May 19, 2026 1:38am PT
Brazilian Helmer Laís Santos Araújo Expands Berlinale-Winning Short ‘Infantaria’ Into Feature, Backed by Cannes Residency, CNC Grant
The project is produced by Pedro Krull at Aguda Cinema, emblematic of a wider regional surge, with the company positioning itself as a creative incubator for emerging voices in Alagoas in Brazil's Northeast
Following the international festival run of her acclaimed short “Infantaria” which bowed at the Berlinale, Brazilian director Laís Santos Araújo is developing the project into a feature, with producer Pedro Krull of Aguda Cinema steering the project through the prestigious Cannes Cinéfondation Résidence and a slate of European development initiatives.
Set against the landscapes of Alagoas in Brazil’s Northeast, the film expands the universe glimpsed in the short; a family ecosystem orbiting around Ludmilla, a seamstress who quietly runs an underground abortion service from her home, renting out a bed to women undergoing the illegal procedure. Where the short narrowed in on young Joana, the feature widens its lens to take in Ludmilla herself and Eduardo described by Araújo as “lonely and confused and who I want to be better understood.” The expansion was never the plan.
Source: variety.com