Camila Agustini, who co-wrote the award-winning 2024 Brazilian film Manas, and Elton de Almeida, the screenwriter of Netflix Brazil’s early hit Samantha! and “Lov3” have joined the writing team for “Diamonds Are Forever” (“Diamante, O Bailarina”), a film about a young gay man who trains as a boxer by day and performs as a drag queen by night.
Written and directed by Pedro Jorge, whose credits include the Globoplay series The Day My Life Changed, Diamonds Are Forever centers on Emilio, a 24-year-old gay man also known as drag queen Sahara Diamante. When Emilio learns that his unidentified father, Cezan, is still alive, he seeks him out and joins his boxing gym without revealing his true identity. The conservative and homophobic Cezan recognizes Emilio’s athletic talent and agrees to train Emilio after a top fighter is injured. Despite their conflicts, boxing brings them closer.
The film, produced by Paideia Films’ Heberton Lima (My Body is Political), was featured by Variety magazine at the 2025 Guadalajara Co-Production Conference and won two awards. The film was also recognized by the Brazilian Cinemundi and was invited to participate in this year’s Málaga Festival Fund and Co-production Event (MAFF).
“‘Diamonds Are Forever’ explores masculinity, desire, and identity through the journey of a young man seeking approval from his father,” Jorge said. “This film brings together the seemingly contradictory worlds of boxing and drag performance to reveal common codes of strength and survival. By fusing physical intensity with emotional vulnerability, this project constructs a cinematic language deeply rooted in the body.”
The feature film is based on the director’s 2016 short film of the same name, which was screened at over 70 national and international film festivals and won 25 awards, including Best Picture and the Canal Brasil Award at the Recife Film Festival (CinePE).
Strengthening the project is the addition of fellow screenwriters Agustini and de Almeida. “Manas,” co-written by Augustini and executive produced by Walter Salles, the Dardenne brothers and Sean Penn, ranks as Brazil’s top entry for this year’s international feature Oscar. Brooklyn-based KimStim released the film “Statesside.”
In Málaga, producers aim to expand their international co-production system for films. Diamonds Are Forever is currently being planned as a Brazil-Chile-Uruguayan co-production, with approximately 45% of the budget secured. Paideia Filmes hopes to work with European co-producers and advance discussions with international sales agents and distribution companies to complete financing.
