Among the highly praised new TV series on Netflix is Children of the Church Steps, originally titled Os Quatro da Candelária, which arrived on October 30, 2024. Within a few days, the series caught most of the viewers' attention as they delve deep into what happened years ago in Brazil.
Following the release, many wonder if the series is based on a true story and how accurate is the representation of the events. So if you've been thinking the same, we've got you covered!
Children of the Church Steps draws inspiration from the tragic real-life event— the Candelária Massacre, which occurred in 1993. The heartbreaking incident killed around 11 homeless youths on the steps of Candelária Church in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. What's even worse is that most of the attackers were identified to be local police officers.
However, in Netflix's Children of the Church Steps, the focus is on four children named Douglas (Samuel Silva), Seven (Patrick Congo), Popcorn (Wendy Queiroz), and Jesus (Andrei Marques). The limited series has only four episodes under fifty minutes each. Read more to know the story in the series and what happened in real life in 1993.
The true story behind Netflix's Children of the Church Steps: exploring the Candelária Massacre
Before we delve into what happened in Netflix's Children of the Church Steps, here's an explanation of the real-life tragic incident: The Candelária Massacre occurred in 1993 on the steps of the Candelária Church in Rio Janeiro, Brazil, a place where many homeless individuals took refuge.
Due to high poverty and homelessness, even teenagers and young adults had to live around the church. They were provided with basic amenities like food and shelter, but a few still engaged in minor crimes for survival, resulting in increased police presence around the place.
A group of children allegedly provoked the police officers a day before throwing debris at patrol cars, resulting in warnings from the officials. On January 23, 1993, a group of men wearing masks came out of a vehicle having obscured license plates and opened fire on almost 70 people sleeping on the steps. This horrifying attack injured most of them and took the lives of eight homeless children aged between 11 to 19.
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Were the attackers involved in the 1993 Candelária Massacre identified?
The Candelária Massacre quickly resulted in international outrage, leading to a large-scale investigation to identify the attackers. The leaders of the state were also criticized for not preventing such terrifying incidents. One of the survivors who was shot almost four times agreed to help in identifying the attackers and testifying in court.
The boy was then attacked again to prevent him from exposing the killers. Following the threat, the police kept him in the witness protection program. After a thorough investigation, seven men were identified to be involved in the Candelária Massacre.
Most of the killers and attackers turned out to be high-ranking police officers. Three men out of the seven were given life sentences and then freed on parole, while the other three were proven not guilty. Startlingly, only one man named Arlindo Afonso Lisboa Júnior served two years in jail, just for possessing the weapon used in the Candelária Massacre.
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The creator of Children of the Church Steps talks about his miniseries
Featuring black actors in the titular roles, Children of the Church Steps is directed by Luis Lomenha and Márcia Faria. The series is originally in Portuguese-language with Fernando Meirelles as one of the executive producers.
Being a dramatization of the real-life massacre, the makers have made a few changes in Children of the Church Steps including the addition of fantasy elements for a dark and compelling narrative. It offers views a deep dive into the daily struggles in the lives of homeless and poor people like the four main characters.
Director Luis Lomenha and executive producer Fernando Meirelles sat in an interview with Deadline and answered several questions about Children of the Church Steps. When asked about how the creators plan the emotional impact on viewers after watching the miniseries, Lomenha said:
"With Os Quatro da Candelária, I hope audiences see these children not as symbols of tragedy, but as real, joyful human beings with dreams, hopes, and childhoods that were unjustly cut short...race.
He added:
"I hope that viewers feel both empathy and outrage, but also a deeper recognition of the dignity, joy, and dreams these kids held in their lives."
The director wants viewers to see how these children lost all their dreams and aspirations in a violent moment. Lomenha explained that Children of the Church Steps will result in a mix of emotions as it highlights everything the children went through.
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