Netflix Releases Trailer for Petra Costa's New Documentary 'Apocalypse in the Tropics,' Premiering on July 14

São Paulo, June 30, 2025 - On Monday (June 30), Netflix released the official trailer for Apocalypse in the Tropics, a new documentary by Petra Costa, the Oscar-nominated director of The Edge of Democracy. The film premiers on Netflix on July 14. The trailer offers a first look at the documentary, which features never-before-seen interviews with key figures in Brazilian politics, including President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, former President Jair Bolsonaro, and evangelical leader Silas Malafaia.

Narrated from the filmmaker's perspective, the documentary begins with an in-depth investigation into the rise of the evangelical faith in Brazil and its impact on the country's political and social landscape over the past ten years, highlighting the role of evangelical leaders in shaping national political decisions.

Premiering at the 81st Venice International Film Festival and featured at other international film festivals, Apocalypse in the Tropics is written and directed by Petra Costa, with production by Petra Costa and Alessandra Orofino. The film opens in theaters in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro on July 3, and launches globally on Netflix on July 14.

ABOUT APOCALYPSE IN THE TROPICS:

SYNOPSIS: In Apocalypse in the Tropics, Petra Costa investigates the growing influence of evangelical Christian leaders on the country's politics. With exclusive access to renowned figures such as President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, former President Jair Bolsonaro, and famous televangelist Silas Malafaia, the filmmaker explores the significant role that the evangelical movement has played in Brazil's recent political upheaval. As in her Oscar(R)-nominated The Edge of Democracy, Costa documents a period of tremendous uncertainty with clarity and a poetic eye. Weaving together past and present, the film takes us through the contradictions of a young and fragile democracy, offering a portrait that resonates far beyond Brazil's borders.

WRITTEN, DIRECTED AND PRODUCED BY: Petra Costa

PRODUCED AND CO-WRITTEN BY: Alessandra Orofino

EDITED BY: David Barker, Victor Miaciro, Nels Bangerter, Jordana Berg, Tina Baz, Eduardo Gripa

CO-WRITERS: Nels Bangerter, David Barker, Tina Baz

PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER AND INTERVIEWER: Anna Virgínia Balloussier

DIRECTOR OF CINEMATOGRAPHY: João Atala

CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Pedro Urano, Murilo Salazar

EXCLUSIVE IMAGE CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ricardo Stuckert

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jenny Raskin, Jim & Susan Swartz, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Katrina vanden Heuvel, Jeffrey Lurie, Marie Therese Guirgis, Felipe Estefan, Rafael Georges Zein, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Meadow Fund, Katy Drake Bettner, Kate Hurwitz, InMaat Foundation, Frida Polli, James Costa, Trevor Burgess

EXECUTIVE CO-PRODUCERS: Pancho Magnou, Natasha & David Dolby, Krista Parris, Shelby Rachleff, Kelsey Koenig, Sandra Whipham, Maxyne Franklin, ICI

CO-PRODUCERS: Anders Riis-Hansen, Malene Flindt Pedersen

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS: Radical Media

About Netflix:

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About Busca Vida Filmes:

Busca Vida Filmes is an independent Brazilian production company founded in 2011. Our aim is to support independent cinema, particularly films that challenge the border between fiction and non-fiction. Our approach to films is to be open to taking creative risks and to give support to filmmakers that are willing to make something bold and original, not just films, but real experiences where they can develop their unique and personal universe. We take our expertise in the Latin American market and our knowledge in development and production to work together with talents to create new approaches to the way we understand cinema.

About Peri:

Peri is a new media company headquartered in Brazil, with a presence not only in its home country but also in the United States and Europe. We collaborate with some of the most innovative voices from around the globe, particularly the majority world, to weave narratives that resonate. Our focus is on shedding light on pivotal issues like racial and gender discrimination, the perils of disinformation, socio-economic inequality, and the climate crisis - all through a mainstream lens.