Clara Nunes biopic: Camila Pitanga in the lead

Who was Clara Nunes and why does her story deserve a film?

Clara Nunes (August 12, 1942 – April 2, 1983) was one of Brazil's most beloved voices of the 1970s. Born in Minas Gerais, she conquered the country with samba albums such as Alvorecer (1974), Claridade (1975), Canto das três raças (1976), As forças da natureza (1977) and Guerreira (1978). Her iconic Afro-Brazilian image was crafted alongside radio presenter and music producer Adelzon Alves, who shaped her artistic identity from 1971 onward.

Who is playing Clara Nunes — and who is making the film?

Actress Camila Pitanga will portray the singer in the biopic titled Clara, produced by Matizar Filmes in partnership with Paraguassu — Pitanga's own production company — and co-produced by H2O Produções. Pitanga is both lead actress and co-producer. The screenplay is written by Flávia Vieira and Janaína Tokitaka.

What is the big question hanging over the project?

The filmmakers face a pivotal creative choice: whether to address — even briefly — a dark family tragedy that haunted Clara Nunes throughout her life. In 1957, when she was a teenager, her brother José Pereira Gonçalves (known as Zé Chilau) killed a 17-year-old named Adilson Alvarez da Costa in what was called a crime of honour committed in Clara's defence. The incident forced her to leave her home town in the Minas Gerais interior and move to Belo Horizonte. The story only became public knowledge in 2007, when journalist Vagner Fernandes published the biography Clara Nunes – Guerreira da utopia. Indications so far suggest the film will focus primarily on her professional career rather than this painful chapter.