There's anything left to say in your documentary, which had not been able to address due to lack of time, or resources, or other?
MP: A million things. The film is only one option, a path where you choose more than one movie, was the experience that was in our memories and our hearts, and a thousand stories to tell, because you have limited resources, limited time and a specific target .
How long were you there filming?
PP: Twenty days filming.
Only?
MP: Three years of research experience going there, eat there, go drink beer with the uncle, going to funk and cultural events. This interaction has been for three years, the footage was only twenty days because we had no money for more, we did not have institutional funding, was done with our money and help from friends. In twenty days we focus everything we had learned in those three years.
Did you expected that success ? It is the most feature-length view of the year in Portugal.
MP: Yes, we always expect the best success possible in our work, then after you see the results. Fortunately the result was good.
Yes, but it is unusual that the public rush to theaters to see a documentary. Even more Portuguese, without any kind of marketing campaign associate, result of heardsay.
MP: Yes, that was really a result of hersay, because we only had three copies, which is very little, imagine the numbers we would have done had we had 20 copies at first. But then we also had the help of many people from various media that paid attention, because they understood that the content is good and therefore eventually were interested.
Do you have any new project now?
MP: Yes, we have several projects now and we are completing a documentary. But our aim is to bet on the fiction that is our training. The documentary was more self-taught.
But here in Portugal or Brazil?
MP: There are projects being filmed here, but the fiction is to be filmed in Brazil, Portugal and Angola.
Do you feel that the documentary is a minor art in relation to fiction?
MP: Exactly the opposite, because they gave birth to the great changes in the cinema, on the aesthetic point of view, and how they can shoot. And aldo is not our basic training, when we began to study what was a documentary, to see how it creates, we realize that throughout history were the documentaries that were influencing the fiction and non otherwise. And this was something I did not know. The documentary is an area where there is a larger creativity, than fiction that is enclosed by the scripts. So I do not think it's the black sheep, every time I think it's more important to society.
And the public reaction?
MP: Yes, the Portuguese and the world. Look at what happens with the Portuguese cinema.
And how they see us outside?
MP: They know that Portugal is located in southern Europe and little else. There is no concrete communication, well made to the foreign markets, it does not exist. I hope there is more cultural support for the cinema, becouse films are a potential: you can take your country out there. It's already done some things in that context, gradually is working. But you must realize that a movie does not end when it is edited, a reel or in DVD. There is a part of marketing and communication that has to be done and it would help much in raising awareness of the Portuguese cinema outside our borders. This issue is not adress only to film, is also an issue that exists with our products and our human capital. We have quality people in our country and unfortunately it is not given due value and eventually they abandon their homeland. It is sad that it has to be this way.
What are your movie references?
PP: It's called the Brazilian new cinema, which is a real movie. One of the personalities that marked my route is Valter Carvalho either in photography, or as a director.
MP: I was influenced by the Brazilian cinema, Valter Carvalho is fantastic, but more for the U.S. and Europe cinema. Francis Ford Coppola and I really enjoy Aronovsky. The three he made are fabulous movies.
Working together was a natural step?
PP: It has been a lifetime. We just want always to work together.
MP: It has always been a natural step.
Never get tired of each other?
MP: Many, but each one goes to one side, rested and returnes.
PP: It is part of the process! (Laughs)
