Bruno Barreto almost had no choice. Cinema arrived in his life at birth and never left him. Son of the producer couple Luiz Carlos and Lucy Barreto, he grew up in a house on Rua Dezenove de Fevereiro, in Botafogo, in the southern zone of Rio, where political meetings and Cinema Novo celebrations were held. In the residence, which housed a moviola in the backyard, many films were filmed and the place also served as a refuge for Glauber Rocha for a year. The Bahian filmmaker even took it upon himself to show Bruno, from his childhood, big names in world cinema, like John Ford. At the age of 17, the young man directed his first feature film, “Tati, la fille” (1973), a film produced by his mother and his grandmother, Lucíola Vilella. After the film’s good performance in theaters, at the age of 19, he took responsibility for adapting “Dona Flor and her two husbands” (1976), Jorge Amado’s best-seller. After more than five decades of dedication to cinema, the 70-year-old director from Rio now arrives in cinema with “Traição entre amigos”, a comedy-drama based on the first book by Thalita Rebouças.
- Record engagement and follower growth: a study shows the impact of “The Secret Agent” on the networks
- Analysis: Golden Globes presents a tough scenario for ‘The Secret Agent,’ but Wagner Moura has a real chance
— Cinema is my reason for living, it’s my religion. If one day I can no longer film, I will die — declares the filmmaker who, in his new work, presents a coming-of-age story very different from his reality. — I think there are two types of directors. Those who always tell stories that are very close to them, like Bergman and Woody Allen, and storytellers, like Hitchcock, Spielberg and Truffaut, driven by curiosity. I have no interest in telling stories that I know very well. I make films about characters and stories that arouse my curiosity.
“Traição entre amigos” follows Penélope (Larissa Manoela) and Luiza (Giovanna Rispoli), great friends who separate after the former becomes involved in the other’s love. The fight changes the course of their lives and they end up following different paths. Penélope moves to New York to pursue her dream of becoming an actress, while Luiza tries to turn her sorrows into music.
/i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_da025474c0c44edd99332dddb09cabe8/internal_photos/bs/2025/q/d/SuNJTfQiydjErLNHpufQ/diaria-01-traicao-entre-amigas-por-orue-brasileiro-orue9792.jpg)
Bruno had access to the book at the time of its release, in 2000, while he was still living in the United States. Although interested in the story, he said he had difficulty imagining the plot as a film, since the protagonists separate in the first act and follow very independent arcs. The project passed through the hands of other producers, but never became a reality. Some time later, the director continued with the story in mind and decided to abandon the idea. He called on his sister, Paula Barreto, to develop the production and Marcelo Saback to write the screenplay alongside Thalita, who believes his work remains as current as it was 25 years ago.
— This story connects with today because it could happen 20 years from now or 20 years ago. It’s a story of choice and how easy it is for human beings to judge and point fingers at others, says Thalita. — This is one of my most faithful adaptations. We’ve made some changes to the story, but the essence remains the same.
Questions about sex scenes
Among the main changes in the plot from book to film is the exchange of Rio de Janeiro for Curitiba, a city that has remained in Bruno’s memory since he was welcomed by former mayor and urban planner Jaime Lerner (1937-2021) in the 1970s, when he launched “Tati, the girl” in the capital of Paraná. Another change was turning Penélope into a bisexual character who is in a relationship with another woman. With the sex scenes that illustrate the character’s awakening in love, professionals involved in the production came to think that Larissa Manoela, still closely linked to work aimed at children and young people, might not accept the role.
— I knew Larissa’s work and thought it would be cool if she did it. And there was a meeting of the minds. She also wanted to make a key turning point and take on a more challenging role. There was a synchronicity, says the director.
The actress celebrates the fact that the character arrives at a special time for her, as she celebrates 20 years of her career: Larissa Manoela started at just 4 years old, when she did her first advertising job.
— When I read the script, I was immediately enchanted by Penélope and I knew I wanted to tell this story. I felt that Pénélope was provoking me as an artist and a woman. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity — emphasizes Larissa, 24 years old. — It’s a very different role than I’ve played before and it fits with my desire to seek out more complex, adult and thought-provoking stories. Penelope is strong, vulnerable, impulsive and rational. And incredibly human. This, for my work as an actress, is something wonderful.
/i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_da025474c0c44edd99332dddb09cabe8/internal_photos/bs/2025/S/r/FWBUuPRdOZVavxtWc1tA/still00004-3-.jpg)
After working together for the first time, Bruno Barreto and Larissa Manoela are already planning to renew their partnership. In 2026, the filmmaker will shoot “So that you love me”, a biopic of Carmen Miranda (1909-1955), a dream that he has cultivated since 1974, when he released “A Estrela Sobe”, adaptation of a book by Marques Rebelo inspired by the early career of Carmen, friend of the author.
— “So that you love me” is the story of Carmen Miranda in the United States and how she died prematurely because they did not allow her to stop being Carmen Miranda. It’s a drama about identity, reveals the director. — I start preparing the film in April for shooting from July 1st. And it will be with Larissa Manoela. In “Traição entre amigos”, her character auditions to play Carmen Miranda and now she will be Carmen.
The director says he will shoot a large part of the film in Brazil and also plans to shoot scenes in the United States. He hopes to get permission to film in Carmen’s house in Los Angeles, which is preserved to this day.
- Golden Globes 2026: see the full list of nominees
Larissa will take on the role that has been linked for years to Tatá Werneck. Singer Anitta also mentioned her name for the project.
— We really enjoyed working together and we hope to do it again soon. If it depends on what we experience in “Betrayal Between Friends”, it will be another special partnership — says Larissa Manoela.
And the director doesn’t stop there… He already has a project to play as soon as he finishes “So that you love me”: “In the name of parents”. The film is an adaptation of the book of the same name by Matheus Leitão, which tells the story of his parents, journalists Marcelo Netto and Míriam Leitão, imprisoned and tortured during the dictatorship. The screenplay is by Maria Adelaide Amaral.
— I joked with Walter Salles that the film would be a sequel to “I’m Still Here.” The film begins in 2014, where Walter’s film began, with the Truth Commission and Matheus’ investigation to find the names involved in the persecution and torture of his parents — details Bruno.
Recently seen in “Vale tudo”, actor Júlio Andrade will be responsible for playing Matheus Leitão in the plot.
— I hope that he will be able to bring this perspective to the screen, from a second generation, to the generation of parents who faced the military dictatorship, which is the nature of my book — says Leitão. — I think it was a job that no one did in Brazil, a son who met his parents’ torturers, the informers. My expectation is a faithful adaptation of this work to which I devoted 13 years.
About The Author
