Samba Infinito
Leonardo Martinelli · Brazil, France · 2025 · 15 min
SHORTS COMPETITION
During Rio's Carnival, a street cleaner struggles with the loss of his sister and his work obligations. Amid the celebrations, he finds a lost child and sets out to help him.
Fiction · Drama, Musical · All ages
Language: Portuguese
Themes: Tradition, loss
Screenplay: Leonardo Martinelli
Producers: Renan Barbosa Brandão, Rafael Teixeira, Leonardo Martinelli, Lucas H. Rossi, Clara Marquardt, Justin Pechberty, Damien Megherbi
Executive Producers: Renan Barbosa Brandão, Rafael Teixeira, Leonardo Martinelli, Lucas H. Rossi
Cinematographer: João Atala
Key cast: Alexandre Amador, Miguel Leonardo, Camila Pitanga, Gilberto Gil
Director's Statement
Occupying the streets is a political act, and the city does not welcome everyone equally. Carnival is a time when norms are broken, but not for everyone. Our film follows the journey of a street cleaner, an essential worker, during this period when the city takes on a dreamlike, surreal quality. Having grown up in the suburbs, with limited access to the city center, I’m interested in exploring themes of labor and the right to inhabit and enjoy public space. Our film approaches this through the lens of a musical fantasy. — Leonardo Martinelli
