Gugu's World (Portuguese: Feito Pipa) is a 2026 Brazilian coming‑of‑age drama film directed by Allan Deberton and written by André Araújo. Starring Yuri Gomes as Gugu, it follows a queer teenager navigating friendship, desire, and self‑discovery in a small coastal town in northeastern Brazil.
The film had its world premiere in the Generation Kplus section of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival on 13 February 2026, where it won the Crystal Bear. It was selected as the Brazilian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.
Plot In Brazil, Gugu lives in a small community with his grandmother Dilma, who raised him after the death of his mother, Elaine. Gugu is an expressive and aspiring football player, but his behaviour often puts him at odds with his father Batista, who has remarried with Patricia. Unlike Batista, Dilma accepts the effeminate boy without judgment and remains his closest ally.
As Dilma begins showing signs of dementia, Gugu becomes afraid of losing the only home where he feels understood. He tries to hide her worsening condition from those around them, fearing that Batista will take him away. During this time, Gugu learns more about his mother's death. Elaine had opposed the construction of the local reservoir and was killed after speaking out.
When Dilma collapses at home, Batista intervenes and places her in a nursing home, forcing Gugu to move into his father's house. Struggling to adapt to his new life, Gugu misses his grandma and finds it difficult to connect with Batista despite Patricia's attempts to ease the tension between them. After Batista teaches Gugu how to ride a motorcycle, they visit Dilma at the nursing home. Nonetheless, Gugu remains unhappy about their separation.
After another conflict at home, Gugu runs away late at night to see his grandma. In the film's final scene, he rides away on a motorcycle with Dilma behind him, leaving the ending open to interpretation as either a real escape or an expression of Gugu's longing to be reunited with her.
Cast Yuri Gomes as Gugu Lázaro Ramos as Batista Teca Pereira as Dilma Carlos Francisco as Valmir Georgina Castro as Patrícia David Santos as Gil
Release Gugu's World premiered on 13 February 2026 in the Generation Kplus section at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the section's Crystal Bear and the section's International Jury Grand Prix.
Reception The film received positive reviews from international and Brazilian critics.
Variety praised the film's “tender, unforced performances” and its “sensitive portrayal of queer adolescence in Brazil’s northeast.” O Globo emphasized the film's regional setting and its contribution to a growing wave of LGBTQ‑themed Brazilian cinema.
See also
List of submissions to the 99th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film List of Brazilian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
References
External links