Who are the Brazilian filmmakers who died in a plane crash in MS?

Two Brazilian filmmakers, a Chinese architect, and pilot Marcelo Pereira de Barros died in a small plane crash on Tuesday night, the 23rd, in Aquidauana, in the Pantanal region of Mato Grosso do Sul. Luiz Ferraz and Rubens Crispim Jr. were flying alongside professor and architect Kongjian Yu to film a documentary about sponge cities, a concept for which Yu was world-renowned.

The aircraft, a single-engine Cessna 175 owned by Marcelo, had a capacity of four people and was used for private flights. According to the Fire Department, all the bodies were burned. The causes of the accident, which occurred around 6:30 PM, are still under police investigation, in partnership with the Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents.

Luiz Ferraz Fernando Feres da Cunha was a filmmaker specializing in documentaries. Founder of the production company Olé Produções, his resume included productions such as the series "Chapecó Dossier: The Game Behind the Tragedy ," nominated for an international Emmy. The film explores the plane crash that killed Chapecoense players, journalists, and employees in 2016.

Rubens Crispim Jr., a graduate in Fine Arts from USP and specialized in cinematography, founded the production company Poseidos with his wife, Heloísa Faria. Crispim participated in the 2009 Cannes Film Festival with the short film "O que Escolhemos" (What We Choose) . He has also worked on projects for major channels such as Discovery Latin America .

Kongjian Yu , in turn, was a leading figure in sustainable urban planning, known worldwide for the concept of sponge cities—designed to absorb large amounts of water and prevent flooding. He arrived in Brazil this month for the São Paulo Biennial and then traveled to the Pantanal to participate in filming his work with Brazilian filmmakers.

Chinese architect Kongjian Yu. Photo: WanQuan/Personal Archive

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), who is in the United States , spoke about the accident in an official statement and expressed his solidarity with the families of the pilot, the documentary filmmakers and the architect.

"In times of climate change, Kongjian Yu has become a global benchmark for sponge cities, which combine quality of life and environmental protection: something we want—and need—for the future," the president wrote.

(With information from AFP)