Naman Shrestha
Netflix’s Brazilian crime thriller series, ‘Criminal Code,’ is a creation of Heitor Dhalia, Bernado Barcellos, and Leonardo Levis, that showcases how DNA can also be used to solve a robbery. Inspired by real-life crimes, the narrative is driven forward after a robbery in a Paraguayan private security firm, leading to the federal agents launching an immediate and complicated investigation. When the authorities collect DNA samples from the crime scene, they connect them to the neighboring country and other crimes, which uncovers a much larger criminal plan.
Originally titled ‘DNA do Crime,’ the series features Maeve Jinkings, Rômulo Braga, Thomás Aquino, and Pedro Caetano, and thanks to their compelling performances, the crimes and policing in Brazil are accurately portrayed on the screen. Showing both sides of the coin, the story unfolds in Brazil and Paraguay, leaving the viewers curious about where the TV series was filmed.
Criminal Code Filming Locations
‘Criminal Code’ is filmed in Brazil and Paraguay, especially in São Paulo and Ciudad del Este. The principal photography for the debut season of the crime series took place in late 2022, seemingly commencing around October of the same year. So, let’s dive right into all the specific sites that feature in the Netflix production.
São Paulo, Brazil
The city of São Paulo serves as the primary production location where the shooting for many pivotal sequences of ‘Criminal Code’ is carried out. The capital of the eponymous state, São Paulo is situated in the southeastern part of Brazil and provides its vast and versatile landscape to the filming unit to shoot important scenes in different neighborhoods and streets, against suitable backdrops.
Since a lot of action takes place outdoors, the cast and crew members spend most of their time on exterior sets while numerous local attractions appear in the backdrop, such as the Obelisk of São Paulo, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady Assumption and Saint Paul, the Altino Arantes Building, the São Paulo Museum of Art, and the Octávio Frias de Oliveira Bridge. Over the years, the capital city’s locales have been featured in multiple film and TV projects. Some of the notable ones include ‘Solace,’ ‘Overhaul,’ ‘7 Prisoners,’ ‘City of Men,’ and ‘The Mechanism,’
Ciudad del Este, Paraguay
The filming unit of ‘Criminal Code’ also traveled to the capital of Paraguay’s Alto Paraná Department — Ciudad del Este. From the looks of it, they utilize the interiors of a few establishments and turn them into film sets in order to lens multiple key portions for the Brazilian series. Some outdoor scenes for season 1 were also recorded at night in various parts of the city.
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