TV Show Takes ‘Rio Breaks’ Star to Hawaii

Rio Breaks tells the story of two best friends, Fabio and Naama, who live amid the squalor of a Rio de Janeiro favela but find solace in the slum’s precarious but vibrant surf club. The club’s hope: that the kids stay in the water instead of joining a drug gang.

Earlier this year, Luciano Huck, host of one of Brazil’s most popular TV shows, watched the film, fell in love with it and decided to put all of his clout, resources and plain hard production cash (his programme has institutional status and draws about 12 million viewers every week) to help the film’s characters.

Favela Surf Club president Rogerio (right) and TCOLondon's Vince Medeiros (left) at the club's brand new screening room.

In the programme, which aired on March 6, Luciano meets Naama, who in the film says that his dream is to go surfing in Hawaii. Luciano surprises Naama when he stops by his house in the favela, TV cameras in tow. At the end of the visit, he says he’ll not only take Naama to Hawaii, but also introduce him to Kelly Slater, the world’s best surfer. In exchange, Naama has to promise he’ll never join the drug gang, keep going to school and agree to learn English.

Naama’s meeting with Slater is likely to go down as one of the most tear-inducing moments on television. It could have looked exploitative but it didn’t. Naama is sincere and fearless – a fearlessness hewn from the hardship of real life, from growing up without a fridge (as he says in the show), from seeing his brother killed by the police. So when he breaks down upon meeting Slater, you know that moment matters. You know it’s real. On their return, Luciano buys the family an apartment in Copacabana, moving Naama and his family out of the favela.

The Favela Surf Club's new HQ

The TV presenter has also fully refurbished the surf club, which now has the capability of shaping boards from scratch, a screening room, dressing room and all the structure needed to operate as a cultural and sporting hub in the favela. The filmmakers have started a non-profit, the Rio Breaks Foundation, to get the new club up and running, and Luciano will stay onboard and keep an eye on the project as it moves forward.

To donate, please contact: donate@riobreaks.com