WORK, WORK, WORK, I love it and I hate it....

I'm back from Rio and I started a 2-day trip the same day I returned, and am now preparing for a 4-day trip.  My first chance to review all my footage and put more pictures up will be on June 20th.

However, I can share one amazing event.  I got a chance to film President Dilma Rousseff my last day in Rio!!!!  On June 14th I was at the Complexio Esporitivo Rocinha.  The big sports complex that was a part of a government plan to improve one of the largest favelas in Rio, Rocinha.  The following are the notes I took while sitting at the event.

At an event that was supposed to start at 9 am I sit with the Carioca (natives of Rio).  At first I tried to get in with the press with my business card and camera out for all to see.  I was told no because I had not sent in for press credentials in advance.  However, because I was wearing a Communidade Rocinha t-shirt that my friend Zezinha gave me, I was able to get a pin which allowed me to get in (of course I put away my camera and threw my jacket over my bag.

I felt like a very special person. I was able to observe the various VIPs fight for a seat and cute young 20 year old gatekeepers, guys enjoying their 5 minutes of power.  They all had a uniform of button down shirts, and black business shoes and some had ear pieces to top it off.  It reminded me of my time as Director of the Development for the New York International Latino Film Festival.  People fighting to prove how important they are to get a seat at an event that ultimately means very little to them. (More about that later).

I am truly privileged to be here at this time in Rio's history.  I have to thank Zezinho because without the shirt I doubt I would have been able to get a Carioca pin.

I will treasure this pin and I will look into making some for myself that represent my documentary WHY BRAZIL.  One thing I found interesting iss the Asian man that I saw with a green button on at the event which I believe indicated all-access.  He was moving around everywhere, and I hope I don't sound ignorant, but I got the sense that he was responsible for the three screens that showed views of the stage for the audience in the "Carioca Seats".

I found myself in a mix of people with many agendas.  Some people were following every word of every speech, and some people were interested in hugging and kissing the important people at the event.  When President Rousseff came to the podium, I was allowed to go a little closer, and kneeling on my knees, I got footage which I still have to get translated since I'm such a poor student of portuguese.  As I kneeled near the "important people" I noticed several on their smart phones, and reading newspapers and I wonder how important the event was for them.

The reason President Rousseff was at Rocinha was to announce/present the proposed cable cars and metro line that was planned to go through the favela.  Thankfully the proposal also included a new sewer system.  Something that is sorely needed in the favela.  But the reason the Carioca were often on their feet during the presentation was that just like a transformer movie, the presentation showed buildings and construction going up where people were currently living.  Based on their history, I am very doubtful that every person will be compensated and relocated fairly.  This is not an assumption, but things that I've heard from people living in other parts of Rio where progress has displaced people and were themselves waiting to be relocated.

So much to think about, and so much to uncover.  I remember a friend staying at Vidigalbergue hostel (he was from England and married, then divorced a Brazil women), who mentioned that clients that he gave sports therapy to often mentioned that they thought it would be best to bulldoze all favelas and put up new real estate.  President Rousseff who gave an impassioned speech mentioning the benefits to the children and the older people seemed like a person that really cared. However she has to deal with the people with money who elected her, and these people, some of which were those people in suits and stilettos on their smart phones during her speech could probably care less about the Carioca.

WHY BRAZIL?  Why do I hold out hope that some of the natives will benefit from the major changes coming to Brazil.  Because of the impassioned people that I saw fight their way to speak with some of the journalist to get their feelings across.  The mother that I saw who step by step moved to better and better seats with her little boy to give him an opportunity to see his leaders.  Because I believe in the passion of the people of Brazil.

TECHNO PHOBE DOES DOCUMENTARY...MINI POST

Its amazing the photos and video that I have been able to get considering how much of a non-mechanical person I am. However, I accept my limitations and I just heard good advice..."watch the how-to-videos on Youtube, over and over and over until you get what its trying to teach you" between trying this and my Canon EOS for Dummies, and Final Cut for Dummies...I have hope LOL I am going to repost this on my blog about my documentary WHYBRAZIL@blogspot.com

I posted the above statement on facebook, minutes ago.  I know words have power but what I meant is that inspight of my techno phobia, I have been blessed with wonderful synergy and excellent opportunities to "spy" on my favorite subject BRAZIL as it goes through an amazing time in its development.

Taking pictures  of workers taking a nap on construction sites...

Not taking pictures but making mental notes about huge city buses creating traffic jams on narrow winding roads in a favela.

Witnessing...with limited technical knowledge but thankful for the chance.

PROGRESS????

I have always been the type to focus on what I want to focus on; only.  But as I keep returning to Rio, I'm noticing a sharp increase in the number of men traveling to Rio.  I'm talking sometimes as many as 90% men on a flight, especially the non-Brazilians.  If I'd listen to my more close minded male associates, I would believe that its all about sex, and easy access, but I'm just a little more open-minded than that and I believe its the sharp increase in European skilled workers coming to Brazil, to prepare for the FIFA related sporting events, including the Confederations Cup and the largest upcoming event the WorldCup in 2014.  I put this together when I remember the group of "apparently hung-over" shipping workers, that I overheard talking about the incentives and perks that they got to work in Brazil.

I found myself based on this fact concentrating on the increase in containers that I saw hiding behind the gates at the ports, and the quadrupled construction.

I personally brought some charity donations into Rio, and I was concerned that I'd have to explain my donations.  Instead I found myself waived through customs without any questions whatsoever except, "Are you here for the FIFA Confederation Cup?"  I got a sense that FIFA was monitoring how much clout they had in Brazil.

I later spoke with one of the owners of the hostel that I'm staying in the Vidigal favela, who also owns a travel agency in Leblon.  Basically, I found out that FIFA has unlimited power in Brazil right now, and they are booking up all the hotels, for 2014, and keeping the tourism industry in a quandry as to what prices and rules will govern the booking of those few places not pre-booked by FIFA.

I am still fascinated by how quickly Rio is changing.  In less than a month's time the mini-van company that took up the slack for public buses, have all received new vans with new paint jobs, and the ability to accept bus card payments in addition to cash.  I can choose to celebrate the growth that I'm seeing in my two characters Zezinho's and Patricia's lives, to the exclusion of the changes happening in Rio in general but I won't do that.  Some of the changes are extraordinary.

Zezinhos new MIXER:

Patricia's new WEBSITE that's she's in the middle of creating:

From a city that originally allowed its citizens to just flag down public buses on an adhoc basis, to a city that has three bus zones, and that has educated its citizens about the new routes in less that two years.  I find myself listening to older citizens and younger citizens alike getting with the program, and giving me directions as to what bus zone I should be standing at to get to what destination.  

Its all growth, and I hope that the city as well as the individuals will fight for their right to grow just as quickly as the big businesses coming in and profiting from the upcoming sporting events.  By this I mean I hope that hospitals, postal services, and garbage disposal with get an upgrade just as quickly as the stadiums and transit systems.  I hope that Zezinho can find a reasonable place to move that can house his DJ school, his personal space, and a small pension for visitors to the favelas.  I hope that Patricia, can increase her private tour guide business to the point that she won't also have to have a "day job", and she can make other trips to Europe that are as successful and eye-opening as her first trip; a two week visit that included London and Amsterdam from which she returned at the beginning of June.