A Força do Querer-Cedar Herald Index

A Força do Querer (English title: Edge of Desire, ) is a Brazilian telenovela produced and aired by TV Globo. It was created by Glória Perez, directed by Rogério Gomes and Pedro Vasconcellos. It premiered on 3 April 2017, replacing A Lei do Amor. The show ran for 29 weeks with a total of 172 episodes and ended on 20 October 2017, being replaced by O Outro Lado do Paraíso.

The telenovela features an ensemble cast of Isis Valverde, Marco Pigossi, Fiuk, Bruna Linzmeyer, Paolla Oliveira, Juliana Paes, Emilio Dantas, Rodrigo Lombardi, Débora Falabella, Dan Stulbach, Lilia Cabral and Maria Fernanda Cândido.

A Força do Querer

The show deals with contemporary themes that affect modern Brazilian culture, such as drug trafficking, gambling and transsexuality, and has received positive reception from viewers and critics. The show achieved an average viewership of 36 points in the much-coveted 9 pm time slot.

A Força do Querer

Production

In April 2016, Glória Perez announced her next telenovela, due to premiere in the first half of 2017. She also stated that it would be different from the ones she had produced in the previous 20 years, which featured different settings and culture-oriented storylines. A Força do Querer mainly features romance and is entirely shot in Brazil. Originally titled À Flor da Pele during early stages of production, it was changed to Flor do Querer in November 2016 and to the current title in December 2016.

A Força do Querer

Casting

Paolla Oliveira was the first to be cast for the project, and was announced to star in the telenovela in March 2016. Fábio Assunção was originally cast to portray Eugênio but later declined in order to star in a then upcoming television series. Dan Stulbach was then cast. Leopoldo Pacheco was originally cast as Junqueira but he and Chay Suede preferred Novo Mundo. Suede was the first option to portray Ruy. Daniel Rocha also auditioned for the role of Ruy but Fiuk was preferred over him. Vera Fischer was also cast but due to personal differences with the showrunner, she was replaced by Betty Faria.

The character of Bibi was inspired by Fabiana Escobar, known as "queen of pot". Showrunner Glória Perez initially wanted the character to be the center of a separate miniseries but decided to include it in the telenovela.

Since her role is inspired by a siren, Isis Valverde was prepared for three months in readiness for her character by, Mirella Ferraz, a professional in that part.

Plot

Promising lawyer Caio is considered for administration of the Garcia Company, one of the largest in the country. However, when Bibi decides to end their relationship, he leaves everything behind, and relocates to the United States. Fifteen years later, Caio returns to Brazil to take up a position in the judiciary and once again meets Bibi, who failed to complete college and is married to Rubinho. Rubinho goes through a delicate financial condition, as he and Bibi struggle to make ends meet which forces him to enter into the world of crime.

Ruy is prepared to take over the company of his father Eugênio, as the only qualified heir. He is engaged to Cibele, who offers him professional and personal stability. When he travels to Parazinho, he is enchanted by Ritinha, a young woman who loves the fascination she exerts on men, and seems to believe herself to be a mermaid. She continues a game of seduction with Ruy despite being engaged to Zeca, a truck driver who loves her intensely despite the gossips about her activities. On the day of their wedding he learns of Ritinha's fling with Ruy. Fearing for her life, Ritinha runs away with Ruy while Zeca angrily leaves Parazinho. In another town, Zeca meets Jeiza, a police officer who dreams of becoming a mixed martial arts fighter.

Meanwhile, Ruy's brother Ivan (previously Ivana) has been undergoing female to male gender reassignment, causing conflict with their mother, Joyce. Joyce's relationship with Eugênio begins to crumble when he meets Irene, a seductive woman who tries to break their marriage. Eugênio's older brother Eurico tries to keep everyone under his control, though he can't control the gambling addiction of his wife Silvana.