Abyssal Fish (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Abyssal Fish is a Brazilian drama shaped by the artistic work and life of Luís Capucho, an artist who endured the stigma surrounding HIV and continued creating after serious physical consequences. Directed and written by Rafael Saar, the film blends fiction, reality and performance in a personal portrait of survival and expression.

Abyssal Fish is a 2026 Brazilian drama about the artist Luís Capucho. The film occupies a space between fiction, reality and performance, using Capucho’s artistic work as its central point of reference.

Directed and written by Rafael Saar, the Portuguese-language production addresses Capucho’s experience of living through the period when HIV was widely associated with a death stigma. It also follows the physical effects of illness and his partial recovery while continuing to develop a body of poetic work.

Abyssal Fish movie details

Story without spoilers

The film centers on Luís Capucho, an artist who survived the years when HIV carried an especially severe social stigma. His later creative work takes shape after illness left him mute and temporarily affected some of his body movements.

Rather than presenting a straightforward fictional account, Abyssal Fish combines fictional elements with real-life material and performance. Its focus is Capucho’s artistic process, his physical recovery and the work he built in the aftermath of disease.

What to expect

Abyssal Fish is presented as a drama with an experimental structure, positioned between fiction, reality and performance. Viewers can expect an intimate focus on an artist’s life and practice rather than a conventional plot-driven account.

The film’s subject matter includes HIV stigma, the lasting physical consequences of illness and the role of art in Capucho’s life. Its stated premise suggests a reflective portrait shaped by poetic expression and personal experience.

Cast and creative team

Rafael Saar directs and writes Abyssal Fish. Luís Capucho appears alongside Ney Matogrosso, Pedro Paz, Mery Alentejo, Daniel Gonçalves, Maurício Lima, Teuda Bara and Kali Ce. The film is produced by Dilúvio Produções.

• Ney Matogrosso
• Luís Capucho
• Pedro Paz
• Mery Alentejo
• Daniel Gonçalves
• Maurício Lima
• Teuda Bara
• Kali Ce

Release and production context

Abyssal Fish is listed as a 2026 release, with a release date of November 12, 2026. It has a runtime of 1 hour and 50 minutes. The film is from Brazil, is spoken in Portuguese and is categorized as a drama. Dilúvio Produções is the listed production company.

Production companies: Dilúvio Produções

Movies Dock view

Abyssal Fish offers a portrait of Luís Capucho through a form that brings together fiction, reality and performance. Its focus on artistic creation, the history of HIV stigma and recovery gives the film a clearly personal and socially grounded subject.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb