“Cuddle”: A Dystopian Drama on Human Connection Starring Fernanda Torres and Willem Dafoe

“Cuddle” is an upcoming feature set in a near-future metropolis where intimacy is bought and sold. Willem Dafoe portrays Dante, a professional cuddler paid to provide warmth and comfort to strangers. Fernanda Torres plays Ava, an immigrant whose quiet strength and deep empathy awaken something long buried in them both. Their unlikely connection becomes a lifeline and a chance at transformation, illustrating how small acts of affection can alter lives.

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The film is a project led by Brazilian filmmaker Bárbara Paz and produced by Conspiração Filmes. Producer Renata Brandão, CEO of Conspiração, and Juliana Capelini head production for the company. Co-production partners include BP Produções, Buena Vista International, VideoFilmes (Walter and João Moreira Salles), Infinity Hill (with Axel Kuschevatzky and Cindy Teperman) and TV Globo. Phin Glynn and Delfina Montecchia serve as executive producers. The project was promoted at the Cannes Film Festival, where Brandão was present.

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• Fernanda Torres – Oscar-nominated Brazilian actress, recognized for her 2025 performance in *I’m Still Here*, which earned her a Golden Globe that year.

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• Willem Dafoe – Four-time Oscar nominee, known for roles in *Poor Things* and *Platoon*.

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• Bárbara Paz – Filmmaker and co-producer of *Cuddle*, previously collaborated with Dafoe on *My Hindu Friend* and directed the documentary *Babenco: Tell Me When I Die*.

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• Renata Brandão – Producer and CEO of Conspiração Filmes, overseeing the film’s development.

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Torres received an Oscar nomination for *I’m Still Here* and a Golden Globe in 2025 for the same film. Dafoe’s career includes four Oscar nominations. Paz’s documentary *Babenco: Tell Me When I Die* represented Brazil at the 93rd Academy Awards and won the best documentary award in the Venice Classics sidebar of the 76th Venice Film Festival.

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*Cuddle* is described as a dystopian character-driven drama that reflects on contemporary touch-therapy culture and the fragmented nature of modern urban life. By portraying a society where affection is transactional, the film interrogates humanity’s enduring desire for closeness, meaning, and emotional support.

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Renata Brandão indicated that the film’s focus on the “joy and necessity of human connection” is intended to resonate with audiences worldwide. She emphasized the collaborative effort among Paz, Dafoe, and Torres as essential to realizing the project’s emotional core.

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• “To join Bárbara Paz, Willem Dafoe and Fernanda Torres in bringing to life a film about the joy and necessity of human connection in today’s world is a tremendous honor for us. We truly believe ‘Cuddle’ will resonate deeply and powerfully with audiences everywhere,” — Renata Brandão, CEO, Conspiração Filmes

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