A Hespanhola

A couple of rubber workers from Manaus are transported from 1919, the end of the Spanish Flu in Brazil, to 2020, the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Between quinine, British tea, street music and internet modem, the couple's adventures, under the intoxicating opium of pornochanchada, show how the country's conservative structures have been maintained since other carnivals.

Directed by Francis Madson, A Hespanhola leans on a strong ensemble — Matheus Sabbá, Julia Kahane, Denis Carvalho — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2022.