Returning to a place of hope...

I got back from Rio on March 20th, and I am still reviewing the lessons that I learned there this time...

I went for just a few days, and I again I learned just as much about myself, as I did about the people in Brazil.

What did I learn?

I learned that the love that Brazilian's have for their children can not be measured.  I had two experiences that showed this to me, the first was watching a boxing match in one of the Favelas.  On hard concrete, by the entrance to the favela is an outdoor concrete theatre with stadium seating.  At first I thought it was just a place to wait for the vans that took people to and from work, or where people socialized and/or took a break before proceeding up the hill to their homes.  On this particular Sunday it was where a children's boxing match took place.  I passed and took pictures thinking that it was a short term event.  BUT NO!!!! As I returned to the favela, where I stay in a very special hostel, I saw that people were still there 6 hours later.  

My life experience of cultural events is not small both from the point of view of spectator and the POV of participator from drawing lessons at the local Art Museum in Houston Texas, to performing in an Opera as a dancer as a child, to five hour trips(s) to the Louvre, Chagall, Rodin, Dali, and other museums all over the world, to countless broadway shows in New York, and live music performances also all over the world.   But nothing prepared me for the enthusiasm, and dedication with which Brazilians prepare and experience their children's birthday parties.  I attended the birthday party of a three year old niece of the hostel owner where I stayed.  The party was one floor up from the hostel and I was able to observe parts of the all day decorating, and preparation.  After a full day shooting the hospitals, and post offices around town,  (more on this later), I went to take a nap, at which point I was woken up around 9pm with the thump of Baile Funk interspersed with Samba, and 80s rock.  I followed the music to find a DJ, and what seemed like a hundred kids of varying ages.  First of all, I am familiar with the all ages partying together tradition of large families; I am from one.  But the plethora of wall decorations, and games and inter-active music games that were at this birthday party blew me away.  And the parents took each child around the room making sure they noticed/appreciated/participated in all the games and visual entertainment. What I recognized as a pinata was thoroughly enjoyed by all the kids to the point that when the candy was gone, some die-hard little girls scraped together piles of the streamers that had been included with the candy and threw them back up into the air to the amusement of the other kids and parents alike.

The children's boxing match, and the children's birthday party, and the daily trips that mother's make to the beach to give their children fresh coconut milk, are just a few examples of the memories that shimmer in my mind, and outshine the long lines at post offices, and the poor care at hospitals, and the corruption.  Not because these things aren't important, they are - the fact that such a quickly growing economy is so slow to focus on basic needs is ultimately tragic. But I chose to take strength from the people's ability to focus on the moment, and squeeze every drop of joy from little things.  They are raising their kids to have limitless possibilities, and as a people while they will quickly point out the sewage on the streets, the failure of basic services, and the distrust of the militia and the police, they will also give you little gifts, and invite you into their lives, at the drop of a hat.  They understand community, and ultimately I believe this is their strength, and I hope this is what will enable them to benefit from the World Cup and the Olympics.  We shall see.

Ain't this some S(**))!!####!!!!!

I almost lost my way.  I almost dropped the ball.  In the past three months, as I continued to exchange correspondence with the subjects of my documentary WHY BRAZIL, I questioned whether or not I was the person to tell the story of the changes being faced in Brazil.  To tell what my characters are experiencing as the result of the upcoming World Cup and Olympics, and what I am learning about myself in this process.  Why? Because I questioned who would be interested, and I questioned could I create a beat driven, and well-paced story about something I'm passionate about, that is informative, as well as creative.  

WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED? In the past three months, the UPP progress (pacification, i.e. police occupation of favelas), the increase in foreign visas, and the issues of human rights that have been covered in the world press, and by Brazilian journalist, and has kept me glued to my computer.  Though I struggle with learning the language, and not having the equipment that I'd like to have to tell this story, my challenges are dwarfed by the challenges that my characters face, on the ground in Brazil; and the people that keep coming into my life that are connected in some way to Brazil, and/or curious as I am about why so many people are moving there and accepting Brazil despite its corruption, and convoluted infrastructure.  As one of my characters states "its time for Brazil to be known for more that Carnaval, sex, and beaches" and I believe the over 90 billion dollars of investment that is projected to flow into the country is motivated by more than just the upcoming sporting events.  

COULD I CREATE...WELL-PACED STORY? Telling a story involves a identifying the protagonist(s), the antagonist, the protagonists' goals, the challenges, the possible vehicles for overcoming the challenges, and the outcome.  I have protagonist, and the sub-plot of new expats settling in Brazil constantly and their aspirations and their motivations for wanting to achieve their goals. I have the antagonists: the FIFA committee, the government officials, and payola system and poverty, which challenge my protagonist with regard to benefiting from the World Cup and also the Olympics. And I must visually present the connections between the goals, the challenges/obstacles and the struggles my protagonist must over go through to surmount these obstacles.  

WHY I'M PASSIONATE? The story of Why Brazil is personal, my goal is to tell how my characters find fortitude and focus on achieving their goals while I in fact do the same as a filmmaker.  The challenge for me is to overcome the inaccessibility of my character's antagonists: to visually through a combination of one on one interviews and artfully constructed reportage of world news present the antagonist point of view, and find ways to interface, and act as a vehicle for possible conflict resolution for my protagonist.  Again Why Brazil? its the people.  There are wonderful people all over the world, that I have met as a flight attendant, but what has struck me, is that in a place that could give the most corrupt politicians lessons on corruption, people still fight, and thrive; and they manage to do so with an open, and forgiving nature, that allows them to appreciate the journey even more than the victory.