Chapter 51 – Carnival in Brazil, Pre-Oscar in Los Angeles
March 1, 2026
The world seemed divided into two great celebrations.
In Brazil, Carnival was at its peak.
The entire country was vibrating to the sound of samba school drums, electric trios and street parties.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, in Los Angeles, the atmosphere was completely different, but equally electrifying.
The city was taken over by the Pre-Oscar, with luxurious events, exclusive dinners and parties hosted by the biggest studios and brands in the film industry.
And, at the center of it all, was Gustavo.
Just six days before the biggest night of his life, he was attending the events leading up to the Oscars, surrounded by big names in the industry.
But, even though he was in Los Angeles…
A part of him wanted to be in Brazil, celebrating Carnival.
That afternoon, Gustavo was at his hotel, resting before yet another Pre-Oscar event, when he received a video call. He picked up his cell phone and saw that it was Selton, Fernanda and Walter. He answered, already knowing that there would be some fun.
"HELLO, HOLLYWOOD!" Selton shouted, with a background full of people dancing.
The sound of samba, drums and lively voices invaded Gustavo's room. "Holy shit, you guys are in the middle of Carnival!" Gustavo laughed.
Fernanda appeared on the screen with a glass of caipirinha in her hand. "AND WHERE SHOULD YOU BE, YOU TRAITOR TO THE COUNTRY!"
Gustavo laughed. "I swear I wish I was there! But someone has to represent Brazil here too, right?"
Walter nodded with a smile. — And you're acting really well, Gustavo. But, admit it... would you trade an Oscar ball for a street party in Rio?
Gustavo let out a dramatic sigh.
— That's a cruel question!
Selton laughed and pointed to the crowd behind him.
— So, just to make you want to go even more... Look at this party, bro!
The screen shook with the amount of people dancing and singing.
Gustavo closed his eyes and laughed.
— I can literally smell the beer from here.
— And you there, all fancy in Los Angeles! — Fernanda mocked.
— You know what? I'm going to samba here too. I'm going to do the first Pre-Oscar with samba in my feet.
A few hours later, Gustavo was leaving the hotel for one of the most exclusive Pre-Oscar events:
A gala dinner organized by one of the biggest studios in Hollywood.
He wore a black suit with subtle satin details, elegant and understated, but with a touch of personality, he wore a small Brazilian flag pin on his lapel.
When he arrived at the event, the flashes illuminated his arrival.
The press wanted to know everything.
"Gustavo! Are you anxious for Sunday?"
He smiled and answered with humor.
"Anxious is not the word… I've already accepted that I'm going to sweat until then."
"How are you dealing with the favoritism?"
"I try to ignore it. Because if I think about it too much, I think I'll faint on stage."
The reporters laughed, and Gustavo entered the event hall, where the real Oscar game was happening backstage.
In the hall, the atmosphere was different from any other event.
It wasn't an awards ceremony.
It was a political game.
The industry's biggest actors, directors and producers were there to celebrate, but also to make alliances, discuss future projects and reinforce campaigns for the Oscars. And Gustavo, even though he was a newcomer to the scene, was already one of the most sought-after figures of the night.
Soon, Timothée appeared next to him. "Look, the future Oscar winner is here."
Gustavo laughed and slapped his friend on the shoulder. "Stop being so mean, man! I'm pretending nothing's happening."
Timothée picked up a glass of champagne and smiled. "Well, then pretend well. Because everyone in this room knows you're going to win."
While they were talking, Mikey Madison approached. "Gustavo, for the love of God, tell me you're not freaking out inside."
He laughed and raised his hands. "Mikey, I've been holding back a panic attack since January."
She laughed and slammed her hand on the table.
— Well, welcome to the most stressful side of Hollywood.
They spent a good amount of time talking about the madness of awards season, while in the background Gustavo saw big names like Steven Spielberg, Robert Downey Jr. and Margot Robbie walking around the room.
It was surreal to be there.
But he knew that it was all part of the preparation for the big moment.
While talking to Timothée and Mikey, Gustavo felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket.
It was a message from Fernanda.
📲 Fernanda: "We know you wanted to be here at Carnival, but listen: All of Brazil is rooting for you. Go out there and make history, boy. We love you."
Gustavo took a deep breath, feeling the impact of the words.
He looked around, saw all those legendary names from the film industry and realized…
He wasn't there just for himself.
He was there to represent an entire country.
Brazil was celebrating Carnival…
But in a few days, they would be celebrating for him at the Oscars
Chapter 52 – The Big Day
March 2, 2026 – Oscar Night
The most anticipated day of the year has finally arrived.
The 2026 Oscars.
Los Angeles was in full swing, packed with stars, directors and producers awaiting the most important award ceremony in the film industry.
But that year, the celebration was not exclusive to Hollywood.
On the other side of the world, the whole of Brazil was tuned in to the broadcast.
Even in the middle of Carnival, with street parties and samba schools dominating the streets, the country's attention was divided between the festivities and the TV screen.
In the big cities, bars and restaurants broadcast the ceremony live, and in homes all over Brazil, families and friends gathered as if it were the World Cup final.
The reason?
"Getúlio" was about to make history.
The film by Fernando Meirelles, starring Gustavo Salles, had already conquered the world and arrived at the Oscars with seven nominations.
And as the ceremony progressed, Brazil kept accumulating victories.
Early in the evening, Gustavo arrived at the Dolby Theatre wearing a classic black suit, impeccably cut and with a small Brazilian flag pin on his lapel.
Alongside him, Fernando and the entire film crew walked the red carpet, surrounded by journalists and photographers.
Reporters jostled to speak to Gustavo.
"Gustavo, you're nominated for Best Actor! How do you feel?"
He smiled, but couldn't hide his tension.
"I'm trying to pretend I'm calm, but my hand has been sweating since yesterday."
"All of Brazil is watching. Do you feel this pressure?"
He took a deep breath.
"If I think about it too much, I think I'll faint. But I know that tonight is an important night, not just for me, but for Brazilian cinema."
He posed for photos, chatted with some celebrities on the red carpet, and finally entered the theater, ready to experience the most important moment of his career.
The ceremony began with jokes and musical performances, but soon came the first category that interested Brazil:
🏆 Best International Film
The presenter opened the envelope and announced:
— And the Oscar for Best International Film goes to… GETÚLIO!
The theater exploded in applause.
Fernando and the entire team stood up quickly, hugging each other emotionally.
As they went on stage, Fernando took the microphone.
— This is for Brazil. For Brazilian cinema, which has never stopped telling incredible stories. And now, the world is listening.
The audience applauded his speech, and Gustavo felt a shiver run down his spine.
Brazil had already won its first Oscar of the night.
🏆 Best Cinematography
Minutes later, Brazil won again.
Getúlio's photography team went up on stage to receive the statuette, thrilled with the recognition.
🏆 Best Original Screenplay
Another victory for Getúlio.
The screenwriters were deeply grateful and mentioned the importance of telling stories that transcend cultural barriers.
Brazil was racking up victories, and the cheering only grew.
🏆 Best Makeup and Hairstyling
When Getúlio won this category, Gustavo looked at Fernando and let out a nervous laugh.
— My God, we're sweeping this award.
Fernando smiled.
— And there are still the main ones left.
At this point, all of Brazil was celebrating.
On social media, the trending topics were dominated by "Getúlio" and Gustavo Salles.
— BRAZIL IS MASSAGING AT THE OSCARS!
— Four more awards! This is already historic!
— If Gustavo wins, I'll run down the street screaming!
The live broadcast on Brazilian channels showed reporters on the streets of Rio and São Paulo, where crowds watched the awards ceremony on big screens.
And the excitement only grew.
Because the three main categories of the night were still to be announced.
🏆 Best Director
🏆 Best Actor
🏆 Best Film
Brazil had a chance to win them all.
And Gustavo knew his moment was coming.
He took a deep breath, trying to prepare himself for what was coming next.
Because in a few minutes...
The Oscar for Best Actor would be announced.
Chapter 53 – Brazil Conquers Hollywood
March 2, 2026 – Oscar Night
The Dolby Theatre was in ecstasy.
With each new envelope opened, with each new statuette raised, Brazil was making history.
Getúlio had already won five awards, solidifying himself as the biggest winner of the night up to that point.
But the three most anticipated awards were yet to come.
And when it was time for Best Director, Gustavo Salles held his breath.
Because that moment wasn't just about him.
It was about Fernando Meirelles, the visionary behind the film.
🏆 Best Director
The presenter took the stage, holding the golden envelope.
Silence took over the theater.
And then, she announced:
— And the Oscar for Best Director goes to…
FERNANDO MEIRELLES, FOR GETÚLIO!
The theater erupted in applause.
Gustavo immediately stood up, clapping loudly while Fernando let out a heavy sigh, visibly moved.
He hugged the team, then shook Gustavo's hand firmly before walking to the stage.
As soon as he picked up the statuette, the entire audience stood up to give him a standing ovation.
He took a deep breath and approached the microphone.
"I don't know if I can describe what I'm feeling right now... But I'll try."
The audience laughed and applauded.
"This film started out as a dream. A dream to tell the story of a man, of a moment, of a country. But it became something much bigger. It became a symbol of the strength of Brazilian cinema."
More applause.
Fernando looked at the audience, moved.
"Brazil has been telling incredible stories for decades. And this victory is not just mine." It belongs to all Brazilian filmmakers, to all actors, screenwriters, producers, to each sound technician, each editor, each person who fights every day for our voices to be heard.
The camera focused on Gustavo, who watched the speech with his eyes shining with pride.
Fernando raised the statuette.
— We have come this far. And this is just the beginning.
The audience gave a standing ovation again.
Fernando left the stage to cheers and applause.
But he didn't have much time to breathe.
Because soon came the most important category of the night.
🏆 Best Picture
The decisive moment arrived.
The Dolby Theatre held its collective breath.
The nominees appeared on the screen:
And then…
The presenter opened the envelope.
She smiled, looked at the audience and said:
— And the Oscar for Best Picture goes to…
GETÚLIO!
The theater fell apart.
Gustavo jumped to his feet, while Fernando and the entire crew hugged each other intensely.
Brazil had just won the Oscar for Best Picture.
It was a historic moment.
Fernando Meirelles took the stage again, now accompanied by the entire crew, including Gustavo.
The stage was full of Brazilians.
The Best Picture statuette was handed to Fernando, who held the microphone again.
— I swear I didn't prepare two speeches, but here we are.
The audience laughed and applauded.
Fernando took a deep breath and looked around.
— This is the greatest honor a filmmaker can receive. And I want to share this moment with every person who believed in this film, with this incredible crew, with this brilliant cast.
He then looked directly at Gustavo.
— And especially with this guy here. Gustavo, you brought this film to life. Without you, we wouldn't be here today.
Gustavo swallowed hard, feeling a lump in his throat.
Fernando continued:
— We started this project wanting to tell a Brazilian story. But in the end, we realized that we were telling a universal story. A story about power, about choices, about humanity. And seeing this recognition here, today, is indescribable.
He looked at the audience and raised the statuette.
— Thank you very much. And as my friend Gustavo would say… THERE WILL BE SAMBA AT THE OSCARS!
The audience burst into laughter and applause.
In Brazil, the streets were celebrating.
The headlines began to appear in real time.
"Getúlio wins Best Film and puts Brazil at the top of world cinema."
"Fernando Meirelles takes two Oscars on a historic night for Brazilian cinema."
And now…
There was only one award left.
The biggest of the night.
🏆 Best Actor.
Gustavo felt his heart race.
The camera focused on him.
It was the last moment.
And perhaps the most important of all.
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