The Mechanism (TV series)

O Mecanismo (transl. The Mechanism) is a Brazilian political drama television series created by José Padilha and Elena Soarez, directed by Padilha, Felipe Prado, and Marcos Prado, and written by Elena Soarez. The show depicts Operation Car Wash (Portuguese: Operação Lava Jato), an ongoing police taskforce that discovered a widespread corruption scheme involving the Brazilian government and several prominent engineering firms.[1][2] The series premiered all episodes of the first season March 23, 2018, worldwide, on Netflix.[3]

O Mecanismo
Also known asThe Mechanism
GenrePolitical drama
Created by
Written by
  • Elena Soarez
  • Sofia Maldonado
Directed by
  • José Padilha
  • Felipe Prado
  • Marcos Prado
  • Daniel Rezende
Starring
Country of originBrazil
Original languagePortuguese
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes16 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Production locations
Production companyZazen Produções
Release
Original networkNetflix
Picture format4K (Ultra HD)
Original releaseMarch 23, 2018 (2018-03-23) –
May 10, 2019 (2019-05-10)
External links
Website

On May 28, 2018, the series was renewed for a second season.[4] The second season premiered on Netflix on May 10, 2019.

Plot

Marco Ruffo (Selton Mello) is a Federal Police delegate obsessed with the case he is investigating. When he least expects it, he and his apprentice, Verena Cardoni (Carol Abras), are already immersed in one of the largest diversion and money laundering investigations in Brazilian history. The proportion is so great that the course of investigations completely changes the lives of all involved.[5]

Cast
  • Selton Mello as Marco Ruffo
  • Caroline Abras as Verena Cardoni
  • Enrique Díaz as Roberto Ibrahim
  • Leonardo Medeiros as João Pedro Rangel
  • Alessandra Colassanti as Wilma Kitano
  • Jonathan Haagensen as Vander
  • Otto Jr. as Judge Paulo Rigo
  • Susana Ribeiro as Regina
  • Antonio Saboia as Dimas
  • Lee Taylor as Claudio Amadeu

Production

Development

In April 2016, Netflix announced that it would produce an original, still untitled series that would follow the investigations of Operation Car Wash.[6] The series was produced by José Padilha, Marcos Prado and the production company Zazen Produções and written by Elena Soarez and Sofia Maldonado. The series was directed by José Padilha, Felipe Prado, Marcos Prado and Daniel Rezende.[7]

Filming

The Mechanism started its production in May 2017. Filming locations included the cities of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba and Brasília.[8]

Similarities with real life events

Despite the recurrent disclaimer at the start of each episode, declaring the screenplay is loosely based on a true story, with characters and events adapted for dramatic effect, many characters and companies depicted (but not all facts regarding them) can be easily traced to the actual people and companies involved in Operation Car Wash. Some such associations are:[9][10][11][12]

Character/Company Counterpart Actor
PetrobrasilPetrobras
Constructor OSAOAS Group
Constructor Miller&BrechtOdebrecht
Roberto IbrahimAlberto YoussefEnrique Diaz
Judge Paulo RigoJudge Sérgio MoroOtto Jr.
Former President João "Gino" HiginoFormer President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da SilvaArthur Kohl
President Janete RuscovThen-President of Brazil Dilma RousseffSura Berditchevsky
Senator Lúcio LemesSenator Aécio NevesMichel Bercovitch
Vice President Samuel ThamesThen-Vice President of Brazil Michel TemerTonio Carvalho
Mario Garcez BritoMárcio Thomaz BastosPietro Mário
João Pedro Rangel (Pepê)Paulo Roberto CostaLeonardo Medeiros
Ricardo BrechtMarcelo OdebrechtEmílio Orciollo Netto
Lorival Bueno (OSA CEO)Léo Pinheiro, then OAS Group CEOSidney Guedes
Attorney General (no name in the show)Then-Prosecutor General of Brazil Rodrigo JanotLionel Fischer
Prosecutor Dimas DonatelliProsecutor Deltan DallagnolAntonio Saboia
Maria Tereza, Miller&Brecht Personal AssistantMaria Lúcia Tavares, then Odebrecht Executive AssistantAnna Cotrim
Police Chief Verena CardoniPolice Chief Erika MarenaCaroline Abras
Agent "China"Newton Ishii, agent of the Federal Police of BrazilFábio Yoshihara

Episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
18March 23, 2018 (2018-03-23)
28May 10, 2019 (2019-05-10)

Season 1 (2018)
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleEnglish titleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
11"Lava Jato"Car WashJosé PadilhaElena SoarezMarch 23, 2018 (2018-03-23)
The family of federal delegate Marco Ruffo is being threatened after he tries to frame Roberto Ibrahim for money laundering.
22"Halawi"HalvahFelipe PradoElena SoarezMarch 23, 2018 (2018-03-23)
10 years later, Verena continues to investigate Ibrahim and the doleiros who work with him.
33"Ventos Frios Vindos do Sul"Cool Winds from the SouthFelipe PradoElena SoarezMarch 23, 2018 (2018-03-23)
The Federal Police team works hard to carry out an operation with multiple targets, but important evidence disappears.
44"Fundo Falso"False BottomMarcos PradoElena SoarezMarch 23, 2018 (2018-03-23)
Guilhome gets some unexpected help. Verena goes after João Pedro, and Judge Rigo reflects on a decision that can change everything.
55"Olhos Vermelhos"Red EyesMarcos PradoElena SoarezMarch 23, 2018 (2018-03-23)
Verena has a feeling she can not trust anyone else. Ibrahim's wife is furious to find out what her husband has done in jail.
66"Eles Sabiam de Tudo"They Knew It AllMarcos PradoElena SoarezMarch 23, 2018 (2018-03-23)
To force João Pedro to speak what he knows, investigators are seeking charges against his family. But a leak puts the whole operation at risk.
77"O Último Respiro"One Last BreathDaniel RezendeElena SoarezMarch 23, 2018 (2018-03-23)
The "Clube dos 13" (Club of 13) rush to close an agreement with the attorney general. In dealing with a sewage problem in the neighborhood, Ruffo has a balcony and understands the origin of everything.
88"Juízo Final"DoomsdayDaniel RezendeElena SoarezMarch 23, 2018 (2018-03-23)
Verena receives devastating news. Ruffo reevaluates his priorities. Dimas and Cláudio learn of the fate of Operation "Juízo Final" (Doomsday).

Season 2 (2019)
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleEnglish titleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
91"De onde vem a lama?"Where Does the Mud Comes From?José PadilhaElena SoarezMay 10, 2019 (2019-05-10)
Ruffo gets a valuable price from the secretary of the 13th contrator, Ricardo Bretch. Verena and Guilhone find themselves under investigation.
102"Del Este"Del EsteJosé PadilhaElena SoarezMay 10, 2019 (2019-05-10)
Vander's illegal wiretap pays off. When Ibrahim's new venture gets off to a bad start, his money-hungry wife makes a fatal error.
113"Adictos"AddictsJosé PadilhaElena SoarezMay 10, 2019 (2019-05-10)
Ruffo gets a surprise when he visits his wife at the ranch, and later makes a deal with Maria Tereza, who is followed home after picking up her son.
124"O grande ilusionista"The Great IllusionistJosé PadilhaElena SoarezMay 10, 2019 (2019-05-10)
Disciplined as ever, Bretch gets to work on a plan and gives his wife instructions. To find Ibrahim, Ruffo follows another trail Luz Maria has left.
135"Ponte da Amizade"Friendship BridgeJosé PadilhaElena SoarezMay 10, 2019 (2019-05-10)
Following the cigarette lead, Ruffo heads to Paraguay. When Guilhome learns Ruffo is pursuing Ibrahim alone, he sets out to find him and bring him back.
146"Réquiem"RequiemJosé PadilhaElena SoarezMay 10, 2019 (2019-05-10)
Verena finds herself at Ibrahim's mercy. When Eva is unable to convince Bretch to talk before Ibrahim does, she calls a political ally for help.
157"O fim e os meios"The Ends and the MeansDaniel RezendeElena SoarezMay 10, 2019 (2019-05-10)
When Tom Carvalho tells Verena and the DA's office about shady deals involving former President Gino, Rigo issues orders that ignite a public firestorm.
168"Canastra Suja"Dirty CanastraJosé PadilhaElena SoarezMay 10, 2019 (2019-05-10)
Rigo is unable to ignore the new wiretap recording. The prospect of Thames becoming president spurs Verena to find a way to break Bretch's silence.

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2018 Golden Trailer Awards Golden Trailer Best Foreign (TV Spot/Trailer/Teaser for a series) Nominated [13]
2018 São Paulo Association of Art Critics Awards Best Director José Padilha Nominated [14]
2019 Associação Brasileira de Cinematografia TV - Best Cinematography Episode: Juízo Final (Doomsday) Nominated [15]

References
  1. "Série sobre Lava Jato dirigida por José Padilha é anunciada pela Netflix". Pop & Arte (in Portuguese). 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2017-05-10.
  2. "Começam as filmagens de O mecanismo, série com Selton Mello sobre a Lava Jato". G1 (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2017-05-11.
  3. The Mechanism — Official Trailer [HD]. Netflix. 2018-01-18. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  4. "Netflix anuncia 2ª temporada de O Mecanismo para 2019". UOL (in Portuguese). 2018-05-28. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  5. "O Mecanismo" (in Portuguese). AdoroCinema. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  6. "Netflix anuncia série sobre Operação Lava Jato para 2017". O Estadão (in Portuguese). April 15, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
  7. "Começam as filmagens de 'O mecanismo', série com Selton Mello sobre a Lava Jato". G1 (in Portuguese). May 15, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
  8. "Começam as filmagens de 'O mecanismo', série com Selton Mello sobre a Lava Jato". G1 (in Portuguese). May 15, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
  9. "Quem é quem em 'O mecanismo', série da Netflix inspirada na Operação 'Lava Jato'". 14 March 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  10. "O mecanismo: A série que quer mostrar para o mundo como funciona a corrupção". 23 March 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  11. Pernambuco, Diario de (23 March 2018). "O Mecanismo encara o desafio de retratar a corrupção brasileira". Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  12. "O Mecanismo: mapeamos todas as referências que você não percebeu". Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  13. "GTA19 NOMINEES (2018)". Golden Trailer Awards.
  14. "Séries ultrapassam novelas e lideram indicações da APCA aos melhores da TV". Universo Online. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  15. "Associação Brasileira De Cinematografia Anuncia Os Finalistas Do Prêmio ABC 2019". Associação Brasileira de Cinematografia.
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