BIMIFF #2

M A G A Z I N E

Year. 1 Edition 2

Photo by Soraia Costa

M A Y E D I T I O N

2 0 2 2

B I M I F F

E D I T O R I A L

01

THE JOURNEY

CONTINUES...

To release an e-magazine within the platform of an online film

festival was another bold, challenging and innovative step for the

BIMIFF team. Just like the creation of the festival itself, it brought

expectation, anxiety, uncertainties, and increased the workload.

However, talking about cinema has always been a pleasure that

goes beyond the physical exhaustion of daily tasks. Writing about

films brings to those who do it a way of expressing feelings, notes,

and analysis of everything we watch. It is the recording of emotion

in front of the screen.

The reception of BIMIFF MAGAZINE Year 1 Ed. 1 was above

expectations, which gave us strength and enthusiasm to get to this

new edition. If in the first issue our focus was "The Women in

Cinema", in this one we bring you an article about Gilda Nomacce

(who entitles our 2nd issue with her plurality). We reflect on her

remarkable career, her characters, and outstanding works, giving

life to women (who are also parts of her) that reflect artistic and

social narratives inherent to the history of Brazilian Cinema. These

characters are mirrors projected on the screens. They make us

ponder the paradigms of how the perspective in the conception and

development of characters is constructed. In the art of acting. In the

genesis and elaboration of stories, concepts, ideas, snippets, and

mainly: reflections. Reflections in which independent cinema has

an important role in contemporary thought and imagination, both

nationally and worldwide.

Our festival has been a showcase of films from all over the world, in

which we place every month movies from various languages and

various cultures for the general public to enjoy. And this magazine

has the mission of making the desire for transformation of a world

that claims for changes reflect. May our screens represent the most

exciting thing about the art of Cinema: that it is not only

entertainment; it also brings the power and capacity to think and

transform.

Marcelo Cesar

Film Critic of BIMIFF Magazine

FESTIVAL DIRECTOR & DESIGNER

Lucas Marques

instagram.com/lucasdecmarques

FESTIVAL MANAGER & COMMUNICATION

Victor Henrique "Vic Kings" Carvalho Reis

instagram.com/vic.kings

FESTIVAL ADMINISTRATOR

Marcelo César Silva

instagram.com/marcelocesars

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT

Editors-in-Chief: Lucas Marques and Vic Kings

Art and Design Editor: Lucas Marques

Staff Writers: Lucas Marques, Marcelo César and Vic Kings

Contributor: Richard Caeiro

Digital Editor: Lucas Marques

Social Media Manager: Vic Kings

Translator: Vic Kings

BIMIFF'S PARTNERS

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MY ONLY EARTH

IS IN THE MOON

A F I L M B Y S E R G I O S I L V A

G I L D A S

L

PROJECT

CONTENTS

THE VISCERAL

ALCHEMESTRY OF

SISTERHOOD

An exclusive interview with the

filmmaker Nina McNeely

NO HARD SHELLS CRACK?

Press release

GILDA BRASILEIRO

Review

THE JOURNEY FOR

STORYTELLING AND ITS

RESPECTIVE STRUGGLES


filmmaker Bilal Hussain

WITNESS

Press release

TO A GOD UNKNOWN

Review

THE MELODIES AND

POETRY OF THE NORTH


filmmaker Eric Jayce Landberg

THE PROJECTION

OF (IN) TANGO

by Pamela Nassour

FISH

Press release

EVERYTHING I

COULD

Review

UNVEILING THE PAST

TO CHANGE THE

FUTURE


filmmaker Roberto Manhães Reis

THE MASK

Press release

FOUND IN THE DEEPEST

THOUGHTS


filmmaker salman aziz

04

09

12

16

21

23

26

31

34

37

40

46

48

REFLECTIONS

Review 54

UNCONSCIOUS

Press release 57

PUTTING THE PUZZLE

PIECES TOGETHER

An exclusive interview with

the filmmaker Bruna Cabral

58

UNCONSCIOUS

Review

66

muse, Gilda Nomacce.

GILDAS

An outlook on the career of

Brazilian independent cinema 69

B I M I F F I N T E R V I E W 04

THE VISCERAL

ALCHEMESTRY OF

SISTERHOOD

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE FILMMAKER NINA MCNEELY

BY VIC KINGS AND MARCELO CESAR

Photo by Giovanna Trimble

THE VISCERAL ALCHEMESTRY OF SISTERHOOD


T H E V I S C E R A L A L C H E M E S T R Y

O F S I S T E R H O O D

Photo by Nathan Kim

"Once There Was III" film scene

THE VISCERAL ALCHEMESTRY OF SISTERHOOD

An exclusive interview with the filmmaker Nina MacNeely

by Vic Kings and Marcelo Cesar

Nina McNeely is a storyteller, provocateur, and creator. She is a choreographer, visual artist, director, creative director, and

animator. Nina's work is visceral, rebellious, rowdy - and at once introspective, delicate, and alluring. She strives to be an

unknowing vessel that channels artistic expression, and a guide that may lead any willing artist towards their own truth.

In your film "Once There Was III" we could see several references

to religious symbols, mainly from the Catholic religion. They are

the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the dove of the Holy Spirit, the Christian

Cross, and the Missionary Cross. What is the importance of these

symbols in the writing of your art?

In the past few years, I've decided to quit questioning my

influences and to let them flow into me freely. I've put an

end to letting popular opinion or fear of judgment affect my

artistic choices. I grew up catholic and was surrounded by

religious iconography. Because of my Mexican and catholic

heritage, that imagery was dramatic, theatrical, bloody, and

intense. I was deeply intrigued by the figurines, paintings,

and symbolism with their expressive faces, ornate details,

and haunting mystery. Even though I'm not a religious

person today, I am constantly drawn back to this imagery

when researching - it still has me awestruck and in a state of

child-like wonderment. I have visceral reactions when

viewing it, from its tenderness and piety to its fear-inducing

brutality.

It can be said that “the woman" is the main theme and also the

protagonist of "Once There Was III". What is the role of

women's issues in your art, especially in reflecting our times?

For you, what is the representation of women in this new

world that emerges with the third millennium?

I think this is currently a sensitive topic so I'd like to

preface my answer by saying that I have respect for all

people's personal beliefs. I can only speak from my

personal experience, interpretation, and inspiration. I

believe that women are the source of all life - we are both

the creators and the destroyers. We are a mystery that

continues to baffle, inspire, and strike fear into the

hearts of many. As an artist, I look for what is missing in

the world and attempt to fill that void; so I create stories

about sisterhood, power, and transcendence among

women.


The technical and aesthetic care in your

work is something remarkable and

admirable; as well as the poetry of your

images and movements. We would like to

know, what are the artistic references for

your cinematographic creations?

Photo by Nathan Kim

I've always been intrigued by the

human experience, the world of

dreams, and whatever may be lurking

in the shadows of the subconscious

mind. I use tech to create surrealist

environments that can shift quickly,

like a dream, and I use dance to

explore the depths of human emotion

and connection. My references can be

anything from Renaissance paintings

to the interactions of people I observe

at a bus stop while driving through

Los Angeles. I log whatever inspires

me in the back of my mind, whether or

not I can explain it in words or put my

finger on why it affects me.

The visual and spiritual connection

between the three characters portrayed in

"Once There Was III" is almost palpable,

mainly through the brilliant

interpretation and performance of the

trio Karen Chuang, Diane Schoenfeld, and

Angel Mammoliti. How was the choice for

these artists, to bring life and form to your

narrative, given?

These three artists are members of

Entity Contemporary Dance in Los

Angeles, who originally commissioned

this film. Because these three women

dance together daily in a dance

company, they have an almost psychic

connection. They feed off of each

other's energy in the most beautiful

way. My dancers are a great source of

inspiration to me, so I always leave

room for their personal expression.

They continue to enrich my visions

and elevate my ideas beyond my

wildest expectations. I am truly

grateful for their hard work,

dedication, and vulnerability.

"Once There Was III" film scene

As said in your biography, your belief in Magick is very present in your work. As

stated by Allister Crowley, Magick represents "the Science and Art of causing

Changes according to the Will", how do you apply this fascinating and alchemical

concept in your art?

I trust my instincts now, to the point where I don't even question an idea’s

origin. It's become somewhat of a mystical experience, where I am a willing

vessel that creates now and wonders later. I let my imagination take the

reins while I sit back and watch it all unfold.

In many of your works, the dancers start with their bodies covered by a veil. For

example, in the 2016 performance of the singer Banks at the Guggenheim. And also

in your film "Once There Was III". Does covering these women represent something

in your creative process, symbolically?

I think that probably goes back to my belief that women are shrouded in

mystery. It is also a prevalent theme in religious iconography, myth, and

folklore. It keeps the viewer questioning - Is she a beautiful, benign virgin,

or an all-seeing crone with the powers of the witch?


What is the artistic connection between

"Once There Was III" and another work you

called "Wife", with the following subtitles:

"Past Lives", "The Grey Ones" and

"Untitled"? Can you tell us about the

connection between these works?

Photo by Kach Kach

“Wife” was a collective that started in

2008 between myself, Kristin Leahy,

and Jasmine Albuquerque. It was my

first foray into projection mapping. All

three of us came from a dance

background, and I had an interest in

combining projecting mapping with

dance. We began choreographing

pieces together for which I would then

create mapping. It was a beautiful

experience that gave me a lot of time to

experiment and explore the potential

between these two art forms.

How do the Body Tracking and Projection

Mapping technique complement and help

you tell your stories? How important is this

technique for your art?

With projection mapping I'm able to

explore a variety of looks, moods, and

aesthetics in a DIY fashion. All I need is

a single tool, a projector, and a few

willing bodies to turn my dreams into

reality.

Because your work is very audio-visual,

have you ever thought or have plans to

write and direct a feature film? Can you

tell us about your future projects?

Absolutely - it is a dream of mine! I

have many future projects in the works;

new projection mapping pieces, a new

television show, and an animated series

that I'm choreographing.

Unfortunately, due to many NDA's,

that's all I can disclose at this time.

The director Nina McNeely

On your website, we found several of your works as a choreographer, director, and

animator, being produced for major artists of the pop music world, such as

Rihanna, Sam Smith, Kesha, and Black Midi, The Weeknd. How did this approach

between you happen?

I've been in L.A for twenty years now, beginning as a dancer, shifting into

choreography, then directing, editing, and animating. I landed an agent for

choreography and directing at the same time, and my commercial career

took off. It started with music videos and live stage, then grew to television

and film. I've taken every opportunity while on these sets to observe and

learn from those around me. It's not just talent that's required to work in the

industry, but also communication skills, adaptability, and enthusiasm -

which I'm constantly working to improve.

THE TRAVELERS

A F I L M B Y D A V I M E L L O

G I L D A S

P R E S S R E L E A S E 09

N O H A R D S H E L L S C R A C K ?

SYNOPSIS

In the midst of lockdown, a man becomes unbalanced and loses his temper with a suitcase

which leads to a surreal event.

Cast: Rich Mcafee, Naz Akther

Director, Writer and Producer: Rich Mcafee

Director of Photography and Editor: Rich Mcafee and Naz Akhter

Sound Engineer and Music: Ian Cook

After studying media, Rich Mcafee traveled and worked in many places for

the much-needed experience. He eventually got back into filmmaking in

2015, working and experimenting on a variety of productions, e.g sports

events, fashion events, documentaries, but mostly short films. Rich is a big

fan of Anti Words, Rook Films, A24, Wigwam, and Film 4 in terms of

distributors, Their involvement in film highly influence him to go further

with making films.

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HARD LABOR

A F I L M B Y J U L I A N A R O J A S & M A R C O D U T R A

G I L D A S

R E V I E W 12

A MANIFEST

AGAINST OBLIVION

R E V I E W B Y M A R C E L O C É S A R

REVIEW

B I M I F F

R E V I E W

GILDA BRASILEIRO

BY ROBERTO MANHÃES REIS AND VIOLA SCHEUERER


13

"Gilda Brasileiro - Against Oblivion" film scene

GILDA BRASILEIRO - A manifest against oblivion

While participating in a documentary film screening called "Lost

Innocence" a few years ago, the curator and filmmaker Lucas

Donnard wrote: "The power of images is affirmed in the

transgression of their place of origin, once visited and revealed,

whether, in the light of consciousness or the light of the projector.

They resignify the whole world around them, including those who

create them."

And - while thinking about this sentence - I start my comments

about the incredible documentary "Gilda Brasileiro - Against

Oblivion" by the directors and screenwriters Roberto Manhães Reis

and Viola Scheuerer.

Our protagonist Gilda begins to report her saga with an eye full

of emotion and feelings. She speaks about documents that were

forgotten by History, and about events that no one wants to

remember or report about. With this, I reverberate the words of my

friend Donnard: images have the role of transgressing their place

of origin. It is revealing. To resignify everything that will be shown

to us in the next 90 minutes.

The voice of Roberto Manhães Reis - who is responsible for the

beautiful cinematography of the film - fills our feelings with poetry

that contrasts with the construction of stones. It is the Cais do

Valongo, a historical landmark of the city of Rio de Janeiro. A

remarkable place, an old pier located in the port area that received

the title of World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2007. It is the only

trace of the arrival of enslaved Africans in the Americas. From 1811

to 1831, the pier received between 500,000 and one million

enslaved people. It changed its name to Empress Pier because of

the landing of Princess Teresa Cristina, who was to be married to

Dom Pedro II.

Next, it presented us with a photograph of enslaved people, a

register taken by the photographer Marc Ferrez - a Brazilian of

French origin, who worked between 1860 and 1922. A romanticized

narration in Roberto's slow voice makes us mesmerized by the

cruel and, at the same time, sensitive analysis of each face and each

body registered in that photo.

At this point, we come to understand the power and the importance of

a documentary for our perception of a history that is mostly erased by

the shame and fear of those who were protagonists of it, and worse, by

their descendants.

The big problem with this research is that the records have been

erased and that the people who have the knowledge don't want to talk

about what happened.

"If there are too many images, it is in a reflection the moment of

inserting them in a text; then they effectively come into existence. It is,

at the moment they disturb the place they come from and the place of

who created them, that they assert their potencies - to be, not to be, to

be something else." This is a quote by Cezar Migliorin; and it is in his

work entitled "Under the risk of images: the scene in the scene."

This is the role that Manhães Reis and Scheuerer's work makes us

think about: to take this picture from an archive and bring it into the

light of today. To study History is to reflect on the present so that we

can change the future. To acknowledge nameless people, without a

past, without a future, but who have the power to stir our feelings and

move us towards the rescue of those who suffered from the erasure of

their histories, as our narrator says.

As a modern-day pathfinder, Gilda explores an old road through

which enslaved people still were interloped even after the

transatlantic slave trade was legally forbidden.

Many enslaved people passed through these roads, without

registration, without taxes payment, and with the knowledge and

connivance of the local authorities. This road is named Doria; due to a

priest of the same name who built this road. Gilda makes an overview

and construction of what she calls the "Doria Route"; which involves

the arrival of the enslaved by ship until their final sale. The

protagonist is thrilled and moves everyone with this research, which

contradicts everyone in the region, who says that there were no

enslaved.

Roberto interrupts the interviews to make a poetic analysis of the

B&W photos. He leads us to deep reflections about each body exposed

in those coffee plantation landscapes. His tone is one of poignant

melancholy. The music of Thomas Rohrer, Bella, and Fabio Nino

Müller fill our hearts with sensitivity and reflection in each phrase of

the narrator, a true delight to our eyes. The perfect marriage of poetry,

story, art, film, and History.

About the directors: Viola Sheuerer was born in Switzerland and

graduated in Anthropology, Literature (German), and History at the

University of Basel. She has worked as an assistant director, editor,

and cinematographer for film and TV. Her films prior to "Gilda" are:

"Saravá", "Nipo Brasil" and "Louisa Jules". Roberto Manhães Reis was

born in São Paulo and graduated in cinema from the Konrad Wolf

University in Germany. His films are: "Keine Ursache", "Santo Onofre",

"Nipo Brasil" and "Louisa Jules".

Marcelo Cesar April/21/2022

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ALL THE

DEAD ONES

A F I L M B Y C A E T A N O G O T A R D O & M A R C O D U T R A

G I L D A S


THE JOURNEY FOR

STORYTELLING AND ITS

RESPECTIVE STRUGGLES

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE FILMMAKER BILAL HUSSAIN

BY RICHARD CAEIRO AND VIC KINGS

THE JOURNEY FOR STORYTELLING AND ITS RESPECTIVE STRUGGLES

B I M I F F

I N T E R V I E W

17

T H E J O U R N E Y F O R

S T O R Y T E L L I N G A N D I T S

R E S P E C T I V E S T R U G G L E S

The director Bilal Hussain

THE JOURNEY FOR STORYTELLING AND ITS RESPECTIVE STRUGGLES

An exclusive interview with the filmmaker Bilal Hussain

by Richard Caeiro and Vic Kings

Bilal Hussain is an award-winning independent filmmaker. He has been making short films for eleven years (2011-

present). He is a Pakistani-Canadian citizen, who lives in Esbjerg, Denmark, and works at the local television station "Tv-

Glad Esbjerg" as a reporter, anchorman, cameraman & segment editor. Besides work and filmmaking, he has written two

crime-fiction books.

What inspired you to fall in love with the world of the seventh art?

Since I was a child, I watched films with my father and alone

as well in the cinema and at home. Cinema is in my "blood",

it's my life and passion. I love watching drama series as well,

which at the moment are the biggest in the world of cinema

and television. I can name a few drama series like "Mare of

Easttown", "Homeland", "Ozark", which have given me the

inspiration to write new screenplays in the upcoming years.

Films like “Taxi Driver”, “Goodfellas”, “The Departed”, “The

Dark Knight", “Another Round” and many more are also

inspirational. The bottom line is: I love telling stories and

I've just started it, I'll do this until I die.

Since 2011 you have been working on building cinematographic

narratives. After all these years of making films, what still remains

of that filmmaker from 11 years ago?

Eleven years ago Bilal Hussain doesn't exist (anymore) and

yes, it's been eleven years which is crazy with eight short

films so far. This is actually a very hard question to answer.

Eleven years ago, I was inexperienced; the first five short

films were not good, due to a lack of storyline, technical

faults, and acting as well. Now I can say I have gained

experience because I didn't stop making short films. Many

people told me that my short films were not good and I told

them that I know. I improved my skills in my sixth short film

"The Wheelchair and the Trap" (2020) & seventh short film

"Jessica: Part Two" (2020) but with all that being said, I can

do even better.

BIMIFF | 02

B I M I F F

I N T E R V I E W

18

Can we say that your film is about trauma and the

struggle to regain confidence? How would you define

the narrative trajectory of Jessica?

Well, I don't define Jessica: Part Two (2020) as a

trauma (story) but I do define it as (a story about)

struggle and we see that journey in the short film.

The narrative is simple: Jessica Rasmussen (Nadja

Dalgaard) is searching for love as almost all of us

are in life. I think the audience can relate to that,

which is the important thing in story-telling,

especially in these kinds of short films/feature

films.

What inspired you to write this story?

Nadja Dalgaard (Jessica Rasmussen) and I (Bilal

Hussain) are best friends. We have studied Media at

Glad Fagskole Esbjerg, which is part of the

television station Tv-Glad Esbjerg where we work at

the moment. In 2017, I was trying to figure out what

to write about and then I thought of writing a

fictional storyline about a disabled woman with a

love interest. At first, the character was supposed to

be in a wheelchair but I changed it because there

were huge plot holes and so on. I then asked Nadja

if she would be interested in acting and she said

yes. After that, I thought about writing a fictional

story around Nadja (Jessica) as she can't see very

well. The character Jessica Rasmussen is fictional,

but Nadja Dalgaard in real life can't see very well.

The inspiration came from our daily life.

"JESSICA: PART TWO" has won many awards at film

festivals around the world. What do you think is the

reason for such success?

Yes, at the moment "Jessica: Part Two" (2020) is up to 33

awards with 73 official selections so far. I honestly don't

know, but the audience loves the film here at home

(Denmark) and in the world, which is awesome. My team

and I are so thankful to everyone who has and is showing

love and support for the short film. It's the storyline I

think (that makes the audience love the film), the

audience can relate to the characters but again I don't

know.

"Jessica: Part Two" film scene

The first part of Jessica's story was produced a few years ago. How was

the interaction on the set with the actress Nadja Dalgaard on these two

occasions? And how was the process to cast her as the protagonist?

As I mentioned earlier in the interview, Nadja Dalgaard (Jessica

Rasmussen) is my best friend so there was no special interaction

or casting process.

Some directors have a predilection for some actors and actresses. We

noticed the presence of actress Theresa Søvig Poulsen in two films that

participated in BIMIFF. Tell us a bit more about this cinematographic

partnership between you both.

Yes, they do. I have known Theresa Søvig Poulsen (Lisa Knudsen in

"Jessica: Part Two" and Michelle Pedersen in "The Wheelchair And The

Trap" since 2018. She is a good friend. I have worked with Theresa since

2018 as she was in my fifth short film "Esbjerg: Crime Family" (2018). She

has also made her own short film Comes And Goes (2019) which she

wrote, directed, produced, and acted in. I helped bring the equipment

(to film) and helped as the gaffer and assistant of cinematography on

her film "Comes And Goes". This partnership is a friendship and we just

help each other out in any way that we can.

As an immigrant artist in a country known to have a great tradition in

the 7th art with filmmakers like Erik Bailing, Lars von Trier, Susanne

Bier, and Thomas Vinterberg, what were and have been the biggest

challenges in your filmmaking career?

Yes, Denmark has excellent film directors. I have not seen Erik Balling's

films and I am not so fond of Lars Von Trier's films. I love Susanne Bier's

and Thomas Vinterberg's films, they have excellent experience as

filmmakers and storytellers. To name two of Vinterberg's favorite films

are: "The Hunt" and "Another Round".

B I M I F F

I N T E R V I E W

Also, Sussane Bier's films "Hævnen", "Efter Brylluppet", "En Chance Til" and the excellent drama series from HBO "The

Undoing". If they read this, I would love to work with them and write a screenplay that they can direct. As a Pakistani-

Canadian citizen, and soon to be a Danish citizen, the challenge as an indie filmmaker is the financing. I have made all

my short films in my spare time and voluntarily. I hope that one day I can make films full-time and earn money (with

them). Earning money is one thing, but I really just want to tell stories.

19


How did Danish audiences receive your film "JESSICA: PART TWO"? Have you noticed any differences between the reception of the

film in your country and in other places with different cultures?

The Danish audience has loved the film as well as the other countries; at the festivals, the film is killing it at the moment. I

have got some film contacts in other countries and they have also loved the film. It's amazing; I really don't have any

words.

Do you have new film projects in development?

Yes, I had an idea for a feel-good Christmas feature film but I have put it on hold.

I have written a short film in English as well which I will produce at some point.

Other than those two, I have written a crime-fiction feature film in English but I am rewriting it in Danish. There will be a

last part of Jessica at some point as well. Honestly, I am trying to figure out what to write next.


ROMANCE

A F I L M B Y K A R I N E T E L E S

G I L D A S

W I T N E S S


SYNOPSIS

The hospital ICU cleaner enjoys doing something, but that pleasure becomes his biggest and

scariest problem.

Cast: Armin Azizi, Sahar MardoukhRuhani, Hayat Almasi,

Samira MardoukhRuhani, Mahin Almasi, Morad AkhtarShenas

Director and Writer: Golestan Mansouri

Producer: Armin Azizi

Cinematographer: Voria Abdiani

Editor: Fatemeh Marzba

Make-Up Artist: Rozhan Gholami

Sound Designer: Arastoo Mafakheri

Music Composer: Ardavan Mirani

VFX and Colorist: Mohammad Ahmadi

Golestan Mansouri is an award-winning Iranian filmmaker, born in

1998. She works as a director, screenwriter, and photographer, and has

won several awards and nominations in film festivals worldwide such

as: "Best Woman Filmmaker" at the Miami Florida Film Festival (USA),

"Best Director" at the Smyrna Izmir Film Festival (Turkey), "Best First

Time Director" at the Brussels Capital Film Festival (Belgium), among

others.

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expression.

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with 50% OFF! Submit your film(s) at filmfreeway.com/AmazoniaCinemaAwards

Official website: https://www.amazoniacinemaawards.com/

Contact email: amazoniacinemaawaards@gmail.com

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R E V I E W 23

A GOD NOT

SO UNKNOWN

R E V I E W B Y M A R C E L O C E S A R

REVIEW

B I M I F F

"To a God Unknown" film scene

A God Not So Unknown

The analysis of an experimental film depends a lot on the

perception that each person sees in those images that are being

shown. An experimental film has the power to provoke sensations

and emotions in different ways. It is like an abstract work of art that

the artist has his proposal when creating it, but the artist knows that

when shown, it will suffer varied interpretations and that is all right,

because art exists to disturb, make people think, and make them

reflect their own time.

The film in question is the experimental short film "To a God

Unknown" by award-winning Italian director and screenwriter

Samantha Casella. The film starts with a black screen and a verse

from the New Testament, in the Book of Luke: "And even the hairs

on your head are all numbered..."; unlikely the God mentioned in

the title, this one is known and He knows us. Already in the opening,

there is a pun. The title and opening sentence are antagonistic,

making us think about what is yet to come.

Soon after, another screen presents us with another phrase. This

time from the Russian poet Serguei Esenin, responsible for the

Russian imagist movement, and considered one of the greatest

poets from the beginning of the 20th century. Chapter 1 - "Your

smile is snowing in my heart"; The screen opens with the image that

traveled around the world in 2016, which are thousands of birds

forming a dance in the Danish sky. This spectacle is called Black

Sun. Verses taken from Esenin's poems, which speak of life and

death, are quoted as the images are shown. A clock hanging on a

wall, without hands, as if time couldn't be measured. An untidy red

bed calls us to passion. Birds that open the chapter in dance end the

episode in death. A cycle of life that blends between the patterns of

day and night, milk and blood on the screen: life and death. The

poet Esenin killed himself at the age of 30.

Chapter 2 opens with a quote from the North American writer John

Ernst Steinbeck: "I trust in Him because He is eternal". Steinbeck is

famous for books such as "East of Eden" and "The Grapes of Wrath",

of which 17 have been adapted into movies. A man wanders through

a forest praising the nature that surrounds him, ending with a

search for his death. A search for a God he cannot find in his own

life? The texts are inspired by Steinbeck's novel "To a God

Unknown" - thus the title of Casella's film. In this novel, we have a

"mystical tale, exploring one man's attempt to control the forces of

nature and finally understand the ways of God and the forces of the

inner unconscious."

R E V I E W 24

TO A GOD UNKNOWN

A FILM BY SAMANTHA CASELLA


Closing the film is the last chapter, number 3: "The clock is still

ticking" - a phrase from the French poet Jean-Nicolas Arthur

Rimbaud, famous for his early initiation into writing. He was one of

the exponents of the symbolist movement. Marked by thematic

irreverence, Rimbaud led a libertine life that would come to influence

great artists in music, cinema, and theater of our time. The lines in this

episode are inspired by the poem "Une Saison en Enfer" by Rimbaud.

The clock that appears on a wall in the first episode and doesn't set the

time, returns; thrown on a beach to be later burned - sea in profusion.

Rimbaud's poem "Ophelia" is also quoted.

The director has chosen beautiful images, cinematographed by artist

Frank Hoffman, to portray her speech and writing that plays with

issues of life and death, time and no time, love and hate. Issues that

run through the authors/poets she chose to caption her images.

Casella brilliantly chose three voiceovers to narrate in the native

language of each episode author (Russian - Viacheslav Syngaevskiy,

English - Richard Lloyd Stevens, and French - Fréderic Bernard). In a

way to care and zeal for these artists who inspired Casella’s art.

"To a God Unknown" film scene

Samantha Casella is Italian and

studied filmmaking in Florence.

She received several awards for

her first short film "Juliette", and

went on to direct other short films

after that: "Interrupted Silences",

"Iris", "I Am Banksy". She received

many awards in the USA for this

last short film. She has worked

with music videos and

documentaries. These being

"Mediterraneo", "Il West Secondo

Civitelli", "Via Crucis al Pantheon"

and "Autoritratto con Papa".

DESCOMPASSO

A F I L M B Y J A S M I N T E N U C C I

G I L D A S


THE MELODIES AND

POETRY OF THE NORTH

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE FILMMAKER ERIC JAYCE LANDBERG

BY LUCAS MARQUES AND VIC KINGS

THE MELODIES AND POETRY OF THE NORTH


T H E M E L O D I E S A N D

P O E T R Y O F T H E N O R T H

THE MELODIES AND POETRY OF THE NORTH

An exclusive interview with the filmmaker Eric Jayce Landberg

by Lucas Marques and Vic Kings

Erik Jayce Landberg is a Guitar player, composer, music producer, multi-instrumentalist, lyricist, poet, novelist,

photographer, and film director.

We'd like to begin at the starting

point! Can you tell us more about the

story of PROMISE OF ASGAARD?

There are plenty of metaphors in

there. The song is completely open to

interpretation as I like to get the

listener involved. I never write lyrics

very clearly as I will always leave

some room for some reflection. One

side of it is about conquering the love

of a woman. In Viking mythology,

Asgaard represents the realm of the

Gods, where no one else is allowed.

There is a comparison between being

promised access to the realm of the

Gods and the conquest of a woman

with access to her love.

How did you go through the creative

process of writing the lyrics and

scripting PROMISE OF ASGAARD?

Was it a parallel creation, or did one

come before the other?

The lyrics were written separately long

before there even was an idea for a short

film/ music video. At the time, I was

writing all the material for “The

Forbidden World” album, and even

though I knew I eventually was going to

shoot some videos for a few tracks from

the album, no song was specifically

chosen as of yet. Usually that would be

something I’d do once the album is

recorded and completed.

The idea for a music video came later.

Originally, I had something totally

different in mind, something more

modern. Then came the idea of

actually filming a genuine story in a

short film format as opposed to

having my band playing in front

rolling cameras in a big hangar,

which to me would be equal to a total

lack of artistry as it has been

stretched and done so many times to

the point where it actually has

become sort of its own parody.

The storyline that I scripted has little

to do with the lyrics. Not that they ae

not compatible, but the screenplay

follows its own path if you will by

exploring the theme farther with real

characters as they even have a name.

For the casting, I chose Caroline

Blommé to play the role of my wife

“Vyktoria” and you will also find a few

recurring actors from the “Truth or

Dare” film trilogy, namely Lina

Ellenberg, Christian Jarder and

Katriina Rosén for instance, who

played in “Jealousy”, the sequel to

“Never Love Again”.

Is the music of PROMISE OF

ASGAARD a solo work?

Indeed, “Promise of Asgaard” is the

first track from my third solo project

entitled “The Forbidden World”.

Göran Edman handles most

of the vocals while I play almost all

instruments save for the drums which I play

only on a few tracks.

Erika (Norberg) also makes a guest

appearance on the track “Don’t Believe” on

which she sings the lead vocals. I wrote

material for the whole album in Switzerland

and we recorded most of it there, in

California and the vocals in Sweden. The

mastering was done in Abbey Road Studios

in London.

Eric Jayce Landberg

BIMIFF | 02


"PROMISE OF ASGAARD " film scene

Eric Jayce Landberg

Like the film NEVER LOVE AGAIN, the

project PROMISE OF ASGAARD also

has a music video language. Again

song and images enter in harmony to

tell us a story. We can see the

importance and care that you have

for your work. What are your

references in the world of music

videos?

I think it’s very interesting that you put it

that way. Although it’s technically a music

video my intention here was to actually do

the opposite by filming a short film

reminiscent of a music video and which

employs the music video narrative. The

way I did it in “Never Love Again” was to

paint with imagery alongside a musical

narrative. That is very important to me,

that each frame stands its own esthetical

and artistic value. I don’t really watch

music videos in that sense, and if I do, I

tend to only do it for the pure enjoyment

of it. My approach to music videos is really

more or less the same approach as to

shooting a film, but with an artistic

integrity unique to each film.

Being a multi-artist, we notice your true passion

for Art. Do you seek references for your projects,

both musically and cinematographically, in

other art forms such as Painting, Sculpture, and

Theater? If yes, could you tell us more about

these references?

Funny that you mention it because my garden is filled

with 18th century statues (laughs). I tend to draw from

and find inspiration in a wide variety of art forms.

Each time I am in Paris for instance, I never miss an

opportunity to visit as many museums as I can. In a

sense, I am a collector of impressions, and those

impressions are not only found in artistry or

literature. They can also be found by observing or

interacting with people and the human dynamics.

David Bowie once said that he collects personalities.

In that sense I found too that I am a collector of

personalities and impressions myself.

"PROMISE OF ASGAARD " film scene

The film's cinematography has an

interesting contradiction. Although

there are violent, conflicting scenes, it

also carries a delicacy in the pastel

colors, with the child's presence. It

gives the viewer an oneiric feeling.

How were made the choices of these

resources?

To me a piece of art is all about contrasts.

If you look at a painting, especially those

paintings from the 17th century, the

colors employed are often in

contradiction with each other. Vivid

colors alongside a sad or mystical dark

face for instance. For me, it has always

been about the beauty and the beast. If

you listen to my guitar solos, this is very

much the foundation upon which they are

built. When I was cutting and editing the

footage of “Promise of Asgaard” I wanted

to create sort of an imaginary world that

could not be reached. I spent quite a lot of

time on the color grading part of it and

added a touch that would evoke sort of a

dreamy feeling, perhaps only on a

subconscious level. Apart from that, I

wanted the video to be as contemporary

as possible. I also made sure to include

different ingrediencies in direct conflict

with each other, but that would also

balance one another out. The child

represents innocence, the Vikings

represent greed, anger and negativity

whereas the erotic scenes represent

positiveness. Nudity is everyone’s natural

state, compatible and respectful of nature,

and that is something positive.


The brilliant work with art direction is evident in both of your

films that we have watched. How was the research process for

costumes, scene objects, and locations done?

Thank you! As mentioned earlier, I am a collector of impressions.

Wherever I go I tend to look at places from an artistic point of view,

and sometimes it would just strike me! “This is definitely a place

where we’re gonna shoot a scene” I’d think to myself. I am constantly

on the quest for ideas or possibilities. When it comes to costumes, for

“Never Love Again” I spent a great deal of time doing research. It is no

secret that I am also very interested in the 18th century so it came to

me quite naturally. For “Promise of Asgaard” we were fortunate

enough to be sponsored by a company manufacturing Viking clothes

and utilizing the same fabrics as they did at the time. The weapons

and props were authentical and borrowed for the scenes, as to the

Viking village, I need to thank a friend of mine who is very much into

Norse mythology. When I told her about my plans to shoot a video and

told her about the screenplay, she immediately told me that she knew

this fantastic place, but that it had to remain secret. Because

apparently, very few people know about it. All the locations in

“Promise of Asgaard” are actually real Viking sites. The cliff where the

wedding scenes were shot is actually an old Viking fort with a

collapsed stone wall built by the Vikings. There was very special

energy during shooting and during one of the wedding scenes, the

priestess actually started to weep for real. I asked her why and she

couldn’t answer other than feeling that strange energy she said.

The popularization of Norse Mythology has been increasingly

notorious in recent years. Examples are the "Thor" movie

franchise, the new "God of War" games, and more recently, the

film "The Northman" by Robert Eggers. What is your view on

this new booming market and cultural interest in Viking

culture worldwide?

Well on the one hand I think it is very nice that people get more

interested in old Norse mythology. It has been buried far away from

people’s interest for quite a long time and sometimes remained even

completely unknown. The difference for us is that for most people, it

constitutes a fantasy world reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings saga,

whereas to us, it is an integral part of our history and our ancestors’

way of life. Unfortunately, Hollywood tends to portray it in a totally

unrealistic manner to the point where it almost becomes ludicrous.

There is also very little that comes out of it with any historical truth or

value.

All countries and their respective cultures have

misrepresentations when exposed to other cultures. This is

very much a consequence of Hollywood films. The Viking

stories it is no different. Do you believe that this music video

can have a didactic role for the public outside Scandinavian

countries?

We’re actually talking about a very rich culture and there are many

misconceptions about it. Not many are aware for instance that Vikings

were actually poets, and that the Poetic Edda, the “Viking bible” if you

will, was written in prose. There are very beautiful traditions that

come directly from that culture that most people outside Scandinavia

are not aware of. Christmas for instance is one of them. In popular

culture, many see Vikings as nothing more than barbarians. And

Hollywood has helped spread that false image. Yet they were mostly

inventors, explorers, and the best shipbuilders in the world. In

“Promise of Asgaard”, I tried to stay as true to the era as possible. On

the one hand, I wanted to portray how a peaceful Viking village ruled

by women and Valkyries - as often was the case - functioned, and on

the other hand also the risks that came with living back then.

You are very concerned about minorities, and you make a

point of having a team made up of people of many different

nationalities. That's amazing! In 2018 the Swedish Democratic

Party, with its anti-immigration platform, came third in the

election, taking 18% of the votes. Unfortunately, here in Brazil,

there are many cases of xenophobia towards immigrants

(especially against those from Third World countries). Usually,

these policies want the world to believe that the big problem is

those who come from abroad. How do you see this situation in

Sweden?

I have friends from abroad and all parts of the world. I tend to enjoy

the dynamics that come out of it. There is an exchange of cultures that

is very interesting to me. If you only hang out with people from the

same town or the same country, those dynamics won’t be in motion. I

don’t look at people in terms of background or ethnicity. To me it’s not

important where you’re from, which social class you belong to or what

you do for a living. I only look at the personality. To answer your

question, some people have a fear of the unknown and of what they

don’t understand. I on the other hand, am sort of attracted to it. There

are problems everywhere of course and I think those problems are

due to socioeconomic reasons. I am very apolitical in that I don’t

believe that one political party holds all the answers. To me it’s

important to respect everybody’s opinion and understand that

depending on their different backgrounds, people would perceive

things differently. Not everyone shares your point of view and that is

surely a good thing. Imagine if everybody did! It’s important not to

step upon or disrespect other cultures.

WE ARE ALL IN THE

GUTTER, BUT SOME OF

US ARE LOOKING

AT THE STARS

A F I L M B Y J O Ã O M A R C O S D E A L M E I D A & S E R G I O S I L V A

G I L D A S

B I M I F F S P E C I A L A R T I C L E 31

THE PROJECTION

OF (IN) TANGO

THE INVISIBLE POWER OF THE SEVENTH ART

BY PAMELA NASSOUR

THE PROJECTION OF (IN) TANGO


T H E P R O J E C T I O N

O F ( I N ) T A N G O

THE PROJECTION OF (IN) TANGO -The Invisible Power of the Seventh Art

A special article about Carlos Saura's "Tango"

by Pamela Nassour (Lebanon)

The writer, Pamela Nassour, is an award-winning Lebanese filmmaker, film critic, and educator. Pamela graduated

from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik USEK with a master's degree in Visual Arts - Cinema and Television. She is

currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Contemporary Latin American Cinema at the Saint Joseph University Beirut and the

University of Granada.

Known for his films "Carmen", "Blood Wedding", and "Tango",

Carlos Saura is an acknowledged Spanish filmmaker. His

feature films embody distinguished aesthetics and interesting

plots, and they are to be considered dance films. In one of his

interviews, the Spanish director expresses his fascination with

mirrors. He says that he uses them because they offer wonderful

images. In fact, Saura believes that the mirror is a miracle and

he thinks that it is something always surprising. Perhaps it is a

coincidence that a dance film director is interested in mirrors…

or perhaps not. His films do indeed contain a physical presence

of mirrors, but his cinematic choices are not only limited to

that. In many of his shots, Saura creates the illusion of a mirror

through his compositions, shot size, and his characters’

blocking and staging. In this article, the focus will go around

Carlos Saura’s film Tango, specifically the notion of rivalry,

while being supported by the Subtle Dancer Text by the

Lebanese artist and theorist Jalal Toufic.

In his writings, Jalal Toufic talks about what he calls “the subtle

dancer”. He defines it as a different type of body that is

projected "into a realm of altered movement, body, space and

time-specific to it". For him, the only true or “great” dance is the

one that seemingly projects this type of body. Any other notions

of dance are not related to Toufic’s territory. Through The

Subtle Dancer text, it becomes clear that the ballet, as a dance

form, has an affinity with the “dance” à la Jalal Toufic, and the

projection is more likely to happen in ballet rather than in

other dance genres. Toufic’s concept and Carlos Saura’s films

meet on common ground. The Lebanese artist/theorist

acknowledges in his writings the use of mirrors in Saura’s films

as a direct means of the subtle body’s projection into the dance

realm. Yet, while recognizing similarities of dance movements,

and if being put under the same circumstances that cause the

transition in ballet in reference to Toufic, could they project as

ballet does? What about Carlos Saura as a dance film

filmmaker?

Is he aware of a certain projection, considering that he implies

a happening of a miracle in his films through the mean of

mirrors? Could it be the miracle of projection? Being involved

in dance, is he aware that his choices of cinematography might

be startlingly the visualization of projection? Was there a

projection anyway? What about Saura's Tango? Could Ballet’s

graceful and powerful projection be contagious to its married

movements? Could tango at some point become a dance in Jalal

Toufic’s sense?

"Tango" film scene

Fact: Ballet is the basis of all dance forms. Yet initially, it is

important to establish the difference between performer and

dancer. Based on Jalal Toufic, a movement is considered to be a

dance rather than a performance, when "he or she has been

projected by means of his or her movement into dance’s specific

realm of the altered body, space and time”; so not any

movement can project a subtle dancer. Taking pirouettes, for

example, it is not the excellence of the performer in such a move

that causes a projection.


In Tango, Carlos Saura shows a rivalry between two women; and

following Jalal Toufic’s explanation, the rivalry is an important aspect

linked to the doubling. He writes that when a dancer trains with

someone else, this is a procedure that helps him or her accept the

differentiation between the two and the other subtle bodies which will

be projected later, and which will look differently. The dancer, once in

the realm might be tempted not to accept the doubling; therefore he

or she (or they) tries to excel in the movements. The rivalry in the plot

of the film Tango is supported by other dance feature that is more of

aesthetic choices rather than script elements. In the film’s layer, the

presence of colors cannot be neglected and it strikes us that in an

interview Saura admits that his cinematographer, Victor Storaro,

suggested that colors must be integrated. Thus they chose the

fundamental colors: red, blue, and yellow.

This practice is not new. Actually, it goes back to the early days of

cinema and it was applied to the Annabelle Serpentine Dance

(William K.L. Dickson & William Heise, 1895). The footage back then

was hand-tinted. Hence the combination of dance and colors, in

cinema, was/is an intuition of filmmakers. In Tango, the use of colors

for Saura is directly related to the evolvement of rivalry, portraying

the escalating feeling of the dancer. Thus, this practice evolves from

being a simple intuition to a well-defined purpose. These mentioned

characteristics in the film’s cinematography and plot keep appearing

in the film until the ultimate scene takes place, which is the tango

dance between the two female dancers Laura and Elena.

Coming from the streets and cafés of Buenos Aires, tango was not the

way we know it. At the very beginning of its emergence, it was a balletlike

dance between two men, until it developed into the form it is

nowadays. But here in this film- specifically in the tango scene where

Elena and Laura dance together - it is surely not a historical

presentation of the origins of tango as a dance. The choreography is

taking place between two rival and jealous women. Both of them try to

excel in tango, and as they continue dancing, their movement and

gestures, even their look, transform from being an act of trying to

reach excellence to an act of acceptance of one another without any

rejection.

"Tango" film scene

During the dance, Laura takes the lead, playing by this the role of the

male dancer, who like in all Latin and ballroom dances, leads the girl

and controls the movements. Add to that, both dancers, as the dance

evolves, move to a kind of different space. They go toward the clothes

stands which give us the impression that this space is disconnected

from its surrounding. The change of light and the structure of the

location itself, the continuity of the choreography there, and the way it

is performed by the two women, all of this implies that a projection

took place - a projection to a new realm of the altered body, space and

time.

Pushed even further, this projection is not a normal one: Laura in all

her dances was obviously the female dancer, with elegance and

smoothness accompanying all her steps. Yet in this specific scene,

Laura imitates the male dancer by moving just like him and even

looking just like him. Her attitude gives us the impression that she's in

a body of a woman but acting like a man. If the projection really took

place - which is very much implied - her subtle body would most

probably be a male tango dancer. It is possible with that kind of

projection but does not happen quite often, considering that the

subtle body does not look the same as the flesh and blood dancer.

However, it is shocking that after all this reading of elements and

characteristics which prove the happening of the projection, the writer

(as in the main character) admits in the script that he is imagining the

scene. So, in the script, the scene exists in his head. Therefore, this

scene was misread and there was no projection.

As I am writing this article, questions emerge, and they make me think

a bit outside the box, maybe outside the screen itself, away from the

viewfinder and the film set. In a great scene, just like this one, can an

implied projection be mistaken? Is it a simple admission of the

character that the scene is only in his imagination enough to discard

all the analysis above? Carlos Saura as the writer and director of this

film, by making his character imagine this scene ending this dilemma.

But was he aware of the power of the scene? It is a possibility that in

case he reads the text of The Subtle Dancer by Jalal Toufic, he would

wish he made a different choice in his writing? If we stick to the script

itself and the story, then the concept wouldn't apply. Still, one case is

missing and has to be taken into consideration, which is the process of

filming itself. To film the scene - which is supposedly an imagination

– it physically took place on set. The two actresses did perform a

tango. So what about their flesh and blood bodies? Aren't they

performers who went through the experience of dance on the set’s

plateau? Knowing that the concept of the subtle dancer is not limited

to films, isn’t it a possibility of a projection of subtle bodies during the

routine?

Nothing can prove that a subtle body is projected and even the

performers themselves can't prove it. But this attitude of Laura is

what? Is it acting? Should we disregard the signs provided by the

tango? One thing is for sure: dance by itself will create a new

understanding of space and time; imagine the power of it when

combined with the seventh art. Ballet or not, tango or not, the signs are

there and it’s up to us, spectators, to acknowledge them. Nothing can

indeed prove the happening of the projection, but it is there. It is

implied through the signs waiting to be spotted and grabbed.


F I S H

SYNOPSIS

After a paraplegic discovers a way to travel through water to the point of asphyxiation. He will

meet a girl in a alternate reality between life and death.

Cast: Collin O'Neill, Natalia Rojas

Director, Writer, Co-Producer and Editor: Antonio Lugo

Co-Executive Producer: Julia Ramos

Director of Photography: Hai Son

Camera Operator: Jaig de Guzman

Make-Up Artist and Costume Design: Tomas Rosales

Prop Master and Set Design: Alondra Melendez

Music Composer: Nihar Moodi

Antonio Lugo is an award-winning filmmaker, born in Puerto Rico.

He holds a Bachelor in Fine Arts and an MFA in Film Production.

Antonio is a screenwriter and director of his own content. He likes

to tell stories of other people and bring them into an audiovisual

experience. The filmmaker tries to understand the sadness and

self-power of people with a dash of magical realism.

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OS SENTIMENTOS

VASTOS NÃO TÊM

NOME

A F I L M B Y D O N I Z E T E M A Z O N A S & G I L D A N O M A C C E

G I L D A S

R E V I E W 37

THE IMPORTANCE OF

RECOGNIZING LIMITATIONS

IN ONESELF AND IN OTHERS

R E V I E W B Y R I C H A R D C A E I R O

REVIEW

B I M I F F

R E V I E W

EVERYTHING I COULD

A FILM BY CHRIS ARMIENTI

R E V I E W B Y R I C H A R D C A E I R O

38

"Everything I Could" film scene

THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING LIMITATIONS IN ONESELF AND IN OTHERS

Approximately 10% of the entire world population suffers from mental

illnesses; this equates to about 720 million people. These illnesses can

range from bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD),

eating disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, somatization, and

many dermatological and cardiovascular problems. Depression is

considered one of the most serious diseases of the century. It is the

second most common cause of disability worldwide, second only to

severe back problems, and should be dealt with as a priority by global

public health. Depression usually leads to dependence on drugs such

as alcohol and smoking, used as a form of escape.

With this knowledge and sensitivity, director Christopher Armienti

creates a compelling dialogue between a father (Ben Cable) and his

daughter (Sierra Nowak) in an attempt to explain his wife's mental

illness. In a little less than two minutes, the interaction between Luke

and Sarah Nottingham (played, respectively, by Cable and Nowak)

brings to the screen the great delicacy that the text demands, and that

is elevated even more by the glances and voices of the duo of

protagonists. The uncomfortable but necessary conversation begins

with a family confrontation: Sarah's school performance is declining, a

common symptom in young people going through family situations

that demand a lot of maturities. Luke, worried about his daughter,

knows the probable root of the problem; and then decides to start this

emotional and hard conversation.

The text, at no point, becomes robotic or automatic. The lines and

expectations we are presented with on-screen feel genuine, as if, while

observing the conversation behind closed doors between father and

daughter, we were voyeurs, invading the privacy of this family while

the patriarch tries to deal with the difficulty of showing his daughter

that, unfortunately, he is not infallible, and that in reality, no one is.

Taking care of people with mental and psychological disorders is a

huge challenge; it can escalate into a snowball, turning previously

healthy caregivers into people who are just as sick as those being

treated. Perhaps this is the lesson Luke has learned and tries to pass on

to his daughter in their brief but profound conversation.

"I did everything I could to keep this family together," the heartbroken

father confides to his hurting daughter. To have the ability to see in

others the need for more significant help, and at the same time to

accept that this help is not something that is within your reach is

something that indeed demands a great deal of emotional intelligence.

Much more when dealing with family members. In his emotional

performance, Ben Cable portrays very well this confessional moment. In

this sincere conversation where reason and emotion go hand in hand in

the emission of words, the protagonist doesn't take his eyes off his

daughter, to evidence the abysmal sadness in which he finds himself in

the twinkling of his irises. Born in Bridgeport/Connecticut, Ben returned

to acting in 2017 after a long hiatus away from creating and playing

characters and delivers alongside Sierra Nowak a wonderful piece of

work.

The very short narrative is further enhanced by Frankie Galvez's graceful

cinematography and Carter Imperial's accurate sound design, making the

experience of watching the film a mixture of commotion, with a sense of

wondering what will happen next. The anticipation is coupled with the

voyeuristic tendency to keep following the relationship between the

Nottinghams. To know whether the father will try to console his daughter

with words of affection or with a silent hug. Or whether Sarah will rebel

against the patriarch's decision to go after her mother. Among many

others "what ifs..." that leave the narrative so rich in possibilities,

elevating the cinematographic diegesis to new interpretative levels. At the

same time, the film provides the audience with the desire to keep up with

the Nottingham family.

"Everything I Could" is conquering its space in film worldwide festivals.

For example the "Medusa Film Festival" (in which it won the award for

Best Drama Short), the "Odyssey Fest", the "So You Think You Can Direct -

Act Competition", and now the "BIMIFF - Brazil International Monthly

Independent Film Festival".

"Everything I Could" film scene

The director Chris Armienti is

passionate about art. Since childhood,

he wanted nothing more than to write

and direct for film and television,

making YouTube videos in partnership

with his best friend with the first

camera he got from his father. Chris

applied and got into the college of his

dreams: the University of Southern

California. At USC he majored in Film

Production, and the films he has

produced have won many awards,

being selected and awarded at

festivals around the world.

The director Chris Armenti

AUGUST SKY

A F I L M B Y J A S M I N T E N U C C I

G I L D A S


UNVEILING THE PAST TO

CHANGE THE FUTURE

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE FILMMAKER ROBERTO MANHÃES REIS


UNVEILING THE PAST TO CHANGE THE FUTURE


U N V E I L I N G T H E P A S T

T O C H A N G E T H E

F U T U R E

UNVEILING THE PAST TO CHANGE THE FUTURE

An exclusive interview with the filmmaker ROBERTO MANHÃES REIS


Roberto Manhães Reis is a Brazilian filmmaker who graduated in directing from Konrad Wolf Film University in

Germany. Born in Switzerland, Viola Scheuerer graduated in anthropology, German literature, and history from

the University of Basel. Together, they directed the documentaries Nipo Brasil (2005) and Louisa Jules (2013), the

latter made for television. "Gilda Brasileiro - Against Oblivion" is the duo's second documentary feature film for

cinema.

The Academy basis is fundamental for countless great

filmmakers, and in your case, this education in Cinema had

its foundation at the European School. Being one of you

born in Switzerland and the other born in Brazil how did

the interest in turning your eyes to a Brazilian past that the

very people involved in the story don't want to talk about

come up?

Viola is Swiss; she has had a relationship of more than 25

years with Brazil. She studied history and societies in West

Africa. In a way, this theme was already interested her. In

my case, it was a question of identity. My ancestors on my

mother's side came to Brazil as enslaved people. In our

family, we know practically nothing about how our

ancestors survived that time. I have always been interested

in this past and when I met Gilda I was infected by the

transatlantic slave trade history in its illegal phase. My eyes

were opened to understand how we are still surrounded by

this past today. And there is still a lot of information out

there to be revealed. Regarding my education in Europe,

the fact that I studied in Babelsberg, Germany, did not

change this interest, but it undoubtedly had a strong

influence on the way I make documentary films and work

with memory.

The co-director Roberto Manhães Reis

Gilda Brasileiro is a person of great strength and determination, an interesting character who leads us to explore this dark past by her

side. In her 2011 film, "Rota Dória", she already brought the power of this story to the public, but, through the feature film "Gilda

Brasileiro - Against Oblivion", the deepening of this narrative brought even more potency and attention to these historical facts. How

did the approach happen for this incredible documentary to emerge?

We met Gilda while making a documentary about the Project "Revelando os Brasis". In this project, residents of cities with up to 20,000

inhabitants could participate in a contest to make a short film. Gilda was one of the winners. And it was in this context we invited her to

participate in the documentary. She was not the only character; we were also filming other participants in the contest. However, when

it came time to edit, we realized that Gilda and the story of Rota Dória did not fit in the editing. While other participants "wanted" to tell

a story, Gilda "needed" to tell the story she discovered in her town. Gilda has a very strong connection to the Doria Route. In the story of

those Africans, who came down from the tumbeiros boats on the northern coast of São Paulo to climb the Atlantic Forest towards

Salesópolis, this discovery changed her life.


Gilda carries this story on her skin, and this urgency has an enormous force within the documentary. If there was a deepening

between the short film "Rota Dória" (directed by Gilda) and the feature film "Gilda Brasileiro", this happens because Gilda is the

protagonist in our film. She is in front of the camera and embodies the story of the clandestine route. She is Rota Dória.

Throughout the narrative, we notice how the subject is taboo, to the

point of sounding almost forbidden among several of the featured

characters, mainly because it reveals bitter issues of their ancestors

concerning slavery. What were the great difficulties encountered in

approaching the subject with those involved during the production?

The co-director Viola Scheuerer

In Salesópolis, there are many traditional families whose ancestors

participated in some way in the transatlantic slave trade. These families

have created a narrative about their past, which has been passed on

and reinterpreted from one generation to the next.

Confronting these families with another version of their History was

certainly the main difficulty. Nobody wants to be associated with

slavery. It is even worse when their ancestors are placed on the side of

the slave traders and smugglers. However, at the same time, many of

them know the facts, but they have learned from back then that it is not

something discussed. Starting with the Feijó law in 1831, any landing of

Africans on Brazilian territory was forbidden. This law had

consequences for both buyers and sellers, so even then the subject was

not talked about. During the filming, many people refused to talk to us.

A shame, because we were not there to judge anyone's past. We wanted

to get to know the narratives about slavery in a region where it was

intense until 1888 when it was officially abolished. But of course, these

relationships didn't change from one day to the next.

One of the documentary's highlights is Gilda's emotional involvement with the subject, giving the spectators moments of great

sensitivity and decisiveness. During the production and post-production of the feature film, how did you manage to bring such

intense feelings to the screen, avoiding traps and clichés that appeal to melodrama?

Our way of making documentary films is linked to a commitment to the documental value of what we are doing. We try to give people

room to express themselves, we try to maintain transparency in our treatment of the characters and in the way we make the film. One

of the side effects of this working style is that there is not much room for cliché and melodrama. I would like that in the future when

someone looks at our work, they find in our films a document, which they can reinterpret and reuse. A documentary that is too

contrived and full of effects will also be a document in the future, but it will be a document about the imagination of those who make

documentaries today, in the 21st century. I would like our films to preserve as much as possible the different layers of truth that exist

in an image.

Eduardo Coutinho is definitely one of the greatest documentary

masters in the history of World Cinema, influencing national and

international filmmakers to create instigating narratives and a deep

involvement between the work and the spectator. In your case, was

there an influence from this great Brazilian filmmaker? What other

influences can you point to as forming your cinematographic and

narrative style?

Through Coutinho, we understand the power of the "encounter". That

moment when you turn on the camera and interviewer and

interviewee are in tune, they meet. This is important. The German

documentarist Volker Koepp also works in this sense. But I have

several influences. I learned to love the documentary genre by

watching the films of Johan van der Keuken, Cris Marker, Heddy

Honigmann, and others. Claude Lanzmann influenced this question of

how to work with memory.

"Gilda Brasileiro - Against Oblivion " film scene


"Gilda Brasileiro - Against Oblivion " film scene

"Gilda Brasileiro - Against Oblivion" had a beautiful career in festivals in Brazil and the world. What was the film's repercussion

among the public and specialized critics?

They were very diverse. The film premiered in a turbulent moment, just before the presidential elections. The mask of Brazilian

society was falling off and people were coming face to face with a racist, sexist, and homophobic society. To see the images of the

enslaved people in the Vale do Paraíba projected on the giant movie screens, the denial of this slavery past today. It was a gut punch

for many people. After the São Paulo premiere, we presented the film at the National Museum of African American History and

Culture in Washington. This is the largest museum on the history of the African diaspora in the world, inaugurated in 2016, located

400 meters away from the White House, and to this date, there is no Wikipedia article in Portuguese about it (!). Well, we exhibited

"Brazilian Gilda" in this Museum, and people were very moved, after all, it is also their story. What they didn't know is that, also in the

transatlantic traffic, the Brazilian Empire was a protagonist. Only between 1822 and 1851 twice as many Africans landed in Brazil as

in the entire history of the United States. The film was presented in several countries. The presentation in Angola was very special for

me. The screening room was next to the Rua dos Mercadores, the place where enslaved people were smuggled from Luanda. The

enslaved people in Vale do Paraíba were mostly kidnapped in the region that today forms the territory of Angola. The Angolans

looked at the historical images and recognized which culture or region those people could be from. Although Luanda was founded to

supply the traffic, the theme is not being worked on in Angolan society.

After the production and finalization of the feature film, did Gilda continue to investigate and deepen her research on this subject

so obscure yet necessary to be discussed?

The film brought many impulses to Gilda's life; she connected with professors from universities and pursued her research. She is

currently presenting the documentary in public schools and is writing a book about Rota Dória. Viola and I continued to search. We

took a course on the use of historical photographs in documentary films in Luanda and were able to hear some interpretations in

Angola about the slavery photos in Brazil. I traveled to Cabinda and Benguela and visited the historical places where the slave trade

took place. There are still many more stories to be told.


The lack of formally documented records makes it impossible

to hold the current owners of the properties accountable for

the bloody slave regime of the time. During and after the

filming, were there any reports from the interviewees fearing

that the descendants of enslaved people would claim any

rights?

No, for now, nothing has happened and I hope no one has this

idea. It is not the case of you or me holding a person

responsible for what their ancestors did in the 19th century.

This debate has to be done with the Brazilian society and

translated, in the case of reparation, into new public policies,

as it happened, for example, with the quota system. For me, it

should be an obligation of the State to create places of memory,

so that this History is not forgotten or distorted. We are talking

about the foundations of this society, of thousands of lives that

were interrupted, and that is the foundation of what we call

Brazil today. We were a slaveholding society, and we still have

consequences from this past. We have to change this urgently. I

believe that learning to understand the history of Brazil was,

through the lens of transatlantic traffic; can be a key to

understanding and changing this mentality.

Marc Ferrez's works give even more solidity to the stories

approached in your film, being a fundamental part of the

project's narrative. How did the process of using such important

historical documents in "Gilda Brasileiro - Against Oblivion"

occur?

Marc Ferrez's photographic archive belongs today to the IMS

(Moreira Salles Institute). From the beginning, the IMS was

cooperative with our film. They understood that we needed the

images in high resolution because we intended to search for the

last grains of silver in the image, searching for glances and signs

of resistance. The digitization of the negatives on a 60 x 40 cm

glass plate was essential for the film. This technology change

made it possible for us to see details that not even Marc Ferrez

saw in these images.

We know the historical and representative importance of the film

for researchers, students, and the general public. Allied to this,

we also have your evident talent and expertise as documentarists

and narrators. Are there any new film projects that you have

planned for the future, together and/or individually?

Yes, we do. We intend to continue this work of memory about

transatlantic traffic. We have an interactive exhibition project,

where we plan to film in Angola and the quilombos in Rio de

Janeiro and São Paulo. I also have a personal project about my

grandfather, a black doctor from the countryside of São Paulo in

the 1930s.

THREE TIDY

TIGERS TIED A

TIE TIGHTER

A F I L M B Y G U S T A V O V I N A G R E

G I L D A S


T H E M A S K

SYNOPSIS

In the daily routine of her Iranian family, during the time of coronavirus, a child believes that

adults can't see correctly behind their masks.

Cast: Sarvin Sana'ti, Mirhossein Nounchi, Sima Sheybani

Director and Writer: Saba Ghasemi

Producer: Masoud Ghasemi

Director of Photography: Shahram Najarian

Editor: Ghadir HamzeEmamchai

Set and Costume Design: Saba Ghasemi

Make-Up Artist: Ali Shafei Sabet

Sound Recordist: Alireza Karimnejad

Sound Designer: Mohammad Ghasemi

Music composed by: Mohammad Mousavi

Colorist: Pejman Farhadi

Saba Ghasemi is an award-winning filmmaker, from Tehran, Iran.

Born in 1993, Saba holds a B.A. in Cinema and an M.A. in Dramatic

Literature from the Art University of Tehran. She works as a director

and scriptwriter in Iran, and has won several awards in film festivals

worldwide with her films "The Party", "The Castle" and "The Mask".

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FOUND IN THE

DEEPEST THOUGHTS

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE FILMMAKER SALMAN AZIZ

BY RICHARD CAEIRO AND VIC KINGS

FOUND IN THE DEEPEST THOUGHTS


F O U N D I N T H E

D E E P E S T T H O U G H T S

FOUND IN THE DEEPEST THOUGHTS

An exclusive interview with the filmmaker Salman Aziz

by Richard Caeiro and Vic Kings

Salman Aziz (born December 19, 1993) is a Bangladeshi independent author and artist. He was born in Pabna,

Bangladesh. But he mostly grew up in Dhaka city. He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and

Engineering with remarkable marks.

During the film, it was impossible not

to be transported to the work "Un

Chien Andalou" by Spanish

filmmaker Luis Buñuel. A non-linear

montage that reminds us of dreams,

especially in its structure. Do your

influences include artists from the

Surrealist movement?

the movement of the art world. The

art form can be surrealistic or can be

realistic, it doesn’t matter Honestly, I

really don’t know about the

influences! But one thing I only know

is that an artist must followto me. The

only thing matters are how an artist

expresses the artistic mind! I always

take myself as an artist and want to

make something unique that remains

memorable forever. That should be

the motto of all artists!

While talking about Luis Buñuel’s

masterpiece “Un Chien Andalou”,

each scene of the film carries many

visual messages. Though the

storytelling has no sequence. The

maker of this film has cleverly taken

the help of metaphors and symbols to

tell the stories in a silent way.

And, it has become surrealistic for

the watchers. But when they decode

the metaphors and linearly add

those as messages, they will get the

real meaning of the film.

The film works with a lot of

symbolism that makes each person

who watches it view a different film.

Since the symbols dialogue in a very

different way with each individual.

Is this a proposal designed to make

the spectator's subjectivity an

extension of the film?

“Lost in the Black Hole” is an

enigmatic film and it will remain a

mystery forever.

According to science, when a star

dies in the galaxy, it becomes a

black hole. And the region of

spacetime with extreme gravity that

nothing, even no particles or not

even electromagnetic radiation

such as light can escape from it. It is

a somewhat infinite loophole!

So, from the real definition people

can understand a little how the film

is!

Each time a person watches it, that

person will get a different meaning

every time. That’s all I can say!

The director Salman Aziz


The choice of black and white was on-point since it

accentuates, even more, the forms, the shadows,

the lights, and even the texture. Something very

important for the film's proposal. How was the

cinematography for your short film thought out?

Kinda bitter-sweet!

People should know that in this film, I was the

actor, cinematographer, editor, actually in a word

everything. Let me share the backstory of this film.

A long time ago I saw a very strange black and

white dream. And the execution of my dream is

"Lost in the Black Hole".

As we know, the color Black symbolizes power,

sophistication, formality, wealth, mystery, fear,

evil, unhappiness, depth, sadness, remorse, anger,

anonymity, underground, mourning, death,

austerity, and detachment, whereas White

represents reverence, purity, birth, simplicity,

cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence,

and good. So, following my dream, I kept the entire

film in black and white.

Before making the dream into reality, I studied a

lot about symbolism to represent the non-existing

characters. Then comes the use of metaphor to

denote the meanings! It was very difficult for me to

portray those characters. Initially, the film was

supposed to have three characters. But then I saw

another unnatural dream and I included two more

according to that. Finally, these five characters

(The Hope, The Thorn, The Nature, The Truth, The

Spark) are born to narrate the five elements of this

world as well as everything.

From setting up the camera position, measuring

the focal length, capturing still images for the film,

acting, to self-direction, everything was painful for

me to handle all alone. Sometimes I needed to fix

my make-up for the character during the shoot. If I

didn't get the desired scene, I had to reshoot for

modifying the outcome of the videography. Even

for just getting a 10 seconds scene, I was in front of

the camera for more than three hours. Those had

created huge pressure on me, also in my everyday

life!

I was about to close this project, but I couldn't.

Again, the spark lit the excitement in me to

complete it.

After facing several obstacles, going through lots of

hardships, shedding tears of pain during the shoot,

and having lots of patience, I was able to conclude.

Besides Buñel, another filmmaker came to mind when watching "Lost in the

Black Hole": the American director David Lynch. What are your

cinematographic references? Is Lynch among these artists?

At least he is an artist, and I think that is enough for him! I respect all artists

who put their full effort to create something new, something innovative.

And, cinematographic references in my film are like a firmed mystery box

full of unknown things!

The description of the film's chapters makes the narrative even more

interesting, mainly because it relates to several fields of study used in the

picture's composition, such as Astronomy and Egyptian Mythology. What was

the inspiration for your script?

The world is truly a mysterious place! At every turn, it hides a lot of secrets.

Mostly those are the key inspiration for my film!

When I began to study the world and ancient symbols and their meanings, I

was kinda stunned and amazed after learning! Geometric shapes, nature,

different elements, and every single thing holds numerous significances.

But another thing came into my mind, how I will compose those together in a

single character!

In this case, Taylor Swift's music videos helped me a lot. I have seen that

Taylor used symbols and metaphors in the video to explain many things

related to her.

And, "Eureka!" I got the solution.

In a scene, one of the characters finds his face covered with nails, like the

character "Pinhead" from the film "Hellraiser", directed by the British artist

Clive Barker. With the "Symbolic Cult Horror" definition in mind, could you

tell us what are your influences in the horror genre?

Though "Pinhead" and "The Thorn" look a little bit similar, they are

completely different from each other. Actually, "The Thorn" is made to

represent strength, inner power, protection, rage, revenge, and many more.

To compile these meanings altogether, I took the characteristics of cactus and

porcupine.

The cactus is a plant that can give exotic flowers and fruit. To protect from

being eaten by animals, it has gotten spines as a shield! So, at the same time, it

is showing innocence when it is flowering, and at the same time, it is showing

strength when predators try to attack.

Pinhead from the "Hellraiser" was the punisher. But the thorn is the protector

who can fight back if someone is trying to abuse or take advantage. And most

of all, the sharp nails are coming out from the face and body of the thorn,

where the sharp edges of pins were driven inside the pinhead's face.

“The Thorn” is the toughest character among others to play. I had to shave my

head and stay bald for a few months. And, putting the pins on my face, head

and body took more than two hours. I stuck those with glue where my skin

could get damaged or hurt. But I took the risk only for the character. During

the shoot, pins were falling and interrupting. Again, I fixed those. It was the

test of my patience and finally, I passed!


Ah, I love horror films a lot! From my childhood to now I have seen countless numbers of horror films, dramas, short films, cartoons,

and many more. People may call it watching horror stuff is my addiction. I have no specific genre, till the visual telling of horror is

thrilling enough to chill the spine. Honestly, I cannot feel the horror nowadays that I have gotten in my childhood.

Maybe it is the effect of too much horror stuff watching!

When I completed the editing of "Lost in the Black Hole", I found it thrilling from the viewer's viewpoint. And for being enigmatic by

nature, the film has become a cult. That makes it a symbolic cult horror.

"Lost in the Black Hole" film scene

How is the film being received in your homeland, Bangladesh?

Well! I still can remember the day, December 10, 2019. A memorable

day where I got anguish in mind and then I shaded tears of joy!

On that day for the first time, my film premiered in Bangladesh at the

Bangladesh Shilpakala academy. My film was officially selected for

the 15th International Short and Independent Film Festival (ISIFF),

one of the oldest and most prestigious film festivals in Europe, Asia,

and the American continent. And also, I was nominated for Tareq

Shahriar Best Independent Shorts Award, the most respected award

for Bangladeshi Young & Aspiring Filmmakers. It was such a big

honor for me to get a nomination among the thousands of

filmmakers.

Before the premiere day, I was quite nervous. But my mom, my only

elder sister, my son Sahil (nephew), and my brother-in-law gave me

encouragement so that I can face the audience confidently. They are

always with me like a blessing hand to build my career as an artist

and author. I must include that without them I am nothing!

And, on the primer day! A hall full of people first laughed and then

they applauded for my work. Very few people know that in the

original version of the film I was completely naked for the characters.

But in the alternate version, many sensitive scenes are covered by

visual effects. The spectators busted into laughter in some scenes for

nudity and unclear body movements in the film, which broke my

mind in distress.

But when I explained everything as much as possible after the show

on stage, they praised me for creating such a unique, bold and artistic

work in Bangladesh.

I think, people often mock unique works because they don't

have sufficient knowledge to learn about artistic minds. It is

their true nature! When knowledgeable people appreciate

the work and give recognition, then they feel proud of that

person who has created the exclusive thing.

The film works with processes, where each character

represents a phase. Is this a metaphor for "transformation"?

Or even about human evolution?

"Lost in the Black Hole" is a multidimensional film and it has

the strong ability to hold any kind of definition. Because I

have made it in such a way! The character doesn't hold a

single phase. In fact, each character carries the positive,

negative, and neutral cycle of things. When a person watches

it for the first time, the visual interpretation may vary from

others' perspectives. So, it cannot be measured through an

individual standard of the film.

And the transformation, or human evolution! It is completely

based on how a person grasps what kind of knowledge from

the scenes. If they watch it as the evolution, they will get it

through the creation and presentation.


Bangladesh is a nation with rich cultures. During the creative process of the film, did you look for philosophical and/or religious

references during its development?

At some point, yes! Some of the scenes have indirectly referred to the philosophical sense. But I have never remarked on any religious

subjects. Religious topics are very delicate. If it is explained in the wrong way, it can be a big issue enough to mislead a person.

Beginning of the film, in the disclaimer, I have already stated that the film is not meant to make to disrespect any religion.

I do respect true religion and I obey it!

Once I faced huge criticism for the character "The Truth". People unknowingly compared the character with Illuminati, a devil

worshiper. Because of the Egyptian symbols that were indicating the mythological gods the Horus and Raa, mirroring each other.

Everything has its own positive and negative meaning. If people judge it by negativity, they will be apart from the true meaning.

I agree that I have taken some forbidden Egyptian symbols as metaphors to express the non-living metaphoric character "The Truth".

But my intention wasn't to promote the Illuminati things. The Egyptian symbols carry many positive meanings too. Like, in a positive

way the eye of Horus and Raa is describing the power. In the Egyptian language, I have even written the word "Truth" on my chest. If

people are able to decrypt the encrypted symbols, they will get lots of definitive definitions.

"Lost in the Black Hole" film scene

Besides your professional background in "Computer Science and Engineering", your passion for the 7th Art is evident. Do you have

new projects planned for the next few years?

Yes! Lots of concepts are spinning in my head. But currently, I am focusing on my literary works.

In the literary world, I am also known for using metaphors and symbolic words to explain my philosophical mind. It's like working

with symbols and metaphors has become my signature style!

But soon I will make a short film on depression. According to me, depression is the true devil. I am diagnosed with Major Depressive

Disorder (MDD) for a long time. And I know how it is!

Lots of people blame very deep thinking as the cause of my MDD. But the reasons are many and untold.

My main intention is to raise awareness of MDD and tell those who are suffering from it that they are not alone! That's why most of the

time I discuss openly on it. We have gotten one life to live, and we deserve to live our life happily and peacefully!

Besides those, I am also planning to make other exceptional artistic works on various themes.

Art is a part of my soul! As long as I live, I will live in the art world!

My prime aim is to be an unerasable memory to the world where people will forever keep me in mind for my notable works!

Thank you BIMIFF for taking this wonderful interview!

TEA FOR TWO

A F I L M B Y J U L I A K A T H A R I N E

G I L D A S

R E V I E W 54

THE TERROR IS

IN THE MIRRORS


REVIEW

B I M I F F

R E V I E W 55

REFLECTIONS

A FILM BY ALLEN SMITH JR.


THE TERROR IS IN THE MIRRORS

Does the medium-length film "Reflections" transit between terror,

horror, thriller, or suspense? This discussion about which box the film

fits into has been happening lately; because the Brazilian and

international market, especially the marketing distribution has used

tricks and techniques to sell its products. Therefore it is difficult to

classify "Reflections" as one of these genres. Even differentiating terror

from horror is complicated, although many people think it is the same

thing. You can be sure that it is not.

The film by director and screenwriter Allen Smithee, Jr. presents us

with a little of each. In the opening credits, you already listen to a song

that brings fear and a feeling of anguish. A perception that something

wicked is about to happen: this is "terror". In the 16 minutes of the film,

the character Tim, played by the skilled child actor Kenshin Maruoka,

has a nightmare in which his Aunt Kurosawa (Eris Kobayashi)

punishes him to the point that his hand bleeds. This is "horror": it

causes you an after-sensation. You feel disgusted and dread what you

have just seen.

The film is also suspenseful because it carries an increasing tension

throughout its more than 30 minutes. The Japanese grandfather of

Cathy (played by the talented child actress Luna Smithee) and Tim is

ill, and they must stay at their Aunt Kurosawa's (is this a reference to

the great director Akira Kurosawa?) house; while their mother takes

care of the grandfather. As the mother is American, the children's

education must also be American. The film begins with a conflict

between the kids and their aunt because of the pronunciation of their

names. At this point, you can already see that there is disharmony and

tension starting in the household. Upon their arrival, Tim sees a figure

of a girl in the window, even though he knows that his aunt lives alone

at first. The situation and anxiety increase as Cathy starts to spot

female "reflections" in the mirrors, reflections that are not hers.

"Reflections" film scene

As we seek to identify ourselves in the world, we start to distinguish this

fragmentation between ourselves and the other. Thus, we create

mechanisms to understand and evaluate that we also have an image and

an identity.

In the film in question, there is much identity and identification of the

other through the mirror. Cathy finds herself trapped in the hidden and

covered mirror in her aunt's basement. She is then replaced by the

"entity," by her double that takes her place in her mother's car when she

comes to pick them up. Within this psychoanalytic theory of Lacan, we

have a world of analysis and interpretation for Allen's film. The film's

cinematography is thought of in windows with the light bursting, and it

creates a ghostly and thrilling atmosphere.

About Allen Smithee, Jr: born in the USA, he studied the art of music

composition, and besides writing, directing, and editing the film

"Reflections" he is also responsible for its music score. After moving to

Japan, he started his filmmaking career, where he founded AJS Films

LTD, specializing in memorial videos. He studied color grading through

Color Grading Central Academy and helped beta test CGC's Cinema

Grade color grading plugins.

In Lacan's psychoanalysis, we have the "Mirror Stage": a mental instant

in which, while still in childhood, we look into the mirror and the

object reflected in it; and begin to question it. In the beginning, we may

believe that it is another child, but little by little, this perception

disappears. After a while, we will realize that this smooth and cold

feeling is not the same as the warm and malleable human being's

contact. We never question our own image in the real world, but this

certainty comes from this time of identification with what we see in the

mirror.

"Reflections" film scene

The director Allen Smith Jr.

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U N C O N S C I O U S

SYNOPSIS

A man has been in a coma for almost 20 years. In order for him to wake up, a new experiment is

formed.

Cast: Nikolaos Arfanis

Director, Writer, Cinematographer and Editor: Christos Arfanis

Story by: Nikolaos Arfanis and Christos Arfanis

Producers: Nikolaos Arfanis and Christos Arfanis

Executive Producers: Nikolaos Arfanis and Alexandra Arfanis

Born in 1996, in Athens, Greece, Christos Arfanis is an awardwinning

filmmaker, journalist, and music producer. In Cinema,

Christos works as a director, screenwriter, and producer. In

media, he works as Entertainment Author. Among his films are:

"Painful Smile", "Saw: Heritage", "Inferno Reflexio" and

"Unconscious"


PUTTING THE PUZZLE

PIECES TOGETHER

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE FILMMAKER BRUNA CABRAL


PUTTING THE PUZZLE PIECES TOGETHER


P U T T I N G T H E P U Z Z L E

P I E C E S T O G E T H E R

PUTTING THE PUZZLE PIECES TOGETHER

An exclusive interview with the filmmaker Bruna Cabral


Bruna Cabral is an award-winning filmmaker from Rio de Janeiro with a passion for creating emotionally

remarkable stories. She graduated in Producing and Directing at UCLA. PIECE OF ME is her debut as Director and

was awarded the Special Jury Mention Award at the Short of the Year Film Festival in Spain and Bruna was

awarded the Best First-time Director Award at Oniros Film Awards in Italy.

We know how competitive the world of Cinema is market-wise, mainly

because of the dominance of rich white men, especially when we think of the

US film industry. In this Patriarchy dominated environment, how is this fight

for your own space happening for you as a Brazilian woman filmmaker?

Because of the male dominance in the industry, as women, we always

want to know we will succeed before starting a project. It's not an easy

job, and it comes with many obstacles. It's important to remind

ourselves that we are smart, we can learn, and we can figure out

anything thrown our way. We shouldn't have to prove this anymore. We

should be able to jump into every opportunity that crosses our path. I

have a unique perspective, and I make sure to use that perspective in

each of my projects. I come from a different country, a different culture,

and a law career before filmmaking. I speak my native language,

Portuguese, and also Spanish. I lived abroad at various different times

in my life and traveled the world. I'm out of the curve, and I take

advantage of this. I support women filmmakers and collaborate as

much as possible. I had my projects screened at the Hollywood

Women's Film Institute: Hollywood Women's Film Festival, La Femme

International Film Festival, and Muestra de Cine Mujeres en Escena,

and I'm part of different women filmmaker's groups. The short film

Ophelia, which I co-produced and is currently in post-production, is an

all-women cast & crew film exploring Shakespeare from a feminist

perspective. Not to forget, there is a lack of diversity in front of and

behind the camera, too, so I love to be part of and support diverse

projects because on-screen representation allows others to feel

included and seen. The whole process has been so much fun, but that

doesn't mean it didn't come with its challenges. I matured a lot in a

short period of my career and I have paid close attention to gender

discrimination and diversity in the entertainment industry lately. I

think there's so much momentum now that I believe we will see

change. Together we will combat the discrimination and lack of

diversity and make cinema an equal workspace.

The director Bruna Cabral


Studying Cinema in one of the biggest film industries in the world is the dream of many film students and cinephiles. How was your

professional and academic trajectory, from your departure from Rio to the recognition of your art internationally, from Los Angeles to

the world?

The first step was to learn as much as possible, exploring different sectors of the industry to shape my career in a wide

variety of areas. I studied Business and Management of Entertainment and Producing and Directing at UCLA. My

professors were long-time Hollywood professionals who could give an inside view of the "real world" aspects of the

industry, teaching the essential skills and knowledge needed to succeed. These courses and degrees gave me extensive

networking opportunities with both industry expert instructors and filmmakers worldwide. At the beginning of my career,

I didn't mind working for free because I'd finally found the job I love, and I knew to keep working and establishing my

career, I would need to be an optimist and take those chances. I jumped into projects even if I had few of the qualifications

required. I was willing to try anything and trained myself not to be afraid to make mistakes. That's how I figured out what I

like and don't like and where I stood out. Working on different projects, I managed to broaden my social circles by

networking and gaining experience. I quickly realized the importance of being humble in this industry yet also taking

credit when credit is due. With time, I was invited to work on larger projects for other filmmakers and felt confident in

producing my award-winning productions. I fought as hard as possible and did my best job on every project. It helped me

to find myself and my voice. I have a passion for creating emotionally remarkable stories, and I keep my projects in this

direction. If you're thoughtful about your work, people will remember you, and you'll succeed.

The making of "Piece of Me"


As a foreign graduate student, how was the challenge of

directing American actors, especially with such different

ages and experiences?

As the development of the story and project, Piece

of Me, were originally in English, it wasn't much of a

challenge to go over everything in English. Still,

naturally, our brain gets tired, and the languages

start to mix sometimes. The majority of the creative

process is being able to have an open conversation

and constructing the character. If you have good

actors and manage to explain what you expect from

them in a way they understand, it will give them the

confidence to do their job. I had to work through

each character's emotions and scenes by directing

characters in a sensitive story that requires

different emotions, so I went deep into the feelings

to convey what I had in mind for the story and

characters. I guided my actors to my goal, not

demanding them, knowing they were good at their

jobs. I trusted them once we communicated

expectations. Actors need to be able to draw on their

own experiences to relate to a fictional character

and then, in a sense, bring that character to life. The

process of working with a child was different with

an elderly woman. To go over another point of view

and approach demands time and other ways to go

over emotions, more time than the language barrier

may ever cause. There would be moments when I

took more time to express myself using English

instead of my native language, but still, it was a

collaborative process where we all thought and

built these emotions together.

"Piece of Me" film scene

The two leading actors Mason Wells (winner of the "Best Actor in a Medium-Length International Film" award at the 5th BIMIFF

Competition) and Roberta Sloan have incredible chemistry and sensitivity that touches our hearts and souls. What were the resources

of cast preparation and actor directing you used to achieve such a precise and emotional result for your film?

I had a chemistry read between Roberta Sloan (Mrs. Brooks) and five different Dylans during the casting process. Mason

had caught my attention since his first audition. I was cheering for him deep inside to have good chemistry with Roberta.

The story's main point is to make the audience fall in love with Mrs. Brooks and Dylan's friendship. I made sure to

communicate my ideas in pre-production when we had two table reads where we read the script, worked on specific

scenes that would demand more time on set, and watched movies I had gathered as references. I studied a lot about

Alzheimer's to explain and help them understand the character's journey. Mrs. Brooks has an emotional and physical

journey when losing her memory, and Dylan when dealing with a loss and maturing at such a young age. We rehearsed the

montage choreography scene yet completely improvised when filming because they had so much fun and chemistry

dancing to different songs. Roberta and Mason got familiar with each other. On set, I talked through things and listened to

them before a scene started, gave notes afterwards, and always ensured everyone was having a good time on set.


Besides being a director and screenwriter, you are also

the producer of your film and many other projects, such

as VOICELESS, TURNING THE TABLE, and HEADWAY.

What is the difficulty of participating in such an active

way in American productions, where the big cinema

industry speaks louder?

The making of "Piece of Me"

The film industry can be notoriously difficult to

start working in and very competitive. Being part of

an underrepresented community can make things

more complicated. Still, it's essential to learn how to

make the best of it. Filmmakers need to be creative

and persistent to make things happen. We usually

wear many hats at the same time. It's essential to

have passion for the project, commitment, network

with all kinds of people, and coordinate all the

actions needed during all production stages. Make

sure you work on projects you believe in and have a

good chance of success.

The United States is known worldwide for being the "land of opportunity", and with this position comes greater competition,

especially being a foreigner in an area as challenging as Cinema. If you have filmed in Brazil, can you make a comparison between

Brazilian and American filmmaking modes?

I don’t know the answer as I only ever worked in law when I lived in Brazil. I’ve never worked on Brazilian productions but

can’t wait to co-produce there one day.

In your statement about the film, you mention your desire to talk

about Alzheimer's disease because of your family experiences,

specifically with your late grandfather and aunt. It is great to see how

you transcended your grief and pain through Art. Can you tell us how

the process of creating and producing this touching narrative went?

That's true. Alzheimer's disease is a subject that hits close to

home as my beloved grandfather succumbed to it while my aunt

is currently suffering from this degenerative condition. Its

complex nature adversely inflicts emotional distress on loved

ones mainly because they are commonly incognizant of the

proper ways of coping with it. I didn't want it to be a sad and

heavy movie. I talked to my family & friends who have

experienced the disease with their loved ones and how

impactful it was in their lives. So, by telling this story through

the eyes of an innocent child, I can shed light on its

repercussions from a positive perspective and heartwarming

approach by emphasizing the powerful message that love is

unconditional and will always triumph over life's adversities.



The idea of using a jigsaw puzzle is a very clever resource to symbolize what goes through the head of those who suffer from

Alzheimer's disease. This tool is present throughout the film, from its title to the end credits. How did you put forward this brilliant

image and narrative concept for PIECE OF ME's construction?

The idea for the puzzle came for several reasons. I've always been a puzzle fan since I was little. Doing puzzles brings

benefits to your brain, like improving memory and brain function, including in those who have Alzheimer’s and

dementia. I needed an element to connect Dylan and Mrs. Brooks and symbolize their friendship. That's where the idea

of the puzzle came from. The puzzle was also perfect for showing the passage of time and demonstrating the progression

of the disease. The puzzle is its own character in the movie. It represents their friendship that will always be

remembered, no matter what. Our brain is also made up of different pieces, and these pieces are our memories, so the

puzzle is a caring metaphor for Alzheimer’s. Dylan is a piece in Mrs. Brooks's puzzle of life and vice-versa.

The film's reflections can serve as inspiration and analysis for all generations, from the youngest to the oldest. Because of this,

PIECE OF ME has deservedly won several awards at festivals in the world, including here at BIMIFF. But, besides the awards, how is

the film's reception by the critics and the public during its screenings?

Piece of Me has been an official selection in 33 Film Festivals worldwide in 15 different countries and has won 12 awards.

It has been so wonderful to see that critics and the public alike have all been moved by the film alike; I have heard from

so many people in the industry, friends, family, and acquaintances that it has brought them to tears and made them

really think about Alzheimer’s and the people it affects. This response is all I could ever ask for, and I will be forever

thankful. I’ll add some of my favorite reviews here, as well.

“Piece of Me is an excellent short film that offers an excellent inside look at one of the most heartbreaking diseases. It

showcases the effects of Alzheimer's on those affected from many angles. In just twenty minutes, tears are guaranteed! I

love that the story shows many perspectives on Alzheimer's Disease. From loved ones to those actually affected. The

camera work is excellent. One shot I especially love is where they are doing a puzzle and the pieces outline the frame.

The costumes and sets are very simple and suit the story. The music is well written and helps create a warm tone for the

film. The two leading actors are excellent. They perfectly capture their respective character's emotions. My favorite part

is the ending! It is personal and well-executed. The message of this film is about the importance of caring for your loved

ones and appreciating the time you have with them. I give Piece of Me 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to ages 12 to 18,

plus adults. I felt it very personally as dementia runs in my family and, whether you are familiar with the disease or not,

you will feel an emotional connection.” - Reviewed by Erin M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.

“Piece of Me is a story of a beautiful story of friendship. The age gap is never an issue when it comes to friendship. This is

what this short film has shown. However, when the old lady felt the signs of her age, things have become difficult for her.

It is just a good thing that her little boy's best friend is there to remind her of their friendship and the beauty of life. The

concept is heartwarming is simply so cute! All the characters are so lovable! The story will pierce right through your

heart. It is touching and beautiful. This film is perfect for acting, pace, storyline, plot, and musical score. I have fallen in

love with this short film. Kudos to Director Bruna Cabral.” - Reviewed by Utah Film Festival and Awards

Piece Of Me: An Accurate, Heartfelt Portrayal Of Alzheimer’s https://www.indieshortsmag.com/reviews/2021/03/pieceof-me-an-accurate-heartfelt-portrayal-of-alzheimers/

Finding Beauty in What Remains: ‘Piece of Me’ Sheds Light on Alzheimer’s Disease

https://livinglifefearless.co/2020/features/finding-beauty-in-what-remains-piece-of-me-she ds-light-on-alzheimersdisease/

‘Piece of Me’: An Informative Short Too Pure for This World https://inmyopinionflicks.com/piece-of-me-an-informativeshort-too-pure-for-this-world/

Why Piece of me is a must-see film https://tyliaflores.com/why-peace-of-me-is-a-must-see-film/

Direct, accessible, sublimely innocent, undeniably charming, yet acutely purposeful in its core message that should

more than raise further and necessary awareness to a heartbreakingly debilitating disease http://onefilmfan.com/shortfilm-review-piece-of-me/


PIECE OF ME was your début both as a director and screenwriter. But we know of your great activity as a producer, with several

projects already completed. Can you tell us more about these future projects? And among them, can we expect new films in which

you will direct and/or write the screenplay?

I have projects in post-production that I can’t wait to share with the world, and I am always preparing for the next

project. There are always ideas running through my mind, so it’s a matter of sorting through them and figuring out what

I want to see materialized. I currently have a short-film script about epilepsy that I wrote that I would like to turn into a

feature film and direct, and I am also in the middle of writing a romantic comedy - my favorite movie genre. The brain of

a creative can be a wild ride sometimes.


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R E V I E W 66

WAKING UP

TO LIFE


REVIEW

B I M I F F

R E V I E W 67

UNCONSCIOUS

A FILM BY CHRISTOS ARFANIS


"Unconscious" film scene

WAKING UP TO LIFE

In a coma, a person's consciousness gets damaged; one

shows little or no reaction to stimuli, not being able to

open one's eyes, speak words, or obey simple commands.

The unconsciousness gets generated by an injury in the

brain, which causes the death or deactivation of a group of

neurons, shutting down or seriously affecting

consciousness. The more severe the wound, the deeper the

state of unconsciousness tends to be. This state of

unconsciousness was first mentioned in Homer's "Iliad"

and "Odyssey" in the 8th century BC. For neurology, on

the contrary, consciousness is the ability to be alert and

interact with the environment and people, having total

control of the cognitive functions: reasoning, memory,

judgment, and speech.

A bell rings, the wake-up message repeats time after time,

and we see a religious element: an image of a Catholic saint

with open arms. The man goes to the door and receives

several notes, and in one of them is written the whole

situation that he is in. Only then do we understand that the

man has been in a coma for almost 20 years. In this message,

he learns about an experiment and receives a request: to

fight against this state and wake up.

It is very creative and compelling how Christos Arfanis deals

with a subject so discussed in medicine on how we can work

on the coma patient during this awakening. To the loved

ones of those in this state, incentive with reading, films, and

especially motivational "dialogue" is much indicated.

Despite having less than 3 minutes of length, "Unconscious"

brings in its editing a message of hope for those who find

themselves in this state of "incommunicability".

About the director: Christos Arfanis is a young 26-year-old

Greek filmmaker. He works as a film producer, screenwriter,

and film director. Christos also writes as a journalist for

entertainment and music production news.

With this theme that Christos Arfanis (writer, director,

and producer) works in his experimental short film

"Unconscious". He introduces us to a house in a nighttime

close-up and approaches the entrance door of this house

as if it were an invitation to enter its history. The scenes

play out as if on a slide projector. It is a call that passes

through the living room, down the stairs, and takes us to

the lower floor of this house. We come across a man

watching a Looney Tunes animation from the 1930s with

the character Bosko, created by animators Hugh Harman

and Rudolf Ising, who were employees of Disney in 1927.

In the interruption of this animation, we get a wake-up

message. It is an imperative and repetitive message. The

character Bosko is asleep, and so is the protagonist.

"Unconscious" film scene

BIRD BOY

A F I L M B Y D I O G O L E I T E

G I L D A S

B I M I F F M A I N A R T I C L E 69

GILDAS

AN OUTLOOK ON THE CAREER OF BRAZILIAN INDEPENDENT CINEMA

MUSE, GILDA NOMACCE.

BY VIC KINGS

GILDAS

Photo montage by João Marcos de Almeida

B I M I F F G I L D A S

70

G I L D A S

AN OUTLOOK ON THE CAREER OF BRAZILIAN INDEPENDENT CINEMA MUSE, GILDA NOMACCE.

BY VIC KINGS

Few renowned actors remain part of other artists' first steps, and this is the case with Gilda Nomacce. The actress from

São Paulo, born in the small town of Ituverava, about 400 km from the capital, had, since her childhood, a passion for the

Art of creating and playing characters flourished in her very self. Regarding her initiation in the art of acting, Gilda says

that "it was more like realizing that I had this desire than having this desire awakened. I don't remember the first time I

wanted to be an actress, but I always had this desire. People remember when I was very young and already wanted to be

there, on television”. The actress recalls that "at the age of 12 I did my first school play, and after that moment, several

coincidences happened in my life, confirming this path of being an actress as something natural. When asked if her

children gave her any trouble, my mother used to say that 'as the trees grow, they grew'. So my desire to act started

naturally as if this seed already existed, and for me, everything works that way until today".

"Os Sentimentos Vastos Não Têm Nome" film scene

As a teenager, Nomacce decided to migrate from the countryside to the major urban centers, first in São Paulo, then to

Rio de Janeiro. However, at that moment, she was unable to achieve her career goals. Gilda, coincidentally or not

homonym of the title character that made iconic actress Rita Hayworth famous, decided to immigrate to foreign

countries. During her time abroad, the artist studied in London at the City Lit School of Art. Years later, throughout her

career, she held Artist Residencies at The Watermill Center in New York with Patrícia Aguille, and at the Oleg Tabakov

Theater in Moscow (Russia) with renowned director Ruy Cortez.

Back in Brazil a few years later, at the age of 26, the actress received her formal degree. As a disciple of the unforgettable

master Antunes Filho, Gilda joined the Centro de Pesquisa Teatral (CPT), acting and studying alongside great names

such as the incredible Donizete Mazonas.


71

With a degree in Scenic Arts from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) and member of the CPT from 1998 to 2002,

the actor, dancer and director say that "I consider this period as a second education, a technical improvement. If the

university gave me a general vision about the art of acting, CPT was a space for artistic improvement and deepening,

where Antunes was for us, without a doubt, a true master".

"At the time Gilda and I were there,

Antunes was developing his Prêt-à-Porter

project, where the actors created scenes in

duos and presented them to him and the

others", the actor says. "We had to do one

performance a week, always changing

partners. I had the pleasure of seeing

many performances of Gilda and vice

versa. We spent the whole week working

on the process, staying up at dawn,

discussing all the points of view of the

narrative, and trying to understand indepth

each of the characters, and their

relationships, it was always an endless

search for the 'ideal scene'. Because of

this, we were never satisfied, and it was

always an overwhelming experience to

show Antunes and listen to what he had to

say. It was always unpredictable".

"I am immensely grateful for spending

years with Antunes, being educated by

him. The tools that I have for Cinema, I

learned with him, doing exercises,

listening, seeing, understanding the

difference between sensibility and

expression", Nomacce recalls.

While she was engaged in her studies and

acting exercises, Gilda got her first role on

the big screens of the 7th Art.

The director João Marcos de Almeida

At that moment, in the mid-2000s, a great

partnership was sealed between those

young artists. With the short film "A

Stem", directed by the exceptional

directors Juliana Rojas and Marco Dutra,

the actress not only marked her

cinematographic debut, but also won a

big international award for "Filmes do

Caixote", a film collective formed by

Dutra, Rojas, Caetano Gotardo, Sérgio

Silva and João Marcos de Almeida.

"During the film, both Gilda and I were

making our debut on a professional

movie set. When I met her, we connected

right away and created a life and career

partnership that lasts until today, in

more than 40 films together and a strong

and affectionate friendship", João

Marcos de Almeida recalls. Besides being

a filmmaker, he is also an art director,

costume designer, and editor, and has

won several national and international

awards. "As soon as we met Gilda,

everyone fell madly in love with the

woman and the actress. For each role

offered, there was always a creative

impulse, seemingly inexhaustible, always

with a lot of enthusiasm and talent",

Almeida says.

"We Are All in the Gutter, But Some of Us Are Looking at the Stars" film scene


72

"At the time I was doing a play called 'What Were You When You Were a Child?', the first play staged by the Companhia da Mentira and

written by Lourenço Mutarelli. And Caetano Gotardo saw me in this play and invited all the Cinema folks to watch us", Nomacce

explains. "From that point, Marco and Juliana invited me. They said that they had written a small character for me, and at that point, I

already imagined that it would be my successful entrance into cinema, and it was, even though I was only in a single scene”.

"João Marcos is the only one who can beat me in the number of films selected in a single festival, we always joke about it and he always

wins, because he is a filmmaker, screenwriter, art director, costume designer, finalizer, poster designer, and it is remarkable that he is

amazing in all these different roles”, says Nomacce.

The actress also reveals that "When I arrived for the shoot, Sérgio

Silva received me, already feeling all the excitement to start filming,

and it was from that point on that our friendship and partnership

began. They all: João Marcos, Sérgio, Marco, Juliana, Caetano,

became my friends and siblings". The actress also reveals that

"When I arrived for the shoot, Sérgio Silva received me, already

feeling all the excitement to start filming, and it was from that point

on that our friendship and partnership began. They all: João

Marcos, Sérgio, Marco, Juliana, Caetano, became my friends and

siblings".

Photo by Leo Lara

"Filmes do Caixote" crew

"Meeting her and getting closer to her method of creation was one

of the greatest artistic impacts in my life", says the filmmaker,

screenwriter, and researcher Sergio Silva. "She arrived on the set

with a suitcase of clothes with costume options - years later, when

we shot 'Fever', I was able to repeat this image in the film's opening

shot. Beyond these outer layers of the characters - and Gilda is an

actress who works beautifully under great characterization - her

acting often reveals on the scene what the person is hiding".

"MINHA ÚNICA TERRA É NA LUA" film scene

The director Sergio Silva

Gilda even played Sergio himself in the film "My Only Earth Is in

the Moon", which earned the actress the 'Best Performance' award

at the Mix Brasil Festival 2017. "The short film was written and shot

in less than 24 hours, following an invitation from Rui Poças (whom

I was a big fan of) to make a film on a pause from the feature we

were shooting", says Silva. "When I understood that I wanted to film

someone playing me, Gilda immediately imposed herself as the

ideal person for that role. We had been friends for a decade, and the

film compresses, in twenty minutes, this complicity and knowledge

we share. I am so happy with her performance; I could understand

many things about myself and the construction of characters from

this experience”.

João and Sergio's cinematographic journey in partnership with

Gilda Nomacce will soon have new chapters. "I have a film I

directed solo that is being concluded, called 'Obsolescence', a short

film in 3D, which should be ready by next year. I also have a feature

film project, of course with a role written especially for her. And I

also keep working with her in other roles, for example, I just did the

costumes for the opera 'The Seven Deadly Sins' that had her as a

part of it, I am also in about 5 other projects between theater, shorts

and feature films that we will be together on the set", reveals

Almeida, who alongside Silva co-directed the award-winning "We

Are All in the Gutter, But Some of Us Are Looking at the Stars". "At

the moment I am developing the script for my first feature film,

starring Gilda. Besides, in these 15 years of friendship, there are

many ideas in my drawers and many films that existed only in my

imagination. I always want to film with her. Long live Gilda, my

locomotive of drama", Silva announces.


73

The début of this partnership between Nomacce and Filmes do Caixote, the short film "A Stern", by the São Paulo duo

Dutra & Rojas, won the Kodak Revelation Award at the Semaine de la Critique, in Cannes, and showed to the world the

power of independent Brazilian cinema. Years later, Gilda and the Filmes do Caixote production company returned to

the competition at the Un Certain Regard competition, this time with Marco and Juliana's first feature film: "Hard Labor",

which marked its premiere in France. Starred by the brilliant actors Helena Albergaria and Marat Descartes, the

dramatic narrative with strong social criticism earned Gilda Nomacce the "Candango Award for Best Supporting Actress"

at the Brasília Film Festival for her role in the feature film.

However, those who think that Gilda, after this enormous success, left the sets of independent films and with young

filmmakers, are very wrong. While Nomacce was working on movies produced by great directors, like Helena Ignez,

Chico Teixeira (in memoriam), Laís Bodanzky, Gabriel Abrantes, Marina Person, Hector Babenco (in memoriam), among

others, the actress has become a regular presence in short and medium-length films produced in film schools, debuting

and projecting promising college artists to the world.

This is the case of Davi Mello, a filmmaker from São Paulo who has won

many awards in festivals in Brazil and abroad for his instigating and

deep work. The collaboration between them began back in 2013, while

Mello was studying: the short film "Grilada", in which Nomacce stars

alongside Laerte Késsimos.

"I met Gilda while still in college, I liked her short films, and we started

talking through social networks. I always showed my interest in working

with her, and Gilda was very receptive about it", Davi tells us. "I gave the

script to her and Laerte Késsimos, and the next day we filmed. It rained a

lot on the day of shooting and this caused some of the production design

work to be delayed. At that time, I think for half an hour, I sat with Gilda

and Laerte in the campus café and we talked about experiences with

death, specifically about relatives who have passed away - it was the

most natural and spontaneous way to get to the emotion I wanted".

"It was the first time the team worked with professional actors and it was

an incredible experience, I remember that day very fondly", reveals the

filmmaker. "Gilda and Laerte already knew each other, so that

contributed a lot to the emotions on set. I remember it was quite

impressive to see Gilda change her tone so quickly, going from laughing

to crying, in one long shot right near the climax. We reshot this scene

about three or four times, and each time Gilda was able to cry, shedding

tears effortlessly, all very true. In a brief intermission, Gilda mentioned

Majeca Angelucci, 'You should call her for some film. She's great and very

much a friend of mine!' Not coincidentally, in 2014, when I filmed my

Final Project ('On Board', released in 2015), I invited Majeca to be one of

the characters, a partnership that later remained in 'The Travelers'

(2019)".

"Davi also called me to be the protagonist of his Final Project, but

unfortunately we couldn't work together at that time. For me, it was

terrible not being able to film with this friend whom I admire so much,

and I felt I had almost like a 'debt' to him", says the actress.

The director Davi Mello


74

"The Travelers" film scene

"I like to say that it is easy to direct Gilda, even more so after you get to know her because she is so serene, so sincere, and so

creative that the whole process becomes passionate, a true apprenticeship", Mello tells us. "It doesn't seem like an actressdirector

relationship, it's a very joint creation, she brings situations and gestures that make a lot of difference in the scenes.

Gilda also listens a lot to what we have to say, she gives herself to it, she lives the character”.

After he graduated from the University,

Davi filmed “The Travelers”, along with

the talented Gilda Nomacce and Majeca

Angelucci, a short film that won several

awards. "After the festival run of ‘On

Board’, I ended up studying again and

stayed away from the sets for a long

time, almost five years", the filmmaker

says. "During this hiatus, I tried one or

another public contest with projects that

were not contemplated, and I think that

it was the best thing today because they

were not very mature ideas, I think they

followed certain tendencies that I saw in

films and that perhaps were far from the

style that I have been discovering little

by little".

"I had dissertated on my master's degree,

so I was psychologically more prepared

and ready (laughs), and the script (of

'The Travelers’) came about naturally in

one night", the director reports. "I also

had this desire to bring Gilda and

Majeca together in a film. In this script, I

was already aware that I was going to get

both of them to play the roles. As we

talked about it,

I noticed that it was a film that

required a lot of care, so I put my

anxiety aside and did it in a reasonable

amount of time. Between the script and

the film shooting, I believe it took us

about 35 days. A film made among

friends, basically the same crew as in

the previous college projects, getting

together again after more than four

years; obviously, it was an enjoyable

process!".

"Even when I was away from the film

sets", Mello tells, "I had kept contact

with Gilda and Majeca, so we already

had a certain intimacy; also, they have

been friends for a long time, they had

already acted together in movies and

the theater. The idea for this film was

precisely to use this friendship

between the two: in 'The Travelers',

they ARE Gilda and Majeca, acting

under their real names. The fun part

was to insert an element of the absurd

into this beautiful relationship that

they have, the fiction being introduced

little by little into this coexistence".

"Descompasso" film scene


75

"At the time, I was amid many other film shoots, my mother

was very ill, and although it was a very busy time, it was an

incredible experience to film again with Davi and Majeca

Angelucci; she is wonderful", Nomacce says. "The film traveled

a lot, the two actresses won awards at festivals, and this only

fueled my desire to continue working with them", Mello

reveals. "Now and then we talk about future projects. Many

people have been asking for a feature-length version of ‘The

Travelers’, and they both ask me a lot about it too (laughs). I

still don't know what our next films will be, but this

partnership will certainly continue", Mello concludes.

Besides Davi, another college filmmaker has won national

and international laurels together with Nomacce. Jasmin

Tenucci, who graduated in Cinema from the University of São

Paulo (USP), has as her most recent work the film "August

Sky", winner of the Special Mention of the Jury at the Cannes

Festival. But it was with the sensational "Descompasso" that

she began her career in the 7th Art. In this début, Gilda

played her first protagonist in Cinema: Lucia, marking the

debut of both in a way. In the last few years, Jasmin has been

building a career full of excellent works; besides cinema, she

has directed and written for series and is now preparing to

produce her first feature film.

Debuted by the actress, Almeida, Silva, Mello, Tenucci

and other filmmakers have in common this successful

partnership with Nomacce, but among them, one stands

out historically. The actress, director, and screenwriter

from São Paulo Julia Katharine became, with her film

"Tea For Two", the first transgender filmmaker to conquer

space in the commercial cinema circuit.

The medium-length film of great sensitivity and poetry,

starring herself and Gilda, marked Katharine's directorial

debut. "I love writing stories about encounters and

mismatches, about relationships, and always involving

actors and audiovisual artists. It is a universe that

fascinates me and that I like to research", Julia explains.

"Gilda and I met through Gustavo Vinagre, who brought

us together to star in the short film 'Disaster Film'. We

immediately connected, and from then on we became

friends, and I wanted to work with her again. Gilda is a

dream actress for any screenwriter, filmmaker, and fellow

actors as well, she is one of those people who light up a

set with her generosity, professionalism, and joy. To

direct and act with her is to learn about the craft of being

an actress, and also to be with a friend doing what we love

most. It's just fun!".

"When I was invited, the casting producer Alice Wolfenson

took Jasmin to watch 'Soslaio', written by Priscila Gontijo, the

second play by Companhia da Mentira", Gilda says. "The

script was all about Jasmin's mother. We had a deep

relationship already before the filming, as Jasmin prepared

me. She also entrusted me with the handkerchief of her

mother. It was very emotional for me to access these

memories with her, memories with my mother as well, and

references from Gena Rowlands in 'A Woman Under

Influence' for the character development".

"I met Jasmin when she was still in college, and today seeing

her out in the world, being awarded at Cannes, I feel a bit like

a 'mother' to her, and many other people as well. Like Caetano

Gotardo too, who recently gave a masterclass in Paris, at the

Cinemathèque Française, as an expert. I feel immensely

proud to have accompanied such incredible people and

careers from the very beginning", the actress remarks. Gilda

indeed has this brilliant star inside her. She manages to travel

to all corners of the country and of the world through her

characters, together with great Brazilian talents.

The director Julia Katharine


76

The award-winning filmmaker Diogo Leite directed Gilda

in the short films "Bird Boy" and "Você Tem Olhos

Tristes". He says that "I have known Gilda since 1998, I

used to do study theater and she was still at CPT/Sesc in

the production of 'Fragmentos Troianos'. I always wanted

to work with her. In 2017 I was working at Avoa Filmes, a

production company owned by Max Eluard and Manoela

Ziggiatti, and they were going to produce a film by Julia

Katharine, there was a casting meeting at the production

company and Gilda was at that reunion. We met again

there. Months later, I was in pre-production on my film

and I invited Gilda to prepare the actors, and she ended

up participating in the film”.

"Tea For Two" film scene

The connection between the two women overflows onto

the screen, and has guaranteed the film several awards. "I

was very impressed with Julia already on the first day on

set, that she had never directed before, but already did so

well, knowing everything she wanted, expressing herself

very well, and commanding the whole film from within. I

think Julia is as wonderful a screenwriter and filmmaker

as she is an actress. Her performances move me a lot, her

looks always move me", Gilda reports.

"I met Diogo a long time ago, and it was a special reunion.

Now I have done all his films, and for me, it is a huge

honor, because he is a sensitive and talented director and

screenwriter", Nomacce says.

The duo, however, doesn't stop there; after the huge

success of Katharine's début, Gilda will star in a new work

by the filmmaker. "We have many projects together, and

we are already filming a feature movie, that still doesn't

have a release date, but it's already moving along. I can

say without a doubt that if it depends on me, I want Gilda

in all of my films. She is my biggest inspiration and

motivator", Julia reveals.

However, this will not be the only Nomacce's leading role

that will soon be in the movie theaters. The actress will be

the protagonist in some upcoming projects, among them

is the film "Monstro" by Diogo Leite. "Playing a

protagonist, in a way, makes everything converge on you:

the lights, the dramaturgy, the narrative. Everything is

looking at you", Gilda reports. "So the challenge is to have

a lot of vital energy, to be well and willing physically and

emotionally, and to manage strong and intense

workloads. That is why I always try to be well prepared

and studied, so that everyone can work together to make

the film, especially with the little daily time we have,

including in feature films and bigger budget

productions”.

The director Diogo Leite


77

The short film "Bird Boy" earned Diogo the awards for "Best

Director" at the Gramado Film Festival and the Guarnicê Film

Festival. "(The project) was conceived from a real story, but

unlike from a Negro perspective, I wanted to make the film

from the point of view of a white woman, Clarisse, the

character who is apathetic about a real problem. She can't deal

with a situation and doesn't even make an effort to do so", the

director says. "After the production of 'BB', I did some research

based on the book 'Ralé Brasileira', by Jessé Souza. At the time

of its release, there wasn't such an abundance of delivery apps,

I went deeper into the research, and even in the film ('Você

Tem Olhos Tristes') there are real scenes that happened with

delivery drivers that I talked to. In both films, much more than

talking about racism, I wanted to talk about whiteness and the

responsibility it has for racism. Racism is a white problem,

black people suffer the consequence of racism". After the great

success of this partnership, the actress will star in Leite's next

film, "(Gilda) is in my first feature film called 'Monstro' that we

will shoot in August", reveals the director.

The producer Tati Leite

Another project starring Nomacce has been gaining

international recognition. The short film "Romance" -

directed by actress, screenwriter, and now filmmaker Karine

Teles, and co-produced by Bubbles Project and Filmes de

Plástico - is gaining more and more space in film festivals,

after its premiere in the Festival do Rio 2021. Gilda embodies

the dazzling and visceral Juliana, who in Teles' intense

narrative makes deep and poetic snippets about sexuality,

desire, love, and especially freedom. "The inspiration for the

character was Karine herself, for thinking of Juliana as a

powerful woman", reports the actress. "It was my first film

shoot in Rio de Janeiro, and it was incredible to act with

wonderful actors, and be directed by an actress I admire a

lot".

“Thiago Macêdo Correia (from Filmes de Plástico) and I

invited Karine Teles to do a short film project. She pitched us

the script for 'Romance', and since its conception, she

already had Gilda Nomacce in mind as the protagonist", says

the producer Tati Leite, from Bubbles Project. "I sense that

the film raises some polemics, and I have the feeling that

some people are uncomfortable with Juliana's freedom.

Romance has a divided reception on the theme, where

several people embark on the story, engaged and instigated

by the universe of the character, while others reflect the

ideas present in our society, which carries many

troublesome matters of patriarchy. Changing this requires a

lot because there is still a lot of resistance”.

"Romance" has beautiful long takes, and intense dynamics

between the actors, and Gilda's protagonist stands out as the

“Tigress” that illustrates Caetano Veloso's verses, staring at

the screen with her cruelly seductive and hypnotic gaze, in

fact, being (much more) powerful than the lion.

“Karine, Tati, and Thiago Macêdo gave me the joy of filming

for the first time in Rio. They are incredible people and

professionals", says Nomacce. "Tati is passionate about

cinema. She does projects that are challenging and ventures,

and I realize that she works with a lot of affection and

chooses projects that she has an affinity with people and

themes, so I hope she keeps calling me. I hope that filming in

Rio de Janeiro becomes more common for me".

"Romance" film scene

Tati tells us about the next partnership between Bubbles

Project and the actress. "Now in early May/2022 we finish the

shooting of the feature film 'A Herança' (directed by João

Cândido Zacharias), which is our first 'genre film', and Gilda

plays a crucial role in the narrative; she is the soul of this

film. I hope that 'A Herança' and 'Romance' will be the first of

many films with her because I believe Gilda is one of the

great actresses of Contemporary Brazilian Cinema",

concludes Leite.


78

As we could notice, Nomacce is always present at the most famous film festivals in Brazil and the world. Among her latest works

featured on the red carpet, we can highlight the feature films "Memory House" (Cannes, 2020), "All the Dead Ones" (Berlinale,

2020), "My Name Is Baghdad" (Berlinale, 2020), and most recently "Three Tidy Tigers Tied a Tie Tighter", winner of the Teddy

Award at the Berlinale 2022.

The director Gustavo Vinagre

"In the film, I wanted to combine everything I loved in one

film - of course, some things were left out. I was able to have

in the same film Gilda Nomacce, Majeca Angelucci, and Julia

Katharine, the three actresses from 'Disaster Film,' among so

many other passions like Cida Moreira, Nash Laila, Carlos

Escher. Gilda is wonderful as Dita, a concierge with a lack of

memory. She makes the audience laugh because she knows

how to take her characters to unthinkable places. She is so

generous and passionate about what she does, besides being a

fantastic actress indeed - a genius!", says Gustavo Vinagre, the

brilliant director of "Three Tidy Tigers Tied a Tie Tighter" and

winner of the "Best LGBTQIA+ Film" award at the largest film

festival of Germany.

"I feel that the time is coming to make a film that Gustavo

invited me to make long ago. I was afraid of accessing this

particular role because the film is about a mother who dies.

In Gustavo's cinema, fiction and statements intertwine. And

now, more than a year after my mother's death, I am rooting

for this project to happen, especially to revisit these

memories with her, before they become less clear, blurred in

time. Working with Gustavo is a total emotional stripping

down", reveals Gilda Nomacce.

"(The film) came basically from the genesis of the three main

characters, three teenagers who wander the streets of São

Paulo. From then, we had several versions of the script, quite

different from each other", reports Vinagre.

"We were supposed to shoot in March 2020, and with the

pandemic, we were only able to film in July 2021. With the

impact that our budget was affected by the safety protocols,

once again I needed to rewrite the film, and embrace the

pandemic in the narrative", says the filmmaker.

"Three Tidy Tigers Tied a Tie Tighter" film scene

The Teddy Award-winning feature film represents

internationally the issues and problems that have been

occurring in Brazil at this historically alarming time. "Being in

Berlin, in person, reoccupying the cinemas - although with

50% of the audience - was a unique feeling of coming back to

life, an immense privilege and also an award for all the hard

work of a wonderful team of professionals who were involved

with the film. After 2 years of the pandemic and with the 2021

edition of the festival being entirely online, I had the feeling I

was seeing a light at the end of the tunnel - in the sense of

getting back to social life, without forgetting that we still need

to think and talk about the impact of these two years of

isolation, the grieving families, the pandemic orphans, and

also the disaster it caused in the cultural sphere", the director

states.

"The award - like every award - is the result of the personal

taste of a group of people, and the gathering of those specific

people in that particular group. But it is inevitable to be happy

to see that the film impacts people. That the audience laughs,

gets emotional, and wants to discuss it. The award is the icing

on the cake. About the LGBTQIA+ issue and the current

government, I talked about it a lot in my speech at Teddy's

award ceremony, but as one cannot say enough: we have a

criminal president and a criminal gang in power. We need to

change things urgently", Gustavo concludes.

"I am extremely proud and very lucky to be in so many films

that are selected and awarded in these festivals. However, at

the same time, these same projects are shown in the movie

theaters for such a short time here in Brazil. This lack of

audience formation for Brazilian Cinema, even with

incredible works, these productions remain in a place of

limited access by the Brazilian public's lack of habit of valuing

and understanding the cinema that we have", Nomacce

comments.


79

Despite being an actress of undeniable talent, Gilda has also shown herself to possess a splendid and moving poetic prose

through the script of the film "Os Sentimentos Vastos Não Tem Nome", which she directs alongside Donizete Mazonas. Produced

by "Tatau Filmes" film company, owned by Nomacce and Mazonas, the artists deliver in their text and the project professional

and personal experiences thrillingly and overwhelmingly.

"Gilda's initial idea already brought practically the basis of the act, which was the process of creating a scene by an actress to be

presented to her director. And the chaos of this process would be the substance of the play, where reality, dream, and fantasy

would connect the narrative", Mazonas reports. "Gilda was going through a very difficult moment in her life, because her

mother, still alive at the beginning of the process, was very ill, and she understood that this was also what the story was about.

So together we started to create the plot, where our artistic experience at CPT, our own experience with loss, and consequently

with the moment we live in where more than 600,000 lives were lost. The connection with Gilda's mother's loss in the process,

the loss of our master Antunes - who passed away before Pandemic - and all the deaths we were suffering in Brazil, became the

raw material for the play".

"Just like in a creation at CPT, Gilda and I directed, wrote, and acted in the play, because everything there concerns our history,

not only as artists and citizens but mainly as beings who go through haunted a painful period in history and their personal

lives", the actor reveals.

"Donizete Mazonas is one of the greatest artists I have ever met. He has the incredible ability to be absolutely practical with

sensitive affairs, dealing with the most necessary and important matters", the actress tells us. "Doni and I have this strong

improvisational place together; we spent days and days talking and writing down ideas. I believe that this play is a declaration of

love that Doni and I made to our master Antunes Filho and our mothers, and that it strengthens, even more, our ties as friends

and work partners", Nomacce concludes. The actress' mother, Mrs. Tatau, is an integral part of who Gilda has become over the

years, and is today, an icon of independent Brazilian cinema.

With a brilliant career that grows more and more in the number

of projects - going through cinema, theater, and TV series - the

actress has been working with the aforementioned filmmakers

and countless other fantastic creators. Such as Lucas Sá, Rafael

Lessa, Cintía Domit Bittar, Alexandre Dalfarra, Flora Dias, Diego

Mauro, Germano Melo, Rafael Primot, Caru Alves de Souza,

Sabrina Greve, Dainara Toffoli, Daniel Manzini, Ricardo Alves Jr.

Talking about Gilda Nomacce is almost like talking about Cinema

itself. Not only due to her enormous amount of films and roles,

performed with mastery and total dedication in which she gives

herself completely. To talk about her is to talk about the 7th Art,

for both touching and entering the heart in unique ways, in which

she can generate laughter, tears, anxiety... Cathartic experiences.

In this same way, Gilda Nomacce is transcendental, living

personas so intricate, so vivid, and real that they make the

cinematographic journey an immersion in narrative universes

that go far beyond artistic techniques. The artist carries within

her the sensibility of immortal works and personas, not only

because she reads them in scripts and plays them in front of

cameras, but most of all for "being" these characters without

losing her brilliance, personality, humanity, and poetry. She goes

far beyond the 24 frames per second and reaches the hearts,

minds, and souls of those who have the honor of knowing her as

someone much more gigantic than the muse who, along with

exceptional artists, has been in recent years writing the next lines

of the History of Brazilian Cinema, and, perhaps, World Cinema.

The actor Donizete Mazonas

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