“Berry Season” opens Feb. 26 with Rosamaria Murtinho in an award-winning intergenerational journey that charmed festivals in Austria, the US, and Turkey.
Brazilian cinema gets a new gem this Thursday (Feb. 26) as Anahí Borges‘ debut feature film “É Tempo de Amoras” — internationally known as Berry Season — arrives in theaters across Brazil. The film is produced by Aranha Films and distributed by ELO STUDIOS.
A daring escape and an unlikely friendship
Pasqualina is 91 years old, lives in a nursing home, and has one burning wish: to reunite with a love she left behind long ago. Acting on pure courage, she slips away — and on that unexpected journey, she meets Petrolina, nicknamed Pety, an 8-year-old girl who longs for a grandmother. Their bond grows into something that changes both of their lives forever.
The relationship defies every social category. With her limitless imagination, Pety eventually decides to do something no one sees coming: she tries to adopt Pasqualina. It is a quietly radical act that captures the film’s central truth — that real family is built from love, not paperwork.
A story rooted in personal memory
Director Anahí Borges drew from her own affective memories growing up in São Paulo — wandering through the Horto Florestal neighborhood and visiting the Frederico Ozanam elderly shelter. The character Pety already starred in Borges’ short films Pety Pode Tudo, Aventuras de Pety, and No Tempo das Formigas, forming a cohesive narrative universe around childhood, imagination, and tenderness.
Award-winning cast and international acclaim
Veteran actress Rosamaria Murtinho leads the cast as Pasqualina, alongside Antonio Pitanga, Zezé Motta, Bárbara Bruno, Vanessa Gourlatt, Jessica Córes, Rafael Pereira, Luci Pereira, and Agnes Zuliani. Young actress Analu Reis brings Pety to life.
The film has already earned major recognition on the festival circuit: Best Film at the Made by Woman Independent Film Festival (Austria), Best Foreign Film at the LA Femme International Film Festival (USA), and Best Debut Feature Director at the Istanbul Women Film Festival.
Selected for the ELAS Seal 2018 — ELO STUDIOS’ initiative supporting women-led audiovisual projects — the film reinforces the distributor’s commitment to authorial, diverse, and impactful storytelling.
Details
Film: É Tempo de Amoras (Berry Season)
Release date: February 26, 2026
Director: Anahí Borges
Production: Aranha Films
Distribution: ELO STUDIOS
Photo: Press Release / Aranha Films
