Projeto Futuro book dramatizes Santa Cruz siblings' persecution

The new book ‘Projeto Futuro’, written by Danilo Heitor and published by País Nenhum, uses science fiction to recount the real-life experiences of siblings Rosalina and Fernando Santa Cruz during the Brazilian military dictatorship.

The plot follows two high school students who discover an email regarding a secret military project that used political prisoners for time-travel experiments. This project is later revived decades later without ethical oversight.

The narrative is inspired by Rosalina Santa Cruz, a former activist for groups such as APML and VAR-Palmares, who was imprisoned and tortured in Rio de Janeiro. Her brother, Fernando Santa Cruz, was a student and militant who was arrested in February 1974 and subsequently disappeared. While the regime denied his detention, the National Truth Commission concluded that Fernando was killed by state repression. His remains have never been found.