Vira-Saia: Enemy of the Crown

Directed by

Artur Magalhães

Ouro Preto, one of Brazil’s most historically significant cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was once known as Vila Rica. Its history is filled with stories and characters that have transcended generations through oral tradition, folk tales, and the stories passed down by its people. Through the accounts of several interviewees, the film tells the story of Antônio Francisco Alves, known as Vira-Saia, one of these figures who, even before Tiradentes and the Minas Conspiracy, had already challenged the Portuguese Crown and disrupted its plans for extracting gold and sending it to the capital of the Portuguese Empire.