A Mulher da Casa Abandonada, the acclaimed story of Margarida Bonetti and her ex-husband, René Bonetti, which won over the audience on Chico Felitti´s podcast in 2022, now gains new life on the big screen. The case, which became known after Felitti’s investigation, is the focus of an all-new documentary produced exclusively for Prime Video. The production, directed by Katia Lund, has three episodes and features shocking testimonies, including that of the victim herself, Hilda Rosa Dos Santos.
The documentary series delves into Chico Felitti’s investigative process. The journalist, who is the documentary’s creative consultant and executive producer, reveals how the story began to unravel during the pandemic, when he noticed a large, silent house in the traditional Higienópolis neighborhood of São Paulo. It also features interviews with neighbors, police officers, Margarida’s lawyer, and even her former hairdresser, adding more insight to the story, which until then had only one main character.
Much more than just a podcast
The series, The Woman of the Abandoned House, revisits the well-known story of the couple accused of keeping a maid in conditions analogous to slavery in the United States and offers a deeper perspective. While the podcast focused on the enigmatic figure of Margarida Bonetti, this doc series gives voice to the person who mattered most: the victim. After more than 30 years of silence, Hilda Rosa dos Santos shares details of the horror she experienced, revealing the pain that marked her and why she had to change her name and live under the protection of the American government.
The documentary also recalls the enormous impact that Chico Felitti’s podcast generated, attracting the attention of the public, the media, and the police, and delves into a side of the story that people had not yet known. One of director Katia Lund’s biggest challenges was to go beyond what had already been told, filling in the gaps Chico intentionally left in the podcast. Now, viewers can finally learn who the victim was, her whereabouts, and what happened to Renê Bonetti.
To this end, the production features exclusive interviews and new details. It also features neighbors, including Vick, the friend who was instrumental in bringing the case to light and now has a face on screen. In the podcast, Magê Flores, from the podcast Café da Manhã, reports on the contents of an official document granted to Chico, including transcripts of statements given to the FBI about the case, excerpts from the proceedings, and even accounts from sources. But in this new series, FBI agents and other key figures in the investigation recount everything about the investigation. Additionally, actors were cast to portray scenes from the statements and official reports, bringing the story to life in a new and impactful way.
One of the documentary’s most important points is its focus on the victim. Hilda, who for years was held illegally and without her documents, finally has a voice. She not only shares her suffering but also reveals her affection for her friend Vick and the lasting consequences of her experience, which led to the creation of a law in the United States to protect victims of forced labor. It shows how her story was essential in ensuring that others in similar situations can remain legally in the country after reporting abuse.
Hilda recounts being taken to the United States by Margarida Bonetti and her ex-husband, Renê Bonetti, during which time she worked without pay, without documents, or access to food, in addition to enduring extremely degrading conditions for nearly twenty years. She describes how she was saved with the help of a nun and the residents. After reporting her employers to the FBI, she was able to regain her freedom. Hilda’s participation and account give the documentary a deeper and more sensitive dimension, shifting the focus from sensationalism to humanizing the victim, who becomes the author of her own narrative.
Katia Lund’s series, besides being an extension of a world-famous story, is a new chapter that doesn’t hesitate to delve deeper into the facts. The production highlights Chico Felitti’s perseverance in the investigation, Hilda dos Santos’ strength and resilience, and reinforces a necessary denunciation of an exploitation that remains unresolved, as the main accused has not yet been tried for her crimes.
Watch the trailer below:
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The article above was edited by Isabelle Bignardi.
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