Meet “Caramelo,” the Brazilian Street Dog Breaking Netflix Records Worldwide
“Caramelo,” the Brazilian film tugging at heartstrings, has become one of Netflix’s most-watched films within days of release. The story follows Caramelo, a caramel mutt, who shakes up the life of a young chef. The emotional film has broken records, setting the biggest premiere week for an original Netflix Brazilian film ever. It also became the most-watched non-English film worldwide in the second week of October.
But, more than just a success in numbers, “Caramelo” is a love letter to Brazil’s emblematic vira-lata caramelo dog, a symbol of the country’s resilience and savviness. The film also explores the life-transforming power of adopting a dog.
A story of love, friendship, and loyalty
Premiering on October 8, “Caramelo” is a Brazilian film directed by Diego Freitas and starring Rafael Vitti (Pedro). It follows the story of a vira-lata caramelo dog (Caramelo) who forces his way into a rising chef’s life. Their paths cross during a challenging period for Pedro, who had just achieved a long-time dream, but receives a life-shattering diagnosis.
Paired with beautiful scenery and an emotional OST, the film showcases the unbreakable bond between loved ones and the healing power of friendships. The film also tackles the challenges and joys of dog adoption, as well as the journey of patients navigating life-threatening conditions.
Caramelos: from the streets to the screens
“Caramelo”’s story, however, runs deeper. The film sheds light on the singular, caramel-colored dogs that populate the streets of Brazil. Better known as vira-lata caramelos (trashcan-tipper caramels), these mutt dogs have captured renewed attention since the late 2010s. They became internet viral sensations, described as symbols of Brazilian culture and identity due to their widespread presence in Brazilian households and, unfortunately, streets.
From memes and TikTok videos to petitions to include them in national currency, the vira-lata caramelo dogs are nearly inescapable. The intelligent and loyal creatures even had their moment at the 2025 Carnaval. The São Clemente samba school featured large caramelo dog effigies and costumes in their performance, which denounced animal abuse and abandonment.
Once upon a time, marginalized and disregarded, the caramelos are finding their way into Brazil’s cultural identity. “It comes from a marginal place, like Brazil. It has a history of survival and marginalization,” a Brazilian professor told The Associated Press (AP). “We value the caramelo in the way we value our country, as it is.”
Despite their internet virality, the caramelos are still facing homelessness
Caramel mutts might be publicly celebrated and praised online. However, in 2024, The Associated Press reported that caramel-colored mutts in adoption still get passed over in favor of other dogs. In The Indefensos shelter, a dog refuge in Rio, for example, about half of the dogs were caramelos. Volunteers told AP that caramelo puppies were “inevitably picked last.”
“It’s absurd. We rush because we know that animal, when it grows up, will never have the chance for a home,” Rosana Guerra, president of The Indefensos, told the press agency. “They end up staying, waiting for adoption that never comes.”
“Caramelo” tackles the reality of dog abandonment from the first scene.
The film itself was partly inspired by director Diego Freitas’ experience rescuing an abandoned puppy during the pandemic. He took the idea to Netflix, hoping to share a story about dogs’ ability to transform human lives. Freitas also wanted to spotlight the beloved Brazilian caramelo.
Behind the scenes, the production has led adoption efforts by example. In an interview with the Brazilian outlet Splash, Freitas explained that the dog playing Caramelo, Amendoim (Portuguese for “peanut”), was saved from the streets. In fact, Amendoim “showed up at the production company’s door” when he was (presumably) only three months old. “It was meant to be,” said Freitas.
Additionally, the film cast about 60 dogs. The majority of them, from shelters or rescued, were adopted by the crew members. Even the film star, Rafael Vitti, who owned 10 dogs at the time, kept one of the dogs. “Everyone got a house, a home, love, a family,” Freitas told Splash. “It’s a film that’s very pro-adoption. That’s the hallmark of our film.”
Furthermore, to celebrate the film’s premiere, Netflix launched an adoption platform in Brazil. The streaming company partnered with 12 NGOs dedicated to dog rescue. The website www.caramelofilme.com takes interested people to a database of dogs ready to become the new “protagonists transforming lives.”
