May 4th is celebrated globally to honor the impact of the "Star Wars" saga on fans and nerd culture. In Manaus, the influence of the saga extends into the professional lives of many enthusiasts.

Renan Leser, 31, a virtual reality artist from Rio de Janeiro now living in Manaus, has been a fan since childhood. "I started watching the classic trilogy on TV. My older brother introduced me to this universe when he was 39," he recalls. Leser’s passion for *Star Wars* significantly impacted his career. "I used to collect toys and customize their outfits, create illustrations, and later, all my college projects were about 'Star Wars.' My professors were even a bit annoyed by it. I eventually pursued a career in computer graphics," he remembers.

Leser draws great inspiration from two Brazilian employees at Industrial Light and Magic, the company responsible for creating virtual environments for the films.

São Paulo-based composer and sound designer Antônio Teoli began his fascination with film scores at the age of 12. "I was amazed by John Williams’ opening theme. The saga’s music heavily features brass instruments. That’s when I started playing the tuba. It had a huge influence on my career," he says. Now composing for games, Teoli studied at a music conservatory and later pursued a degree in game design. "My education was greatly influenced by 'Star Wars,'" he adds. Teoli recalls his fascination when he first encountered *Star Wars* games in the mid-1990s, noting how the music was integrated into gameplay.

Emerson Medina, a 45-year-old filmmaker and journalist, also draws from *Star Wars* in his work. "In the short film 'ET Set Era,' directed with Rod Castro, we used references like the stormtroopers," he says. A long-time fan, Medina appreciates the franchise’s sci-fi universe and well-developed characters. "The visual effects always impressed audiences, and George Lucas created compelling stories," he notes.

Medina emphasizes that *Star Wars* revolutionized cinema, not just in terms of box office, but also through marketing products like backpacks, notebooks, and spacecraft models. "The saga also inspired scientists to study space more," he concludes.