Netflix shares first look at “On Behalf of My Son,” a Gabriel Martins drama set in Brazil

Netflix has released the first image of Rejane Faria as Vicentina, the lead character in “On Behalf of My Son” (Vicentina Pede Desculpas), a new feature film written and directed by Gabriel Martins. The announcement, dated May 28, 2026, positions the project as a Brazil-set drama that begins with an unexpected public tragedy and follows Vicentina as she tries to live with what happened.

According to Netflix’s synopsis, the film opens on a sunny morning in Belo Horizonte, where a crowded public bus crashes after veering off course, killing everyone on board, including Wesley, the driver. As television and newspaper coverage intensifies, security camera footage becomes the basis for speculation that Wesley’s actions may have been an attempt at suicide.

In the aftermath, Netflix says Vicentina, a 75-year-old retired schoolteacher and Wesley’s mother, struggles to cope with the death of her son and with uncertainty about whether the tragedy was intentional. The story then turns outward, as Vicentina decides to seek out the victims’ families and apologize, while confronting her own grief and questions about responsibility.

Martins, who is also credited with screenplay and editing, framed the film as a character-driven study of mourning. Netflix quotes him describing the project as about a woman trying to move forward after “an intensely personal tragedy,” highlighting a balance between unbearable grief and the search for a way to keep going. The company says the film is produced by Filmes de Plástico, and it credits an ensemble cast including Maíra Azevedo, Renato Novaes, Karine Telles, Giovanna Heliodoro, Thalma de Freitas, and Grace Passô, among others.

Netflix also provided a detailed credits list for “On Behalf of My Son,” naming Tiganá Santana as composer, Leonardo Feliciano as cinematographer, and Thiago Ricarte as co-editor. The announcement also lists production design by Rimenna Procópio, costume design by Diana Moreira, and special effects credited to Rodrigo Jinks, Marcelo Cabral, Cajamanga, and Quanta, reflecting a conventional feature-film crew structure while keeping the release details themselves limited.

The rollout of the first image comes amid Netflix’s broader push to develop Brazilian originals across formats. In a separate May 26, 2026 newsroom post, Netflix said it is reinforcing its investment in stories produced in Brazil and highlighted participation at Rio2C 2026, Latin America’s large creativity event, including panels that involved filmmakers such as Gabriel Martins. That same post listed “On Behalf of My Son” as part of Netflix’s Brazilian projects coming soon.

Netflix’s announcement, however, does not disclose a release date, a trailer, or where the film will premiere (for example, whether it will appear first on Netflix or reach festivals beforehand). It also does not provide budget, shooting timeline, runtime, or language details beyond the Brazil setting and the credited creative team. Those gaps leave the schedule and scale of the project unclear at this stage.