The family story that became a TV novela
A Brazilian tale of love, betrayal and revenge that became the subject of plays, an opera and even a TV novela, but for the family behind it it was very real.
Aged eleven, Dirce de Assis Cavalcanti was taunted by one of her classmates. She was called the "daughter of a murderer". Not long after, Dirce found out that her father had indeed killed a man and not just any man, he’d killed one of Brazil’s celebrated authors, a national treasure. Although he was cleared by the courts, who declared the shooting an act of self-defence, in the court of public opinion Dirce’s dad was condemned.
The story behind that fateful killing is one of love, betrayal and revenge. And it is a story that throughout her life Dirce has grappled with in her attempts to rebuild her family’s reputation.
Presenter: Andrea Kennedy
Producer: Andrea Kennedy and Deiniol Buxton
Picture: Dirce de Assis Cavalcanti
Credit: BBC
Last on
Broadcasts
- Sat 21 Dec 201923:32GMTBBC World Service except Americas and the Caribbean
- Sun 22 Dec 201909:32GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Sun 22 Dec 201910:32GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
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