[2] Upon its release, Lula, Son of Brazil was the most expensive Brazilian film ever, with a budget of over 17 million reais,[3] being later surpassed by Nosso Lar.

[10] The film begins in October 1945 in Garanhuns, a municipality in the countryside of Pernambuco, when Luiz Inácio da Silva, nicknamed Lula, is born as the seventh child of Dona Lindu and Aristides.

Lula receives certification as a lathe operator and gets a formal job in the automobile industry, where he loses a finger in a press.

Based on the book of the same name by journalist Denise Paraná,[11] the film narrates the story of Lula from his birth until his mother's death, when he was a 35-year-old union leader detained by the political police of the military dictatorship.

[12] João Miguel, better known for his role in Cinema, Aspirinas e Urubus, was initially cast as Lula, but declined due to scheduling problems.

Tay Lopez was then cast, but declined for medical reasons, since the role required him to gain and lose weight quickly and he suffers from hypertension.

[15] Milhem Cortaz, known for playing a corrupt police officer in the Golden Bear-winning film Tropa de Elite, was cast as Lula's father Aristides.

The Barretos, who supported Lula in both 2002 and 2006 presidential elections,[16] claimed to have obtained financing without government funds in order to repel criticism from their work.

[18] In February, the second phase of the production began in Santos and Guarujá, cities on the coast of São Paulo where Lula spent most of his childhood.

[19] He requested the sertanejo duo Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano to record "Meu Primeiro Amor", a version of "Lejanía" by Paraguayan composer Herminio Giménez adapted into Portuguese by José Fortuna.

[20] The former president also requested the inclusion of two remarkable songs in his life and emotional memories: "Nossa Canção", a romantic samba by Luiz Ayrão, recorded by Nana Caymmi especially for the soundtrack, and "Desesperar Jamais" by Ivan Lins and Vitor Martins, recorded by Ivan and samba player Roberto Ribeiro.

[19] The soundtrack is complemented with songs contemporary to the years represented in the film, such as "Sentimental Demais" by Altemar Dutra, "Estúpido Cupido" by Celly Campelo, "Saudosa Maloca" by Demônios da Garoa, and even "Pra Frente Brasil", an anthem for the Brazil national football team during the 1970 FIFA World Cup.

[21] In Lula's home state of Pernambuco, the film premiered in Recife on November 19, being attended by several politicians and the president's relatives.

On November 28, Lula himself attended the film's premiere in São Bernardo do Campo, the city where he began his political activities.

[22] According to Regina Rito's gossip column on newspaper O Dia, the film's international premiere was held in Washington, D.C. at the request of American president Barack Obama.

[26] The reason he gave for starting the campaign was the fact that Lula had watched 2 Filhos de Francisco before being released, encouraging piracy.

[27] According to producer Luiz Carlos Barreto, the international distributors wanted to highlight Lula's consecration as a global leader.

[35] Alexei Barrionuevo, correspondent for The New York Times in Brazil, criticized the film for "failing to mention that Lula abandoned his girlfriend, Miriam Cordeiro, when she was six months pregnant".

She also noted the fact that none of Lula's children are mentioned in the film, questioning that "If the movie is about my father's path from impoverished immigrant to trade union leader, where do my brothers and I fit in?".

The list's author, Pollyane Lima e Silva, stated: "The director, Fábio Barreto, went on to say that his intention was not to be faithful to reality, but was, instead, 'to do a melodrama'.

[41][42] According to O Globo's Ricardo Noblat, the film represents an attempt to eliminate all of Lula' failures, making him look like the almost perfect protagonist, showing him in an overly romanticized and heroic role.

He noted that while Lula can not run for re-election, "he hopes to transfer his popularity to his chief of staff and chosen successor, Dilma Rousseff".

[5] The commission was formed by nine government officials, including members of the Ministry, the Brazilian Film Academy, the Audiovisual Secretariat, and the National Agency for Cinema.