‘A Turma do Militos’ Brings Back Stories of Iconic Children's Figures from Manaus in the 1980s

Amazonian pop culture will soon take center stage in the local audiovisual scene: A Turma do Militos – A Infância dos Curumins Amazonenses will be a five-episode series, each 26 minutes long, about the lives and careers of iconic children’s figures who became famous in Manaus during the 1980s and 1990s. The project is supported by the Lei Paulo Gustavo, through a grant from the Government of Amazonas.

Tatiana Xavier is one of those icons: known as the “Xuxa of Amazonas,” she performed at children’s events and shows throughout Manaus, complete with her own team of paquitas and paquitos in the group Encantaty. Her success was so great that she was spotted by Xuxa herself on a television show on Amazon Sat, according to a local newspaper from that time. “There was a time when Tatiana’s show had more audience than a performance by the original Angélica,” said Antônio Carlos Júnior, the series’ executive producer.

Tia Cida will also be another well-known figure highlighted in A Turma do Militos. On the show Clube do 4, aired on TV A Crítica, she hosted cover bands performing hits from the era, like RPM and Menudos. The show ran for five years, from 1984 to 1989, and was even filmed at the Brilho nightclub, where the Amazonas Shopping stands today. The series will also cover figures like Oscarino and his puppet Peteleco, the beloved Tio Barbosa, and the theater group Os Birutas.

“A Turma do Militos – A Infância dos Curumins Amazonenses” brings together two experienced local filmmakers in the director’s chair. Emerson Medina, a winner at the historic Amazonas Film Festival, leads the series alongside Thiago Morais, known for his successful animation Cem Pilum. “Our goal is to recover the spirit of the era,” said Medina about the project, which is a partnership between Merak Produções Criativas and Majestic Produções Multimídia. The script is by Lídia Ferreira, while Aline Fidélix and Eriksson Fernandes are in charge of cinematography, Nonato Tavares is the art director, and the soundtrack is by Diego Nogueira.

Emerson Medina, the son of a teacher, was a young boy entering adolescence when most of the figures featured in the web series were at the height of their fame. “My mother was a teacher, so I would go with her to the school festivals where she taught. I remember seeing Oscarino perform with Peteleco at many of these events,” recalls the director. “Manaus was a city far from the big entertainment centers, and national artists were rare, so the local performers were our options. They conveyed a narrative and communication that was closer to our reality and our way of speaking. They were close to us, they ruled the scene.”

Tatiana Xavier, known as the “Xuxa of Amazonas.” Photo: Personal Collection/Disclosure

The project will also take inspiration from Retratos Fantasmas (Ghost Portraits), by Kleber Mendonça Filho, which pays tribute to and reflects on the old street cinemas of Recife. “In his film, he shows how cities reflect society in both the past and present. The final scene is striking. When we started thinking about these stories, we realized there are people who don’t know or know very little about these figures. With the web series, we have the opportunity to create records that last. It will be a rescue of people who made history in Manaus, introducing them to new generations,” said Medina.

Currently in the process of gathering archival materials from the honorees and their families, A Turma do Militos – A Infância dos Curumins Amazonenses is set to begin filming in 2025. The release date has yet to be determined.

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