Production is underway on Globo and Sony Pictures Television’s historical drama "The Angel of Hamburg", it was announced. The mini-series, which was first announced last May, will portray the saga of a Brazilian woman who risked her own life to save Jewish families in Germany during the Second World War. It is a story of how one woman’s love for humanity was able to defeat hatred, and also one of an unlikely romantic liaison overcoming the prejudice of the time. For the first time, the life story of Aracy de Carvalho, little known in her country of origin, will be made into a series.
"The Angel of Hamburg", a co-production with Globo Studios and SPT, was created and written by Mario Teixeira, in collaboration with British writer Rachel Anthony and is directed by Jayme Monjardim with Elisabetta Zenatti of SPT’s joint venture company Floresta serving as executive producer. It marks Globo’s first production to be entirely spoken in English.
In the mini-series, the narrative unfolds around the bravery of Aracy, a clerk at the time at the Brazilian consulate in Germany, who was determined to help hundreds of Jews desperately seeking to escape the war. It was a period when Brazil, along with many other countries, imposed rigid rules for the immigration of Jews to the country; rules that Aracy would do the impossible to circumvent to ensure the safety of people she did not even know.
“When I came across the story of this remarkable woman, who shows us how love can defeat hate, I immediately felt compelled to share it with the rest of the world. Aracy is little known in Brazil or elsewhere for that matter, being mostly remembered as the wife of writer Guimarães Rosa. We hope that, through a story woven with care and respect, we will be able to reveal the woman who he fell in love with while serving as assistant-consul in Germany. She was a bright, empathetic and hard-working woman who refused to turn a blind eye to the atrocities unfolding before her. A true heroine who never sought recognition for her efforts. Through her unwavering courage, tenacity and unparalleled love for human beings, she changed the destiny of many people,” says Jayme Monjardim, Artistic Director of the series.
With scenes shot in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, "The Angel of Hamburg" has a world-class team of specialists, including historians, experts on Jewish culture and international relations researchers working to provide consulting support to the production. “It was without doubt a great challenge. To portray the life of such an exceptional and unique woman, unknown to most people, demanded extensive research and dedication from a large team. It is a very special story about a young woman, also a single mother without diplomatic immunity, who dedicated her life to saving others. Her story deeply touched all of us and among the team there is an atmosphere of cooperation and bonding and the desire to do things with great care,” says writer Mario Teixeira.
The international cast features actress Sophie Charlotte as Aracy de Carvalho and Rodrigo Lombardi as João Guimarães Rosa. Other cast members include: Tarcísio Filho as consul Souza Ribeiro, Gabriela Petry as Taibele Bashevis, a Jewish woman torn between her desire to become a singer and the need to be with her family, German actors Peter Ketnath and Tomas Sinclair Spencer, who will respectively take on the roles of German military officers Thomas Zumkle and Karl Schaffer, along with Stefan Winert playing the part of Milton Hardner. Also in the list of foreign talents is Italian actor Jacopo Garfagnolli, who will play the character of Rudi Roth; Polish actress Izabela Gwidzak will star in the series as Margarethe Levy, a woman who becomes close friends with Aracy; and Israeli actress Sivan Mast will take on the role of Helena Krik.
"The Angel of Hamburg" is set to debut at this year’s L.A. Screenings in May. SPT will distribute the series globally outside of Brazil and Globo will broadcast the drama on Grupo Globo’s platforms in the country.