The film lacks explicit depictions of LGBTQ+ identities or non-heteronormative dynamics. The narrative focuses entirely on the survival mechanics of the four central children.

Lici is presented with high agency, sharing the same high-stakes survival roles as the male characters. The film avoids domestic or submissive tropes, making gender secondary to the struggle for subsistence.

The story centers on a non-Anglo-Saxon, marginalized population in the Brazilian slums. It provides agency to characters of color, shifting the gaze away from Western-centric perspectives.

The film critiques oppressive institutions and class hierarchies. It frames survival tactics like scavenging as necessary responses to inequitable social structures rather than mere criminality.

Rico’s struggle with severe illness serves as a study of bodily vulnerability. The narrative treats his physical decline with gravity, though it is unclear if it avoids suffering-based tropes.