And isn't illegal download of films is part also of the problem ?
LA: Pass around a lot thru that, but what can I do?
So how does a small distributor can survive three years?
LA: Now, where others have to work with 10 persons, we are two. We do everything from going to festivals to purchase of cardboard boxes to send to Fnac. It is a willful act, to be this way there must be passion, have a little less personal requirement.
Having the experience of three years and looking at the current landscape and how everything is interconnected, how do you see the future?
LA: It's all interconnected and in fact internet is a phenomenon, I can give my personal opinion but account almost nothing, we are in a confusing world, where nobody believes what they hear and auteur cinema in that point of view, comparing with the other speaks of things and not what they seem to be. If you tell me what will happen to the financial markets, I can tell you what will happen to auteur cinema, the world is discussing a number of things that will need to be refocused.
How?
LA: To distinguish what is essential from what is accessory. I cannot say what precisely, because cinema reflects society and vice versa. We live in a world where no one knows what will happen next year.
We look at the internet as something that only harm, but there is also the other side.
LA: The disclosure. The problem is very complicated.
There are movies that are already able to finance this way.
LA: That's not true. It is only from the point of view amateur. It is not possible to have the movies we have, or the people we have, highly qualified employees to work without pay. It is impossible to think that. If we could get wine from the internet inevitably ended up not doing so, because the people who work in these middle so that wine can exist if they are not paid for their work, the economy falls to the ground. We cannot believe that we can access things without paying. People who see cinema for free and there is no other word for it, it's a steal. The problem is that it falls into legislative holes and cultural habits where nobody feels that to take a free movie of the internet is the same as stealing from the supermarket. Obviously this is the essential point. But it will not be possible to have professionals to work if people are not paid. They get paid when people buy the DVDs or buy a ticket at the movies, or go to a video club to rent a movie. It is impossible to sustain this environment if people think is reasonable and just see things without paying.
So it is easier to distribute a winning film at festivals, as is the case of Taboo?
LA: We just took a hand the distribution DVD. The festivals have that side to be able to draw attention on a number of films. It's more or less like everything in life, as the brand of yoghurt or tire, people recognize what is obvious and already have a name. Obviously that Taboo is already a recognized name, the problem is how people who do good things and unnoticed reach a certain level? And from that point of view, film festivals, as a show of cheese, or a beer festival, is a place where a number of people unknown arrives and has a premium, which does not give you great notoriety, nor guaranteed life, but will call attention to something that is special, at least better than the rest and that is worth a try. It is obvious to anyone who is starting and has no name in the market, that's why the festivals exist. It must stress the importance of the role of public cultural policies, which is why most festivals are subsidized by public money. That's is why they exist, for an special audience who does not have movie theater that show most of these movies and there is an opportunity, but is also very good for those who make films have a prime space to display their work.
Then you consider that the work of the Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual (ICA) is essential in this process?
LA: It's absolutely essential. Is neither possible nor in Portugal, and I do not want to discuss the nuances of American independent film that differ from the rest, nor in England, France, or anywhere in Europe, and even China is impossible to have a minority auteur cinema without public support, simply no . It is impossible. To have cinema rather than the American of Hollywood in Portugal we must be the ICA. If it is doing this all wrong or all right we are living times of emergency and must let the country resettle on anything that is not perceived, and then we can reach the ICA and give our opinion on how things can be better. Criticize or praise this institution is a reflection of the country, we do not know what we'll hear tomorrow. Key is to make things better, but now is not the time to discuss those details over a period of absolute national emergency.
