As I review the footage that I shot in Rio on my last trip, I am struck by two things. How much material I have and the great blessing I have received in meeting the two extraordinary people who have continued this journey with me up until this point, Patricia and Zezinho.
When I first met Patricia she shared her dream of visiting Europe and she is currently in London. The confidence that she exhibits has inspired all along this process. My challenge with Patricia is not making her feel on the spot when I get her on camera. Her candidness when she's speaking to me as we travel through Rio is something I am searching for a way to share. She has in many ways allowed me to "spy" or visit Rio from the inside because when we spend time together it is usually going to an event, or a party, and along the way I meet her friends and hear stories about her life. This is not easily captured on film. I am planning to deal with this in two ways. I am hoping to show her some of my earlier interviews where she mentions her desire to visit Europe as a way to encourage her to recall how she felt when she was sharing the dream, and what it was like to experience the reality. Next I am hoping to get an opportunity to speak with other people about Patricia. Friends that I have met through her, who obviously admire and appreciate her as a person. I am a Cancer, born in July, and it is my nature to talk about everyone else's experiences, but be reluctant to share my own, so I understand Patricia. We are kindred spirits. While I try to find ways to help Patricia feel comfortable on camera I will happily continue to benefit from her willingness to share experiences like the party we went to in the favela Santa Marta, that enrich my life.
Zezinho, presents different challenges, in that he is extremely comfortable on camera, but he usually talks about two subjects Rocinha, and his DJ school (see http://rocinhamediaschool.org/). His tours are amazing. As flight attendant, I have experienced tours in Tokyo, Rome, Cairo, Tel Aviv...the list goes on and on and nowhere has the information been given with so much detail, and history and humor, as the tours given by Zezinho because he loves the place that he lives and works in so much.
Unlike with Patricia who is very open one on one, Zezinho rarely talks about his personal life or personal goals unless they relate to Rocinha or the DJ School. I believe part of the reason is that his main mode of operation is as a caregiver. He thinks of others first, and places himself second. I have experienced this firsthand, many times, latest being his offer to keep some of my clothes at his apartment so that I could travel with less when I return. Recent issues with Zezinho's knees, have inspired me to continue helping him in any way that I can, and to remind him to take care of himself, and put himself first every once in a while. He has to stay strong to continue the work that he has begun to give the kids in the Rocinha dreams of their own, by giving tours of the place that he loves, Rocinha.
My challenge as a filmmaker is to pick the images and vignettes that will most enlighten my viewers to the day to day challenges of my subjects, and at the same time present them as real people. I got lucky one time, and happened to be at Zezinho's house when he was giving his newest kitty a flea bath, I was happy to get that footage because it was a part of everyday life. Later in that visit to Rio I was dying to turn on the camera, I missed an opportunity to interview Patricia about what happened when she planned to bring her daughter to meet me for the first time on a visit to Santa Marta. Her daughter wanted her to wear shorts and a tee-shirt like any other 8 year old girl, while her mother wanted her to look nice. I know that there are many mothers, I included, who can relate to that experience with their own child. One thing I hope to make clear with this film is that our similarities far outweigh or differences.
I would like to invite anyone that has had either a personal tour with Patricia, or a group tour with Zezinho to add your comments to this blog about what kind of people you found them to be. Again, I am constantly amazed at my good fortune to meet them both.
No comments:
Post a Comment