Exclusive: Happy Old YearWritten by Marcelo Robbins Paiva, author of I’m still hereis being adapted by Netflix. I’m still here It was adapted as a film to much acclaim, while Happy Old Year It will be a series.
It is considered a foundational story in Brazilian literature of the late twentieth century. Happy Old Year (Original Portuguese title: Happy Old Year) was first published in 1982. The series is produced by Amaia Filmes and City of God O2 movies label.
Netflix is expected to officially announce the news during the ongoing FLIP Literary Festival in Paraty, in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.
Paiva is a novelist, playwright, screenwriter and journalist. Happy Old Year It was his first book. His family memoirs were later autobiographical I’m still here It formed the basis for Walter Sallis’s Oscar-winning film I’m still here. Last year, he told Deadline about reshuffling his work.
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Happy Old Year It is an autobiographical novel centered around an accident that left Paeva a quadriplegic at the age of twenty. It is an irreverent account of a dramatic turning point in his life, challenging stereotypes surrounding disability while speaking, thematically, about youth and coming of age.
“Happy Old Year “It has already been transformed into a play, a musical and an opera, and now, finally, this work, which is so vital to Brazilian culture, is coming to streaming online. I am thrilled to see another marriage between Brazilian literature and the audiovisual arts, taking our stories from the pages to the screen,” Paiva said.
Netflix has been developing a deep Brazilian roster in recent years and opened a new office in the country earlier in 2026.
“Happy Old Year “It’s a story that manages to get at the universal theme of what it means to be young, from a very personal account,” said Hannah Weissman, scripted series director for Brazil at the streaming site. “Maybe that’s why it created such a strong emotional connection with an entire generation of readers.” With this adaptation, we want those who already know the story to be moved by seeing it on screen, and for new generations of fans to fall in love with it.
Filming has not started yet. We will update when we have more production information. Meanwhile, producers Dian Maia of Amaya and Andrea Barata Ribeiro (O2 Filmes) said in a joint statement: “The adaptation Happy Old Year The screen is also a way to interact with Marcelo’s journey and the courage he had to transform his personal experience into world literature.
The duo added: “There are stories that we produce, and there are stories that we feel a real need to tell. It is a great honor, as well as a responsibility, to display them on the screen with all the accuracy and truth that it requires.”
