Once Upon a Time in Rio
2008, Portuguese. Directed by Breno Silveira.
Situated just above the awe-inspiring Ipanema beach in Rio is the Cantagalo slum. Every day, floods of Cantagalo residents make their way down the mountain, only to disappear into their surroundings as part of the invisible working-class that cleans apartments, works in restaurants, and sells food along the scenic, sun-drenched shores. Young Dé (Thiago Martins) is just such a man. Dé lives with his mother Bernadette (Cyria Coentro) in a cramped Cantagalo apartment, selling hot dogs on the beach in order to make the rent. His brother Beto was killed when Dé was just a young boy, and his adopted brother Carlão (Rocco Pitanga) has been jailed for a robbery that he didn't commit. One day, while working on the beach, Dé meets Nina (Vitória Frate). Nina is the only child of a successful lawyer named Evandro (Paulo César Grande), who's none to happy to discover that his daughter is dating a member of the lower class. How...
- Runtime
- 1h 57m
- Post-credits
- None listed
- Language
- Portuguese
- Rated
- Check local
Start now and it ends at ….
Worth the Hype
Clear your evening for this.
7.4/10 from 89 TMDB viewer ratings.
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Where to watch Once Upon a Time in Rio
Once Upon a Time in Rio isn’t streaming on any OTT platform in India yet; it released on 25 July 2008.
No streaming listings yet. Search JustWatch.
Cast & crew
Details
- Released
- 25 July 2008
- Original title
- Era uma Vez...
- Country
- Brazil
- Written by
- Patrícia Andrade
Check ratings elsewhere
News & fan talk
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Once Upon a Time in Rio: quick answers
Is Once Upon a Time in Rio worth watching?
Our verdict is Worth the Hype: Clear your evening for this. It scores 7.4/10 from 89 TMDB viewer ratings.
How long is Once Upon a Time in Rio?
Once Upon a Time in Rio runs 117 minutes (1h 57m).
Does Once Upon a Time in Rio have a post-credits scene?
None is listed for Once Upon a Time in Rio. Viewers tag these on TMDB, so a brand-new film may not be tagged yet.
Once Upon a Time in Rio parents guide: is it suitable for kids?
No age rating is listed for Once Upon a Time in Rio yet.
Which OTT platform is Once Upon a Time in Rio on?
Once Upon a Time in Rio isn’t streaming on any OTT platform in India yet; it released on 25 July 2008. (Checked 11 November 2026.)
What movies are like Once Upon a Time in Rio?
If you liked Once Upon a Time in Rio, try Hands of Stone, Goodbye June, The Safety of Objects.
Who directed Once Upon a Time in Rio?
Once Upon a Time in Rio (2008) was directed by Breno Silveira and stars Thiago Martins, Vitória Frate, Rocco Pitanga.