May 9, 2017 - Sao Paulo, Brazil: Netflix’s newest original series O Mecanismo, commenced principal photography this weekend in Brazil. Created by José Padilha (Narcos, Elite Squad, Robocop) and Elena Soarez (Filhos do Carnaval, Eu tu Eles, Casa de Areia), O Mecanismo is a fictional drama series loosely inspired by the investigation about allegations of corruption of state and private owned oil and construction companies in Brazil.

Selton Mello (Ligações Perigosas, Meu nome nao e Johnny, O Palhaço) will play the role of a retired federal police deputy and Caroline Abras (Avenida Brasil, Se nada mais der certo, Perto de qualquer lugar) will play his mentee, an ambitious federal agent. The cast will also include Enrique Diaz (Justiça, Felices para Sempre?), Lee Taylor (A pedra do reino; Velho chico, Riocorrente), Antonio Saboia (The wolf behind the door; Fora da lei), Jonathan Haagensen (City of God, Noel, poeta da vila), Alessandra Colasanti (A verdadeira história da bailarina de vermelho), Leonardo Medeiros (Cabra-cega, Onde quer que você esteja), Otto Jr. (Malhacao, The silver cliff), Susana Ribeiro (O Dono do Mundo, Meu Bem Querer), among many others.

O Mecanismo will be directed by long time collaborators Jose Padilha, Marcos Prado (Elite Squad, Estamira, Artificial Paradises), Felipe Prado (Drift, Elite Squad). The series is produced by Zazen Productions for Netflix. Jose Padilha and Marcos Prado are Executive Producers.

Written by Elena Soarez with collaboration by Sofia Maldonado, the 8-episode series will be shot in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba and Brasilia and will debut globally and exclusively on Netflix in 2018.

About Netflix

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About Zazen Productions

One of the most award-winning movie producers in Brazil and responsible for ARTIFICIAL PARADISES, ELITE SQUAD – the Enemy Within, Brazil's largest public film in the history of Brazilian cinema and Elite Squad, winner of the Golden Bear in 2008. Established in 1997, also ZAZEN produced the documentaries SECRETS OF THE TRIBE, GARAPA, ESTAMIRA, documentary larger audience in theaters in 2006, BUS 174, winner of the Emmy Awards and CHARCOAL PEOPLE.

Recognized worldwide for the high quality of its productions, ZAZEN have their films distributed in Theaters and TV for various countries by companies such as IM GLOBAL, Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, The Weinstein Company, HBO, National Geographic, ARTE France, BBC, NHK, ThinkFilm, Rio Movie, SIC Portugal and Brazil Channel, among others.

Besides having received many awards at major national festivals, their films represented Brazil at several international festivals like Berlin International Film Festival, Emmy Award (USA), Sundance Film Festival (USA), Karlovy Vary (Czech Rep.), Havana (Cuba) , International Documentary Festival of Marseille (France), Human Rights in Nuremberg (Germany), International Film Festival Rotterdam (Netherlands), International Documentary Film Festival of Chicago (USA), among others.