Globo launches at the 2019 NATPE ‘Pride and Passion’, a telenovela inspired by the world of writer Jane Austen
08-01-2019
Romantic comedy set in early-20th-century Brazil revisits classic novels from the point of view of modern women
In the early 1900s, a mother in Brazil dreams of seeing her five daughters married. In a society where marriage is seen as the only possible future for well-born young women, Elisabeta Benedito (Nathalia Dill, ‘Rock Story’) does not fit the standards imposed by her mother. This strong-willed dreamer and her sisters are less concerned about finding true love and more concerned about living life by their own rules, which means going against traditional principles and customs.
Inspired by the works of Jane Austen, ‘Pride and Passion’ is a romantic comedy that revisits the British writer’s classic novels from the point of view of modern and empowered women in early-20th-century Brazil, amidst universal and timeless debates.
The telenovela recorded an average daily reach of 29 million viewers on Access Prime Time in Brazil and will be launched by Globo during the 2019 NATPE. The plot’s success echoed in the digital environment: the production made Twitter’s Trending Topics Brazil and Trending Topics World 149 and 13 times, respectively.
‘Pride and Passion’ was also a big hit in Portugal, where it was broadcast by Globo and ranked among the country’s most watched programs on pay TV.
“Elisabeta is a woman ahead of her time seeking her place in the world, regardless of her marital status. I didn’t mean to make a manifesto out of this and other points, but past and current issues ultimately intertwine. Bringing such debates to the screen naturally and lightheartedly is a major challenge”, says writer Marcos Bernstein.
Yearning to conquer the world, Elisabeta faces a moral dilemma when she meets Darcy (Thiago Lacerda, ‘Precious Pearl’), a man of admirable character and quite the opposite social standing. She falls head over heels in love with the rich aristocrat and starts to fear for her own future. After all, she could not see herself as a married woman, as tradition dictated. Darcy, on the other hand, finds himself challenged by a strong-minded country girl, which makes him question his traditionalist precepts. The couple’s fate may be set as he overcomes his pride and she allows herself to surrender to passion.
‘Pride and Passion’ was shot in two city sets spanning about 4,000 sqm each, built to convey to viewers what it was like to actually live back in those times. It took the design team about six months of study to be able to credibly recreate all the plot’s environments. Material waste and reuse were closely watched in the construction of the Benedito family home, as well as other characters’ houses and mansions, streets and the fictional city of Vale do Café, where the story is set.
The telenovela’s complex costumes were also meticulously thought out and some of the pieces had up to six layers. Designers produced more than 450 costumes and a total of 2,700 unique pieces, made exclusively for the production at Estúdios Globo, following the precepts of zero waste.
‘Pride and Passion’ is a plot by Marcos Bernstein, co-written by Marcos Bernstein and Victor Atherino in collaboration with Juliana Perez, Flávia Bessone and Giovana Moraes. Fred Mayrink was in charge of artistic direction, with general direction by Bia Coelho, Hugo de Souza, Alexandre Klemperer and João Paulo Jabur.
For further information, please contact Isabela Fonseca: [email protected]