Please tell us about the projects you worked on before making ‘Rainbow Baby’. How did you start, and how did you learn to make films?
Ever since I was a little girl, I've always had a great love for movies, and many were the films that marked my growth.
But it was only at university that I officially directed my first film, “Martyr: One Step Away From The Dead”, in 2021. The short documentary, which started out as a college assignment, ended up being included in the official selection of several film festivals in Portugal, including the 19th edition of DocLisboa. It was then that I discovered my passion for directing.
Over the following years I developed other projects, with the short film “Rainbow Baby” (2023), being the most personal of all. At the same time I was working on another project, the short film “La Larai” (2023), completely developed as part of the “Plano Frontal” film residency at the Melgaço International Documentary Festival.
Although my bachelor's and master's degrees taught me a lot about filmmaking, I feel that I learn more every time I undertake a new project. For me it was the best form of knowledge, taking a story and telling it through my eyes.
Tell us about ‘Rainbow Baby’. How do you describe it?
Rainbow Baby is my most personal project to date. It's a movie dedicated to my parents and my sister. The film deals with my mother's pregnancies, making it a delicate and emotional movie that aims to show the strength and persistence of those who made me the person I am today.
Please tell us about your favorite filmmakers.
I think I have more favorite films than filmmakers. But when I think of names, I immediately think of Damien Chazel, who enchanted me with “La La Land” and “Whiplash”. The way he captured the feelings of the characters, and the movement through music and dance never fail to amaze me.
And of course, João Canijo and Marco Martins, two Portuguese filmmakers I admire a lot, above all for their ability to portray interpersonal relationships in such a naked and raw way in their films.
If you were given a good budget, what would be your ideal project?
If I had a good budget, I'd probably would make a musical movie. I'm fascinated by the way dance and music can be captured on film, I'd definitely direct a musical.
Describe how you would ensure that production is on schedule. What steps would you take?
For me, the important steps for a production to be on schedule are: a good working environment and team building, working with a dedicated team that is ready to seize every moment, especially in documentary, where the team's actions influence the people we related to.
I think it's always important to hold meetings with everyone and to listen, knowing how to listen your crew is a big key to a successful movie.
What was the hardest part of making ‘Rainbow Baby’.
The proximity to the story. The movie is for my parents and my sister, and since it's a story that's so close to me, I can say that it was difficult to explore all the pain my parents went through in the phase of their lives that I portray in this movie.
If possible, tell us about your next work. What plans do you have for your future work?
I'm in the middle of finishing my film “What are we going to listen to today?”.
It's a movie that's closer to music, since it's about a radio station in the interior of Portugal and the people who live alone in that part of the country. This film seeks to perpetuate the memory of those who have grown old and are aware that they could disappear at any moment, just like the radio station I got to know while filming.
In the future I see myself making more films with this purpose, to eternalize memories and people.
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