, for GNT, scheduled to premiere in October this year.
