The capital of São Paulo will be the backdrop to one of three stories from the fifth season of 'Black Mirror', scheduled to debut June 5 on Netflix. Anyone who wants to see the São Paulo metropolis landscape in the show, known for its dystopian portraits of the 21st century and the use of technology, must keep an eye out for the last episode.
The filmmakers of the series - which has individual stories that can be seen in any order - were in São Paulo in March and April of last year. They recorded in several locations, among them the headquarters of Folha, with a team of 150 professionals, both Brazilian and foreign.
The Santa Iphigenia viaduct, the avenues of the United Nations and Chucri Zaidan, the Helicopter of the Copan building, the Louvre—both architectural landmarks of the center—a hotel and the D.O.M. restaurant are among the places where the series was filmed.
Why São Paulo? Netflix is still mysterious about the choice. In the last Rio2C, a series of audio-visual debates held at the end of April, "Black Mirror" creator Charlie Brooker dodged questions about producing the series in the city. For him it would spoil the series to reveal any information about it.
According to Spcine, which has been functioning since 2016, the city received has 40 international productions since then - among them advertising, documentary and fictional films - that have been in public spaces in the capital. There is no count from previous periods.
Between 2016 and last year, the number of foreign productions in São Paulo more than doubled. There were 6 three years ago, which rose to 10 in 2017, and then to 18 in the last year. In 2019, seven foreign productions have already stepped onto Paulista concrete.
Today, according to Lais Bodanzky, director of Spcine, the city is competing with other cities for a series with actor Keanu Reeves. "We negotiate with them almost daily," said Bodanzky, without revealing the content of the series or the landscape profile that would interest Reeves.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon