ONCE A DAY – A film by Nathan Cirino

What did Nathan Cirino say about this film?

The Brazilian short film Once a Day presents a fantastical realism narrative centered on a middle-upper-class couple adopting a dog. The film's major twist is what makes it unique, as the dog turns out to be something entirely different and unexpected. Designed to provoke social critique and flirt with horror, the film explores themes such as childhood, abandonment, and human rights, featuring performances by Raquel Ferreira, Kassandra Brandão, and Luiz Eduardo Farias, alongside child actress and cinema debutant Amelie Resende.

With funding from the Brazilian government, pre-production began in January 2024, and filming took place in May of the same year. The film is now starting to appear in film festivals in Brazil and abroad. In total, over twenty-five people worked on the project under the banner of Maria Fita Filmes, an independent production company from Brazil’s countryside.

According to director and screenwriter Nathan Cirino: “Our greatest challenge was working with several elements considered difficult for cinematic language, as we made a film with many food scenes, animal scenes, and scenes with a child—all things many filmmakers try to avoid.” Regarding the film’s aesthetic, the director adds that he wanted to tell the story with a primitive aspect, highlighting textures of stone, plants, and earth to underscore the animalistic side in all of us.

Once a Day is a striking and unsettling film that deserves to be seen precisely because it leaves us with that bitter taste and provokes profound questions about how we live in society.