Chiquititas (1997 Brazilian TV series) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chiquititas
Genre	Soap opera
Created by	Cris Morena Gustavo Barrios Patricia Maldonado
Developed by	Gustavo Barrios Caio de Andrade
Written by	Caio de Andrade Délia Maunas Ricardo Morteo Horacio Marshall
Directed by	Hernan Abrahamsohn Gustavo Luppi Claudio Ferrari José Luiz Massa (music videos)
Starring	Flávia Monteiro (seasons 1-5) Fernanda Souza(seasons 1-2) Aretha Oliveira (seasons 1-5) Ana Olívia Seripieri (seasons 1-4) Carla Diaz (seasons 1-4) Alex Benn (season 1) Nelson Freitas (seasons 1-3) Marcos Pasquim (seasons 2-4) Carmo Dalla Vecchia (season 5) Débora Falabella (season 4-5)
Opening theme	"Remexe" (season 1) "Mexe Lá" (season 2) "Mexe Já" (season 3) "Me Dá Um Ch" (season 4) "Sempre Chiquititas" (season 5)
Country of origin	Brazil Argentina
Original language(s)	Portuguese
No. of seasons	5
Production
Producer(s)	Cris Morena
Running time	45 minutes
Release
Original network	SBT
Original release	July 28, 1997 (1997-07-28) – January 19, 2001 (2001-01-19)
Chronology
Related shows	Chiquititas, 2013 remake Chiquititas, original series

Chiquititas, also called Chiquititas 1997 or Chiquititas Brasil, is a popular Brazilian TV show. It's like a Brazilian version of an Argentine show called Chiquititas. The show was made and shown by SBT from 1997 to 2001. It starred Brazilian actresses like Flávia Monteiro (who played Carol), Fernanda Souza (who played Mili), and Débora Falabella (who played Estrela). For Fernanda and Débora, this was their first big acting job!

The story is based on the original show created by Cris Morena. It's about a group of kids who live in an orphanage called "Raio de Luz" (which means "Light Gleam"). Their lives change when a kind woman named Carol comes into their lives. The show explores their adventures, first loves, friendships, and even some fantasy. It also has lots of cool songs and music videos!

This Brazilian version ran for five seasons. It ended in 2001 when the TV channels' contract finished. Later, in 2012, SBT announced a new Chiquititas show. It started in 2013 after another popular remake, Carrossel, did well. The new Chiquititas was made completely in Brazil. It was also the first version without Cris Morena's direct involvement.

Story of the Show

Chiquititas Brasil changed some parts of the original Chiquititas story.

Season One: The Start of Raio de Luz

A man named José Ricardo Almeida Campos kidnapped his granddaughter, Mili, after she was born. He didn't like that his daughter had a child with an employee. To give Mili a place to live, he created an orphanage called "Raio de Luz" ("Light Gleam"). Mili grew up there with other girls like Bia, Ana, Tati, Vivi, and Cris. They became like a family.

Ernestina, the strict but funny janitor, and Chico, the kind chef, looked after them. Carmem, José Ricardo's greedy sister, later took over the orphanage. A new girl, Pata, joined the group. At first, she didn't get along with the others, but soon became their friend. She was especially close to Mili.

In this orphanage, the girls had many adventures. They learned about love, friendship, and fun, with Mili often leading the way. Pata later met her half-brother, Mosca. He was the first boy to live at the orphanage. This made Cris and Vivi interested in him. Ernestina got tired of the girls' pranks. She was replaced by her stricter twin sister, Matilde.

A young woman named Carolina, or Carol, worked in one of Almeida's factories. She was also studying to be a social worker. Carol lived with her friend Clarita and her brother Beto. They cared for Dani, a girl whose mother had recently passed away. At the factory, Carol met Junior, Ricardo's oldest son. He was an economist who had returned from London.

Carol and Junior fell in love. But José Ricardo, who was very proud, tried to keep them apart. His daughter, Gabriela, believed her baby was stillborn. This was a lie José Ricardo told her after Mili was born. Gabriela's sadness was eased by Mili, even though they didn't know they were related.

Season Two: New Beginnings and Secrets

After Ricardo's sad death, his sister Carmem took charge of his money. She kept Mili's true family a secret. Meanwhile, Carol became the new director of the orphanage, as Ricardo had wanted. Junior left São Paulo with Gabriela to help her get better. Because of the distance, Carol and Junior broke up.

Carol then met a new man, Dr. Fernando Brausen. He was Dani's physical therapist after Dani had an accident and became paralyzed. Carol also found a girl named Maria living on the streets. Carol took Maria in as her own daughter. As more boys joined the orphanage, Mili found her first love with Júlio. Maria later discovered that her favorite doll, Laurinha, could come to life!

Actress Flávia Monteiro with the young cast of Chiquititas Brasil, Season Two.

Maria found a mysterious man named Miguel living in the hidden parts of the manor. Miguel was Fernando's friend. Fernando thought Miguel had died in a plane crash. Miguel had survived, but the accident left a scar on his face. Miguel believed one of the girls at the orphanage was his lost daughter. He helped Maria look for her mother.

Maria's mother, Esther, later told Carol Maria's story. Esther explained that she couldn't have more children. Her second husband became mean and hurt Maria. So, Maria's mother had to abandon her. Esther later tried to find Maria again. Esther and Maria were reunited, but Esther passed away soon after.

Vivi and Tati's father, who had been struggling, returned to their lives after getting help. Vivi decided not to return to the orphanage. She said goodbye to everyone, especially Mosca, her first love. Ana was adopted by a rich executive and took her best friend Fábio with her. As some original chiquititas found their families, new children were welcomed into Raio de Luz.

Season Three: A New Home

Carmem finally managed to close the orphanage. But Carol and the kids got help from a mysterious man named Pedro Vega. He gave them his old mansion. This big, beautiful house was located on Harmony Alley. Inside, they met Helena, the house's caretaker. She was a mean woman who kept her granddaughter, Lúcia, locked in a room. Helena said she was "protecting" Lúcia.

The kids made new friends in the neighborhood. Their lives began to change as they grew up and experienced first loves. One of the orphans, a mischievous boy named Neco, found Lúcia. They became best friends. Neco showed Lúcia the world and slowly brought her into their family, even though Helena didn't want it. Mosca, the first boy in the orphanage, found out he had a serious bone disease. He faced this challenge in this season.

Carol and Fernando's relationship faced problems because of Andréa, Fernando's ex-fiancée, and their son Diego. A man named Felipe Mendes Ayala became interested in adopting Maria. Carol felt like Maria was her own daughter, so they fought in court for Maria's custody.

Adult and young cast of Chiquititas Brasil in Season Three

Tati came back to the Manor because she missed her friends and couldn't get used to her family's life. She had her first crush on Tatu, a boy from Harmony Alley, but their relationship didn't work out. Fran and Samuca started to become more than friends. But Marian and Bel caused problems for them. Marian was a troubled orphan. Bel lived on Harmony Alley and was friends with Lila and Janu. Lila also liked Mosca, but her mother didn't approve.

Gabriela returned to São Paulo feeling better. She and Mili became closer. Carmem watched them closely, trying to keep them from learning the secret of their true family ties. Carmem teamed up with Marian, an orphan who was jealous of Mili. Marian did everything to make Mili's life difficult. Because of Marian, Mili became blind after an accident. Marian even pretended to be Gabriela's daughter and Luca's girlfriend. But in the end, the truth was finally revealed.

The kids also explored secrets in the Manor. These secrets involved mysteries, magic, fantasy, and a hidden treasure. Carmem also wanted this treasure. Just like in the original show, the first Raio de Luz orphanage closed this season. It then reopened in this new mansion. Some of the sadder storylines were also changed. Mili, played by Fernanda Souza, left the show to start a new life with her mother.

Season Four: New Faces and Challenges

After fighting in court and personally, Carolina and Felipe fell in love. They fought for custody of Maria, the youngest orphan. Felipe, using the name Manoel, got close to the children in the Manor. New orphans joined, like Simão and Hannelore. They came from a reformatory after supposedly changing their behavior. But these two were not popular with the older kids because of their actions and their connection to Elena.

Mosca and Lila, the girl next door, became closer. Fran found out she was rich, but she gave up her fortune because her relatives were too greedy. Later, Fran and her friends said goodbye to Samuca. He was a smart, kind former orphan who reunited with his father and went to live with him. After her mother got help and her father was arrested, Bel moved to the Manor.

During a trip, Tati got lost in the forest. She met a brave boy named Yago. Mosca and Manoel rescued her, and Tati brought Yago to the manor. A young woman named Estrela arrived looking for work. On their wedding day, Carol and Manoel's romance ended. Carol found out the truth about his real identity.

In the last episodes of the fourth season, some children moved to another place in Rio de Janeiro. Carolina traveled to promote the orphanage's work. She left the kids with Alfredo the Chef and Estrela. Carol gave them the Book of Life. The children told Carol she was "their shine" and they would wait for her.

Tati left the show after four seasons. She was adopted with Yago. Helena, the main bad guy this season, became a fugitive. The Manor, which became her property, was sold. The council wanted to send the children to different places. The orphans didn't want to be separated. Estrela remembered her grandfather's house in a small town near São Paulo. Mosca said a sad goodbye to Lila. The orphans had to leave the Manor quickly as tractors came to knock it down.

Season Five: Moving On and Magic

The group of orphans was homeless for a while. Bruna, the youngest chiquitita, carefully kept the Book of Life Carol gave them. Alfredo, Estrela, and the remaining orphans arrived at Estrela's grandfather's farm in São Dionísio. This was a small town inland. The orphans were welcomed at the farm. Everything seemed fine until Estrela noticed her grandpa was gone.

Also, the farm was going to be torn down because it was in an area bought by a logging company. The orphans had to hide because they weren't supposed to be living there. Near the farm was a rich mansion that also belonged to Estrela's family. Its owner was a young businessman named Rian. He was Tonico's son and was in charge of the logging project. He lived with his son, Lucas, and his nephews Inês, Álvaro, and Rodrigo. Inácia "Naná" was the strict housekeeper for Rian's family.

Rian arrived from the United States. Later, his girlfriend Cora and her daughter Talita came to the mansion. Cora was a greedy woman who wanted Rian's money. She also brought Hannelore, a troubled orphan who had lived at Raio de Luz. Cora adopted Hannelore after she moved to a shelter. Hannelore then helped Cora cause trouble for the orphans.

The cast of Chiquititas Brasil in the fifth and final season. Unlike the original version, the storyline was not rebooted.

Fran met Rodrigo, a charming but tricky boy, and Yuri, a kinder orphan. Yuri was the first new orphan welcomed in this new Raio de Luz. Fran was unsure of her feelings and was torn between the two boys. Mosca started working as a gardener at the mansion. He became closer to Inês, a spoiled girl.

The children were sad when they thought Carol had died in a plane crash. But she later reappeared, falling right onto Rian and Cora's wedding cake from her balloon! After she returned, Carol settled in the granary. She was with Estrela, her kind grandfather Tonico, and reunited with the chiquititas. The granary became their newest home, Raio de Luz, and a new orphanage. Carol's arrival made Cora even angrier. Cora's plans to send the orphans away and get Rian's money were ruined. Cora also tried to separate Rian and Carol, who fell in love.

An enormous tree was in the middle of the granary. It was a gateway to a magical world the kids later explored, called The Anthill. In this place, they met talking ants and found secret passages connecting the granary to the mansion.

At the end of Chiquititas Brasil, Carolina and Rian got married. They adopted some of the orphans. The others went to another institution. Cora was caught by the police with help from Hannelore, who had changed her ways. Half-brothers Mosca and Pata, who had been on the show since Season One, were adopted by Amanda. Estrela ended up with Álvaro. Fran chose Yuri over Rodrigo, who was now Bel's boyfriend. The children said goodbye to each other. Bruna noticed that the Book of Life was no longer in its usual place.

Sitting at the foot of the Tree, Carol and her family watched the Book of Life fly away. Carol said that "whoever finds this Book, will then find a light gleam that will brighten your life, forever and ever."

Why the Show Ended

The fifth season was the last one made for Brazilian audiences. In 2001, SBT was showing other children's TV shows, like El diario de Daniela. These shows were getting higher ratings than Chiquititas at that time.

SBT's contract with Telefe allowed SBT to make Chiquititas by itself in 2001. The show could be filmed in Brazil. However, Cris Morena had disagreements with Telefe. She later ended her relationship with the Argentine network. This also played a part in Chiquititas Brasil ending.

Who Was in the Show

This section lists the main actors and characters from Chiquititas Brasil.

Adult Cast from 1997 to 2001

Kids Cast (Chiquititas and Chiquititos) from 1997 to 2001

How the Show Was Made

Silvio Santos, who owns the TV channel SBT, first wanted the show to be called Pequeninas. This means "little girls" in Portuguese.

Actress Suzy Rêgo was first thought to play the main adult role. This role was played by Romina Yan in the original show. But the part went to the younger actress Flávia Monteiro. Flávia took singing lessons so she could sing her own songs. Eight years later, Suzy Rêgo got a main role in Floribella. This was the Brazilian version of Floricienta, also created by Cris Morena.

In 1998 (Season Two), producer Roberto Monteiro hired writer Caio de Andrade. He translated and changed the Argentine series for Brazil. Andrade worked on the script until the last season of Chiquititas Brasil in 2000.

Caion Gadia translated and changed the songs into Brazilian Portuguese. Unlike the original show, most actors had professional singers dub their voices for the songs. The exceptions were Flávia Monteiro, Gésio Amadeu, Omar Calicchio, Magali Biff, and Débora Olivieri from the adult cast.

The Brazilian series started in 1997. At that time, the Argentine version was in its third season. The show was filmed in Buenos Aires, Argentina. They used the same studios and places as the original series. Buenos Aires was used to look like São Paulo in the story.

Most of the music videos were filmed in Brazil. This included places like the Museu Paulista's park, Paulista Avenue, São Paulo's Theatro Municipal, and the Latin America Memorial. Many videos from Season Five were filmed in Fernando de Noronha.

What Happened After the Show

In 2007, SBT showed Chiquititas 2000 (which was Chiquititas Season Six). They showed it as one story to continue from where the Brazilian version stopped. Even though Chiquititas 1999 wasn't fully adapted for Brazil, these airings got good ratings. The next year, Chiquititas Sin Fin was shown.

The show helped many actors become famous. These include Carla Diaz, Fernanda Souza, Sthefany Brito, Bruno Gagliasso, and Débora Falabella. In 2011, Carla Diaz played Márcia in Rebelde Brasil. This was the Brazilian version of the Rebelde Way series, also created by Cris Morena.

New Version of the Show

On September 19, SBT announced on its website that a new version of Chiquititas would be made for 2013. This was to keep the good ratings from Carrossel, another show for younger viewers.

Actress Manuela do Monte starred as Carol. Giovanna Grigio played Mili. This new show was made entirely in Brazil. The story was adapted by Iris Abravanel, who is Silvio Santos' wife.

See also

In Spanish: Chiquititas (telenovela brasileña de 1997) para niños