Livia de Melo

Livia de Melo pops up in some of the most thought-provoking films out of Brazil in the last decade or so. Her work in “Property” (2022) really digs under your skin—she’s not just there to play a part, she’s busy making you rethink everything you assumed about who owns what, who gets to claim space, and what happens when the rug gets yanked out from under your feet. It’s gritty, claustrophobic, and honestly, you’ll probably walk away questioning your own sense of security. Roll it back to “Brasil S/A” (2014), and the vibe shifts completely. Here, Livia’s navigating a world that’s both surreal and uncomfortably familiar—think capitalism turned up to eleven, everything exaggerated, and the absurdity of modern Brazilian society on full display. The film doesn’t spoon-feed you answers, and neither does Livia; she just lets you stew in that weird tension between humor and despair. You’re left picking apart what’s real and what’s just the fever dream of a country chasing progress at any cost. And then there’s “Viajo Porque Preciso, Volto Porque Te Amo” (2009). This one’s got heart—like, raw, aching, messy heart. Livia’s presence is kind of haunting. The whole road-movie thing, drifting across the dusty landscapes, longing and loneliness leaking through every frame. It’s about journeys, not just on highways but inside yourself. Watching her, you feel all the stuff that’s never said out loud—the regrets, the hope, the ache for something or someone just out of reach. Basically, Livia de Melo brings a whiplash mix of grit, surrealism, and gut-punch emotion to the screen every single time.