Describe the Brazil Film Festival in 5 words?
Andre: Sensual, Exquisite, Passionate, Festive, BRAZIL!
Ana: Soulful, Independent, Open-minded, Contemporary, Diverse.
What is your role?
Ana: I am the Festival Manager in Brisbane and Social Sustainability coordinator nationally. Here in Brisbane I do a bit of everything from coordinating with the venues and suppliers to going to the local businesses to drop off marketing material. There is a great deal of multitasking.
What makes Brazilian film different to other countries?
Andre: Each country's cinema reflects its dreams, its values, its pains and its ambitions. Brazil's cinema is no different. For a while the Brazilian film industry concentrated on depicting the urban violence that afflicts the country. Now the industry is diversifying and portraying other aspects of Brazilian society. On this Festival's edition we have two films from Brazil's gaucho south, the drama 'Less than Nothing' and the road movie 'Last Road to the Beach'. We also have a beautiful documentary on the Amazon rainforest, 'Amazonia Eterna'. This also reflects Brazilians' growing concern with protecting the natural endowment of their country.
Ana: The complexity of the Brazilian society reflects on its cinematography. Further of being a country of continental proportions and the fifth most populated in the world, Brazil is a truly multicultural society — we have the largest Japanese colony outside Japan, the Italians and the Jewish communities are substantial as well. Plus we have more Lebanese nationals living in Brazil than in Lebanon and we have the largest population of Afro-descendants outside of Africa. There are country towns in South Brazil where the population only speak German and we've had French invasions and Dutch invasions. In this developing country, scared by poverty, slavery and violence, there is a fusion of cultures of no precedents. We are so mixed that is impossible to tell where some traditions come from.
Any surprises tucked up your sleeve?
Ana: Of course, this will not only be a film festival but also a cultural experience and it is the chance to understand a bit of this complex country. We will have a discussion panel chaired by Mara Bun from Green Cross Australia with our goal to trace a parallel between Brazil and Australia and to show that in fact we face very similar issues regarding sustainable development and indigenous rights. We want people not only to watch a movie we want to make them think.
What makes a good film?
Andre: What makes a good wine? There are technical requirements, of course, but at the end of the day, a good wine is a wine you like. A good film is a film you like.
Ana: Soul
Who are some Brazilian filmmakers that we should keep our eyes on?
Andre: Brazil's top cinema brass include...
Walter Salles ('Motorcycle Diaries', 'On the Road', 'Central Station')
Fernando Meirelles ('City of God', 'Blindness', 'The Constant Gardener')
Hector Babenco ('Carandiru', 'At Play in the Fields of The Lord')
José Padilha ('Elite Squad I and II')
The Festival brings the best of the new crop, especially...
Afonso Poyart ('Two Rabbits')
Jose Henrique Fonseca ('Heleno')
Márcio de Lemos ('Imperfect Love')
Belisario Franca ('Amazônia Eterna')
Why should audiences come along rather than staying at home on their couch?
Ana: We will have it all from classical music to street-style carnival. We have a great selection of movies and good Brazilian movies are still really hard to access in Australia. If you miss one of our movies, it is very unlikely you will have the chance to rent it from your nearest video shop.
Anything else readers should know?
Ana: Brisbane has been taken over by commercial cinemas, when you go and watch one of our movies you are contributing to keep one of the few independent cinema theatres in Brisbane. Brazil Film Festival does not have the sponsorship and government support of the major international film festivals. Thanks to places like Schonell Theatre we can keep independent film festivals like this one alive.
The Brazil Film Festival Runs Feb 23 – March 3 At The Schonell Cinemas.
