BEIJA-FLOR
Tribute to Laíla.
Beija-Flor's
Tribute to Laíla.
The air crackled with an energy I've rarely witnessed.
In the heart of Rio de Janeiro, the spirit of Carnaval was undeniably alive and vibrant. I had the immense privilege, a true honor, of being present to photograph the pre-Carnaval performance of the legendary samba school, Beija-Flor de Nilópolis, as they gear up for their 2025 parade.
This year holds a particularly poignant significance as Beija-Flor will be paying homage to the unforgettable Luiz Fernando Ribeiro do Carmo, affectionately known as Laíla, a true icon of Rio's Carnaval and a cornerstone of Beija-Flor, who sadly
left us in 2021.
A Beautiful Homage to Laila (BeijaFlor)
by Sergehino Aguiar
December 2
Thank you, Serghino, for honoring the memory of Laíla with clarity and respect. Your presence ensures that his role as one of Beija-Flor’s most important creative leaders is not forgotten.
Laíla’s work shaped decades of Carnival history, guiding the school with discipline, vision, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. By evoking his legacy, you remind us that samba is not only a spectacle, but also a continuity, tradition, and the living memory of those who built it.
Axé.
Hail the samba, born of Brazil. Hail the ancestry. Hail the faith. Axé
A VICTORY WRITTEN IN THE STARS
Her costume and presence paid homage to Beija-Flor’s winning theme.
National Samba Day.
Today, I stand as a sambista, through these two images that carry the presence of the unseen. As Benito de Paula once sang,
"How beautiful it would be, how wonderful, if the singer or composer could also be an actor or a football player."
Football was never my path, though I played it with heart in my youth. Actor? No, I have no training. But this day, I simply lived it, an homage of saudade, of respect, to a great master.
Thank you, Beija-Flor. Thank you, President Almir Reis, for the opportunity. My gratitude to my partners for the idea, to my pai de santo Anderson de Oxaguian for the sacred garments and the steadfastness of faith, and to Flávia Rob for a transformation nothing short of divine.
To those who were moved, thank you for recognizing it.
To those who truly supported me,
my gratitude.
