13 Alfinetes (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

13 Alfinetes revisits the myth of Saint Anthony of Lisbon through a layered passage between medieval legend, Goya’s 18th-century Madrid and contemporary Lisbon. João Pedro Rodrigues and João Rui Guerra da Mata direct this Portuguese-language film, a compact work centered on faith, violence, desire and the fading possibility of miracles.

13 Alfinetes is a Portuguese-language film directed and written by João Pedro Rodrigues and João Rui Guerra da Mata. Its story connects the legend of Saint Anthony of Lisbon, a painting by Francisco de Goya and a present-day Lisbon where the sacred appears increasingly distant.

The film is described as a story of love, revenge and blood, moving across different historical and cultural settings. With a one-hour runtime and production ties to Portugal and Brazil, it presents a concise, myth-focused premise rather than a conventional contemporary narrative.

13 Alfinetes movie details

Story without spoilers

The film begins by recreating an episode said to have taken place in medieval Lisbon. That material is then viewed through the cosmopolitan atmosphere of 18th-century Madrid and the work of Goya, before the story returns to Lisbon in the present day.

At its center is the enduring myth of Saint Anthony, known as both Saint Anthony of Lisbon and Saint Anthony of Padua. The film asks what place the sacred can occupy in the contemporary world, while framing its narrative around love, revenge and blood. Its synopsis suggests a deliberately layered structure in which legend, art and modern reality meet, with the contrast between past miracles and present-day disbelief shaping the story’s central tension.

What to expect

The supplied premise points to a compact, art-driven film built around religious mythology and historical reimagining. Viewers can expect a narrative that shifts between medieval Lisbon, 18th-century Madrid and contemporary Lisbon rather than remaining in one period.

Goya’s painting and the story of Saint Anthony provide the film’s central cultural references. The combination of sacred imagery, crime-related character descriptions and the stated elements of love, revenge and blood indicates serious, potentially dark material. The film’s one-hour length also suggests a focused presentation of its ideas and motifs.

Cast and creative team

Fernando Santos is credited as Santo António and Deborah Krystall. Alexander David plays a Zombie and a victim of a crime, while Cláudia Jardim is credited as an Assassin, Saint Teresa of Ávila and a tour guide. João Pedro Mamede plays a priest, Paulo Guilherme appears as a sacristan and Diogo Nogueira plays a painter.

João Pedro Rodrigues and João Rui Guerra da Mata direct and write the film together. The shared writing and directing credits place the film’s historical, religious and contemporary strands under the same creative partnership.

• Fernando Santos as Santo António, Deborah Krystall
• Alexander David as Zombie, Vítima do crime
• Cláudia Jardim as Assassino, Santa Teresa d’Ávila, Guia turística
• João Pedro Mamede as Padre
• Paulo Guilherme as Sacristão
• Diogo Nogueira as Pintor

Release and production context

13 Alfinetes is listed as a 2026 release, with a release date of October 20, 2026. It has a runtime of one hour and is spoken in Portuguese. The film is associated with Portugal and Brazil, and its production companies are Vitrine Filmes and Terratreme.

The title is listed as 13 Alfinetes, with the same original title. Its listed status is Released. No genre classification or additional release-platform information is supplied here.

Production companies: Vitrine Filmes, Terratreme

Movies Dock view

13 Alfinetes stands out from its premise as a brief, cross-period reflection on Saint Anthony, artistic reinterpretation and the changing place of miracles. By linking medieval Lisbon, Goya’s Madrid and the present day, it gives its themes a broad historical frame while keeping the focus on a concentrated Portuguese-language story.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb