A Dog's Will

A Dog's Will follows João Grilo and Chicó, two poor and clever men scraping by in the backlands of northeastern Brazil. Chicó tells tall tales while João Grilo schemes his way through one trick after another, outwitting richer and more powerful people in their small town. Their misadventures eventually lead them to a reckoning in the afterlife, where they must answer for their deeds before divine and infernal judges.

Guel Arraes directed the film, his first feature, and wrote the screenplay with João Falcão and Adriana Falcão. Matheus Nachtergaele plays João Grilo, Selton Mello plays Chicó, and Fernanda Montenegro appears as Compadecida, with Rogério Cardoso, Denise Fraga and Diogo Vilela in supporting roles. The film draws on a Brazilian stage play and was released in 2000, running 104 minutes.

Arraes went on to direct Lisbela and the Prisoner in 2003, Romance in 2008, and Great Sertão and The Rogue's Trial in 2024. A Dog's Will is among the most warmly received Brazilian comedies with audiences, holding an 8.6 rating on IMDb from roughly 21,000 votes and an 8.4 on TMDB. Its worldwide box office of about 5 million dollars reflects a strong domestic performance for a Brazilian production of its time.