Alice Braga and Bianca Comparato to Star in Gabriela Amaral Almeida’s ‘She, Crocodile,’ Launching at South

Alice Braga and Bianca Comparato, renowned Brazilian actors from Queen of the South and 3%, respectively, have co-founded South, a new production label based in Los Angeles, New York, and São Paulo. FLAGCX, the largest independent creative services holding company in Latin America, provided the financial backing for this venture.

The debut project from South, Gabriela Amaral Almeida’s body-horror film She, Crocodile, will be showcased at the 12th San Sebastian Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum, scheduled for September 25-27.

Described as a “horror fable,” the film follows a young heiress to a luxury real estate firm in Rio de Janeiro who undergoes a gruesome transformation into a crocodile. Amaral, known for genre hits like The Father’s Shadow and Friendly Beast, crafted the project during a residency at the MacDowell Institute.

Amaral, reflecting on the film’s themes, said, “‘She, Crocodile’ is my response to the intersection of capitalism and women’s issues, blending my admiration for body horror with influences from David Cronenberg and Douglas Sirk.”

Vitrine Filmes will handle the Brazilian distribution of She, Crocodile. Both Amaral and Braga will serve as executive producers, with Comparato starring in the film and producing alongside Yana Chang.

Comparato shared her enthusiasm for the project with Variety, describing it as a powerful piece of body horror that amplifies voices from the global south. She also highlighted South’s mission to use entertainment to explore and address universal issues through metaphor and allegory.

Beyond Amaral’s film, South is also developing a short film set in the Amazon by Luiz Bolognesi, Renata Tupinambá, and Graciela Guarani; a feature from Renee Messora and João Salaviza; a docuseries with Gullane Entertainment; and an action-thriller from Gandja Monteiro. The label holds adaptation rights for several Brazilian books and is nurturing first features from emerging directors Thatiana Almeida and Thales Banzai.

Comparato and Braga emphasized South’s commitment to producing content that resonates with audiences and critics alike, leveraging talent, technology, and entrepreneurial spirit to exceed market expectations. Martini R., CEO of FLAGCX, expressed excitement about using storytelling to inspire change through South’s innovative vision.