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Carandiru poster

Carandiru (2003)

“Inside here nobody is guilty. Do you believe that?”

7.6/10 · 632 votes 2h 25m r Drama

#16 of 156 films from 2003 #673 of 3759 in drama

Directed by Héctor Babenco · Written by Héctor Babenco, Fernando Bonassi, Victor Navas, Dráuzio Varella

▶ Trailer, images & where to stream

Overview

When a doctor decides to carry out an AIDS prevention program inside Latin America’s largest prison: the Casa de Detenção de São Paulo – Carandiru, he meets the future victims of one of the darkest days in Brazilian history.

Cast

Luiz Carlos Vasconcelosas Doutor (Physician)
Milton Gonçalvesas Chico
Ivan de Almeidaas Nego Preto (Ebony)
Aílton Graçaas Majestade (Majesty)
Maria Luísa Mendonçaas Dalva
Aida Leineras Rosirene
Rodrigo Santoroas Lady Di
Gero Camiloas Sem Chance (No Way)
Lázaro Ramosas Ezequiel
Caio Blatas Deusdete
Wagner Mouraas Zico
Julia Ianinaas Francineide
Sabrina Greveas Catarina
Floriano Peixotoas Antônio Carlos

Facts

Release dateApril 11, 2003
Runtime145 min (2h 25m) — longer as the 2003 average of 107 min
GenresDrama
LanguagePT
Budget$4,100,000
Box office$10,781,635 (2.6× budget)
IMDbtt0293007

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Questions

How long is Carandiru?
Carandiru runs 145 minutes (2h 25m).
Is Carandiru worth watching?
TMDB users give it 7.6/10 across 632 votes, which places it #16 of 156 films released in 2003 in this index (top 90%) and #673 among 3759 drama titles.
Who directed Carandiru?
Carandiru was directed by Héctor Babenco.
Who stars in Carandiru?
Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos as Doutor (Physician); Milton Gonçalves as Chico; Ivan de Almeida as Nego Preto (Ebony); Aílton Graça as Majestade (Majesty); Maria Luísa Mendonça as Dalva; Aida Leiner as Rosirene.
What is Carandiru rated?
It carries a r certification in its home market. Ratings differ by country.
Where can I watch the trailer for Carandiru?
Open the title in the MTDb app for trailers, images and streaming links: https://mv.peoplentools.com/titles/104040.

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Film data and images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Ratings are TMDB user scores as of 2026-10-05.