A retired nurse stitches his soul into a paper-mâché bull for one last carnival.
Pelé, a retired nurse, revisits his memories as a performer in the Boi Tira-Teima group from Caruaru, Pernambuco. Between longing for the past and the impossibility of celebrating Carnival in the present, he imagines what it would be like to return to Carnival one last time.
Direction
Patient, observational style lets Pelé's hands tell the story.
Production
Boi Tira-Teima's century-old craft captured with reverent detail.
Director
Daniele Leite
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Bumba Meu Boi is UNESCO-recognized intangible heritage, but Caruaru's agreste region has long been overshadowed by São Luís. This film quietly reclaims that geography.
Pelé's nursing career mirrors his Mateus role — both require holding others' bodies with care. The directors reportedly discovered this parallel during their first interview.
BR
