Blab Entertainment
Brazilian Animated Feature Son of a Bitch Selected for Annecy 2026 Festival
Brazil’s bold hand‑drawn adult animation is set to make its debut on the world stage at the 65th Annecy International Animation Film Festival, which will run from 21 to 27 June 2026 in France. The feature, O Filho da Puta—released in English as Son of a Bitch—has earned a spot in the festival’s main competition.
The story follows 12‑year‑old Ismael, a boy born into the brothel run by his mother in the small village of Veredas, Minas Gerais. Because of his family’s occupation, the locals nickname him the “son of a bitch,” a slur that fuels his determination to leave the sertão and find the father he never met. Accompanied by a three‑legged dog named Bacalhau and a copy of Herman Melville’s Moby‑Dick, Ismael embarks on a barefoot road trip that blends drama, comedy, surrealism, and a palpable sense of place.
The film was born of a collaborative vision. Directors Érica Maradona, Otto Guerra, Tania Anaya, and Sávio Leite built the project around a shared creative ethos from the outset. Guerra, who first saw the script in 2011, said, "I fell in love." He was drawn to the cohesive narrative, the strong protagonist, the dog’s counterpoint, the conflict with Ismael’s mother, and the non‑stereotypical portrayal of the women working at Casa Rosa.
Production stretched across Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais. Otto Desenhos Animados, based in Porto Alegre, handled part of the hand‑drawn animation, while Anaya Produções in Belo Horizonte managed voice recording and other post‑production elements. The collective direction structure allowed teams in different cities to maintain a unified vision, though the painstaking manual process contributed to the extended timeline.
Visually, the film is raw and expressive. Maradona’s palette is described as dazzling, with reds, yellows, and blues dominating scenes to signal tonal shifts. The art direction intentionally embraces a rough, sometimes abrasive aesthetic, rejecting polished charm in favor of an authentic, earthy look. The result is a living, breathing world where characters feel neither idealized nor cruel.
Creating the feature took more than a decade. Funding proved persistent, as the production company—active for almost fifty years—had to raise capital while simultaneously producing series, features, and shorts. External obstacles piled up: the 2016 coup d’état against President Dilma Rousseff, the COVID‑19 pandemic, and an “absurd flood” that closed the local airport for months. Despite these setbacks, Guerra said, "I never thought for a moment that this film might not be completed."
Annecy’s selection places Son of a Bitch among a global roster of animated works. The festival will open on 21 June with Pierre Coffin’s Minions & Monsters, and the Brazilian feature will be screened in the main competition, giving it a platform to reach international audiences and critics.
The film is not aimed at children; it contains adult themes and language. It stands as a testament to the resilience of independent Latin American animation, showing that a hand‑drawn, adult‑oriented story can survive long production cycles and political turbulence. Its journey mirrors that of its protagonist: a slow, arduous trek toward a destination that may never be fully reached.
With its Annecy debut, O Filho da Puta will join the international conversation about adult animation and the capacity of Brazilian cinema to produce works that are both culturally specific and universally resonant. The festival will also offer the creators a forum to discuss production challenges and artistic choices and to gauge audience reception ahead of any future distribution deals.
The story follows 12‑year‑old Ismael, a boy born into the brothel run by his mother in the small village of Veredas, Minas Gerais. Because of his family’s occupation, the locals nickname him the “son of a bitch,” a slur that fuels his determination to leave the sertão and find the father he never met. Accompanied by a three‑legged dog named Bacalhau and a copy of Herman Melville’s Moby‑Dick, Ismael embarks on a barefoot road trip that blends drama, comedy, surrealism, and a palpable sense of place.
The film was born of a collaborative vision. Directors Érica Maradona, Otto Guerra, Tania Anaya, and Sávio Leite built the project around a shared creative ethos from the outset. Guerra, who first saw the script in 2011, said, "I fell in love." He was drawn to the cohesive narrative, the strong protagonist, the dog’s counterpoint, the conflict with Ismael’s mother, and the non‑stereotypical portrayal of the women working at Casa Rosa.
Production stretched across Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais. Otto Desenhos Animados, based in Porto Alegre, handled part of the hand‑drawn animation, while Anaya Produções in Belo Horizonte managed voice recording and other post‑production elements. The collective direction structure allowed teams in different cities to maintain a unified vision, though the painstaking manual process contributed to the extended timeline.
Visually, the film is raw and expressive. Maradona’s palette is described as dazzling, with reds, yellows, and blues dominating scenes to signal tonal shifts. The art direction intentionally embraces a rough, sometimes abrasive aesthetic, rejecting polished charm in favor of an authentic, earthy look. The result is a living, breathing world where characters feel neither idealized nor cruel.
Creating the feature took more than a decade. Funding proved persistent, as the production company—active for almost fifty years—had to raise capital while simultaneously producing series, features, and shorts. External obstacles piled up: the 2016 coup d’état against President Dilma Rousseff, the COVID‑19 pandemic, and an “absurd flood” that closed the local airport for months. Despite these setbacks, Guerra said, "I never thought for a moment that this film might not be completed."
Annecy’s selection places Son of a Bitch among a global roster of animated works. The festival will open on 21 June with Pierre Coffin’s Minions & Monsters, and the Brazilian feature will be screened in the main competition, giving it a platform to reach international audiences and critics.
The film is not aimed at children; it contains adult themes and language. It stands as a testament to the resilience of independent Latin American animation, showing that a hand‑drawn, adult‑oriented story can survive long production cycles and political turbulence. Its journey mirrors that of its protagonist: a slow, arduous trek toward a destination that may never be fully reached.
With its Annecy debut, O Filho da Puta will join the international conversation about adult animation and the capacity of Brazilian cinema to produce works that are both culturally specific and universally resonant. The festival will also offer the creators a forum to discuss production challenges and artistic choices and to gauge audience reception ahead of any future distribution deals.
