“A Part Of Us”, produced by Gullane, premieres in theaters on May 30, 2024

“A Part Of  Us” is a film about Francisca and Carlos, who struggle to adapt to their new reality after the suicide of their only son, Felipe. Immersed in fantasies, fears, and melancholy, each experiences radical changes in their own way. Carlos moves into Felipe’s old apartment, alienating himself in his deceased son’s life. Francisca, haunted by guilt, dedicates herself to uncovering the mystery of the suicide. The protagonists are played by actors Cacá Amaral and Denise Weinberg, with additional performances by Kelner Macêdo, Clarice Niskier, Henrique Schafer, and Justine Otondo.

The film won the audience award at the 47th São Paulo International Film Festival, received an honorable mention for the cast at the 31st Mix Brasil Festival, and Cacá Amaral was chosen as the best actor at the 26th Punta del Este International Film Festival in 2024.

Director Flavio Botelho shared that it was a privilege to work with Denise and Cacá.

“They are two immense actors. It was beautiful to see their dedication in rehearsals and to see Francisca and Carlos come to life in such a beautiful way, complex and profound characters.”

The project, inspired by a personal experience of the director, began to take shape in December 2014 with the initial concept. Afterward, Flavio Botelho and co-writer Bruno H. Castro collaborated with Daniela Capelato and script consultants Miguel Machalski and Gualberto Ferrari, reaching the eighth draft of the script, at which point filming began.

“My sister committed suicide in 2007, and I wanted to talk about it, about how I dealt with this loss and how painful the process was. I decided to speak through a couple in their sixties, a mother and a father who represent so many others, including my own, on this long journey of grief,” explains Botelho. “The topic of suicide needs to be discussed. It is one of the leading causes of death among young people in Brazil. We conducted extensive research on the topic to deeply immerse ourselves in the protagonists’ universe,” he adds.

Before filming began, the actors rehearsed for three months to build their characters.

“All this rehearsal, unprecedented for me in cinema, makes a huge difference; we arrive on set in a different way. The intimacy that formed between the three of us and the baggage we brought is reflected in the filming,” comments actress Denise Weinberg, who plays Francisca.

For actor Cacá Amaral, who portrays Carlos,

“with the work process we undertook, with the months of rehearsal, everything becomes richer, as these characters were created together.”

About the director: Flavio Botelho is a director, screenwriter, and producer. “A Metade de Nós” is his first feature film. He also directed the award-winning short film “O Táxi de Escher,” with screenwriter Aleksei Abib; the medium-length film “Crônicas de uma Cidade”; and the short film “Graeme 1949.” He was the executive producer and assistant director for Carlos Nader’s feature films: “A Paixão de JL,” “Homem Comum,” and “Pan-Cinema Independente” (awarded at the É Tudo Verdade festival in 2015, 2014, and 2008). He was the delegate producer of the film “Jean Charles” (Henrique Goldman), the first co-production between Brazil and the United Kingdom.

Technical Information:

Cast: Denise Weinberg, Cacá Amaral, Kelner Macêdo, Clarice Niskier, Henrique Schafer, and Justine Otondo
Direction: Flávio Botelho
Screenplay: Flávio Botelho and Bruno H. Castro
Co-screenplay: Daniela Capelato
Director of Photography: Leo Resende Ferreira
Art Director: Marcos Pedroso
Editing: Tina Hardy
Editing Collaboration: Isabela Monteiro de Castro and Waldir Xavier
Production Direction: Rodolfo Grec
Image Supervision: Luisa Cavanagh
Post-production Supervision: Patrícia Nelly and Dirceu Lustosa
Post-production Coordination: Beatriz Almeida
Co-executive Production: Gabriela Tocchio and Isabela Vidal
Associate Production: Daniela Capelato
Sound Design: Rubén Valdés
Original Score: Edson Secco
Direct Sound: Tales Salati Manfrinato
Mixing: Julia Teles
Costume Design: Anne Cerutti
Makeup: Emi Sato
Executive Producers: Marina Leão, Daniela Antonelli Aun, and Ana Saito
Producers: Caio Gullane, Fabiano Gullane, Claudia Büschel, and Flavio Botelho
Co-producer: Trailer Filmes and Clementina
Associate Production: Canal Brasil
Distributor: Pandora Filmes