Shubhabrata Dutta
Created by Heitor Dhalia, Netflix’s true-story inspired Brazilian crime-action drama series ‘Criminal Code’ (‘DNA do Crime’) centers on a team of Brazilian federal police officers with special proficiency in DNA tracking. The stakes are high, the dangers are many, and the feds use DNA evidence to ensure that not a single member of organized crime gets away. The narrative follows Benício and Suellen, two officers, who leave no stone unturned to find the criminals by whatever means necessary, even going off-the-books if need be.
Season 1 has the cops going after a group of robbers who carried out a heist at a Paraguayan private security firm. The second season brings a fresh case to the table wherein some prisoners break free during their transfer, and as Benício and Suellen get to work, their enemies, a criminal group known as the Phantom Gang, decide to make things personal. Rômulo Braga and Maeve Jinkings return to lead the cast, and they are joined by Pedro Caetano, Thomás Aquino, Alex Nader, Daniel Blanco, Jorge Paz, and Letícia Tomazella. A new series of developments naturally calls for familiar and fresh settings, underscored by apt visual storytelling.
Criminal Code Filming Locations
‘Criminal Code’ is filmed in Brazil and Paraguay, where the narrative is set, specifically on the border between the two countries. For Season 2, the cameras reportedly started rolling at the beginning of June 2024 and continued for almost two months before wrapping up in the second half of August the same year. Brazil’s São Paulo and Paraguay’s Ciudad del Este were the hotspots for the shoot. The production crew used both locations extensively to capture the expanse of the narrative and be as realistic as possible.
São Paulo, Brazil
São Paulo, the capital city of the eponymous state in southern Brazil, became the setting for major scenes in ‘Criminal Code.’ The various areas, neighborhoods, and streets of the city became the backdrops for outdoor shots and action sequences. The exterior of the TEOEMP office building at Pinheiros Street, next to Faria Lima Avenue, seemingly doubled as the Brazilian police headquarters. In the show, the feds are based out of Foz do Iguaçu, AKA Foz, situated right by the Iguaçu Falls. So, the crew may have used the city to record additional scenes. Viewers can also spot various well-known landmarks like the Altino Arantes Building, the Obelisk of São Paulo, the Octávio Frias de Oliveira Bridge, and the São Paulo Museum of Art, which have been taped to enhance the visuals.
São Paulo is considered an alpha global city due to its influence on the worldwide economic network and its status as a cultural and entertainment hub. The city’s blend of urban and natural landscapes, which is underscored by the subtropical climate, makes it a go-to destination for tourists looking for a sunny vacation. It is home to various festivals and events, like the Virada Cultural, São Paulo Jazz Festival, the Lollapalooza Music Festival, and the São Paulo Gay Pride Parade. It also boasts many top-tier production studios that may have been utilized by the production team to lens indoor scenes. The city served as one of the backdrops for Netflix’s ‘Brotherhood.’
Ciudad del Este, Paraguay
In Paraguay, the crew resorted to Ciudad del Este, in the Department of Alto Paraná, to tape several scenes. The heist in Season 1 occurs in the city, a dramatization of the Prosegur robbery that took place in 2017 in the same location. Akin to São Paulo, the crew shot many outdoor sequences along with several indoor scenes in Ciudad del Este. “We researched and deeply understood the crime universe, working with real consultants, police from all forces, and former criminals, ex-bank robbers, and ex-international traffickers,” Dhalia told Deadline. The contrast provided by the city’s architecture, which shifts between classical and urban, helps highlight the show’s aesthetic.
Ciudad del Este is a free-trade zone and has earned a reputation as a global commercial city. It is home to many parks, including the Monseñor Agustín Van Aaken Park, Bernardino Caballero Park, Green Park, and Alejo García Park. Other landmarks that can easily pique the interest of the tourist in you are Saltos del Monday waterfalls, Friendship Bridge, Acaray Dam, Anfiteatro del Lago, and Ciudad del Este Cathedral. Many scenes of the movie ‘Miami Vice’ were shot in the city.
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