2026 FI-Lima Official Selection: Documentary – Feature Film

In Lisbon, where the Brazilian community exceeds half a million people, groups like Baque do Tejo, Baque Mulher, Palhinha Maluca, Pandeiro LX, and Lisbloco keep the Brazilian carnival tradition alive in foreign land. From intimate rehearsals to street celebrations, the documentary follows a community facing increasing bureaucratic barriers and institutional xenophobia to preserve one of Brazil’s most important cultural expressions. The film shows how drums, flutes, and tambourines become instruments of resistance and struggle for the right to occupy city streets. From the narrow lanes of Alfama to Chiado squares, “in my land, Carnival is religion” is a vibrant portrait of how the ancestral power of Brazilian carnival turns adversity into celebration.

Director(s): Rodrigo Resende Coutinho
Producer(s): Rodrigo Resende Coutinho

Country: Brazil

Return to 2026 Official Selections – Films

Source: FILA