"Lucy, a Pioneer's Destiny," the Pili brothers' documentary film, awarded in São Paulo.

There's a thread that crosses oceans, stadiums, and generations: the one that unites the story of Lucy Alves, an icon of Brazilian women's football, to the enthusiasm with which her native country continues to recognize her value.

And today that thread shines again thanks to a new award: the documentary "Lucy, a pioneer's destiny" by Roberto and Francesco Pili won the bronze medal in the feature film category at the first edition of the Festival de Cinema Mulheres no Futebol, an international festival hosted at the Museu do Futebol in São Paulo.

The film, a visual and human journey crafted with sensitivity and narrative rhythm, has now garnered an impressive collection of successes: 119 awards at independent film festivals around the world . A rare feat, especially for a work that intertwines sport and cultural memory to tell the story of a woman who transformed a passion into a revolution.

Lucy Alves is, in fact, the first Brazilian female soccer player to play in Italy and Europe, an achievement that opened up previously unimagined avenues. Today she lives in San Sperate, Sardinia, but her story remains deeply tied to Brazil, where the culture of soccer is a collective myth, a daily ritual, a national language.

The Pili brothers' documentary, however, doesn't limit itself to following her exploits on the field: it outlines the environment, the challenges, the discrimination, and the energy that shaped Brazilian women's football.

The film features faces that tell the story of different eras: from the monumental Dida, AC Milan goalkeeper and world champion with the Seleção, to historic protagonists like Antonella Carta, Angela Coda, and Juliana Cabral. Their testimonies create a mosaic of struggles and victories that transcends mere sport.

Recognition for the work comes from the Museu do Futebol, housed inside the legendary Pacaembu Stadium, which for years has become a technological laboratory for immersive storytelling. Here, Brazil reflects on its icons—Pelé, Zico, Sócrates, Ronaldo—but in recent years it has broadened its focus, finally including the protagonists of women's football.

Among the celebrated figures, alongside names like Marta, Formiga, and Sissi, there is naturally also Lucy Alves, whose story represents the transition from a marginalized women's football to a movement reclaiming its space in the country's culture and imagination.

"Being recognized in my homeland has the double value of victory and of feeling recognized as someone who has done so much for the sport, for the movement, and for the emancipation of women's football in Brazil, alongside the pioneers of my generation," said Lucy Alves.