(Interview with Lucas Abrahão in English below)

5. märtsil algab inglise keeles toimuv kursus „Lühifilmi stsenaariumi kirjutamine“ („Writing a Short Film Script“). Küsisime juhendaja Lucas Abrahãolt mõned küsimused, et teda teile tutvustada ja et anda mõned filmisoovitused.

Kuidas erineb täispika filmi stsenaariumi kirjutamine lühifilmi stsenaariumi kirjutamisest?

Mitmes mõttes on lühifilmi stsenaariumi kirjutamine keerulisem võrreldes täispikaga, kuna see on omamoodi täpsusharjutus. Julio Cortázar on öelnud, et romaan saab võita punktide abil, aga novell saab ainult võita nokaudiga – ma arvan, et lühifilmi puhul kehtib sama analoogia.

Millal sina oma esimese lühifilmi stsenaariumi kirjutasid?

Ma kirjutasin ja lavastasin oma esimese lühifilmi 20-aastaselt. Selle pealkiri on „Tänamatud“ („Os Mal-Agradecidos“). Seda oli üsna kerge kirjutada, sest mul polnud aimugi, mida ma teen. Ma lihtsalt viskasin kõik mõtted paberile, liitusin endast kogenumatest inimestest koosneva võttegrupiga ja võtsime selle üles São Paulo lähedal maakohas. Tulemus on muidugi üsna veider ja tervikuna see kohe kindlasti ei tööta. Aga siiski on seal mõndagi, mida ma naudin – seal on vabaduse ja eksperimenteerimise tunnet.

Mis tööd sul praegu käsil on?

Ma lavastan peagi Eestis lühifilmi „Puumaja“ („A Wooden House“) ja ma olen väga elevil sellega seoses. Ma töötan ka kahe Brasiilia täispika filmi stsenaariumi arendamisega. Üks on must komöödia pealkirjaga „Aegunud“ („Outdated“), ma kirjutan seda koos Kauê Telloliga („Dead Volume“ – PÖFF 2019). Teine on krimifilm, mida kirjutan koos Jotagá Cremaga (üks Netflixi sarja „3%“ autoritest). Mõlemad projektid on saanud riikliku rahastuse Brasiiliast.

Milline oli sinu esimene kokkupuude Eesti kinokunstiga?

Esimene kontakt toimus siis, kui ma ühel laisal pärastlõunal teismelisena läksin ühte üsna suvalisse kinno São Paulo kesklinnas vaatama filmi teadmata, mida ma vaatama lähen. See juhtus olema Veiko Õunpuu „Sügisball“. Ma mäletan, et see tundus nähtu väga julge ja omapärasena, mul on siiani mõned hetked filmist eredalt meeles. Ma poleks seal kinos istudes mitte mingil juhul osanud ette kujutada, et mul kunagi oleks mingi seos selle kummalise riigiga, mida nimetatakse Eestiks.

Anna palun mõni filmisoovitus, mõni suurepärane Brasiilia film.

„City of God“ (Fernando Meirelles) on kõikjal populaarne film, nii et kui see on nägemata, tasub see kindlasti ära vaadata. Üks minu lemmikutest kaasaegsete rezissööride seas on Kleber Mendonça Filho – „Neighbouring Sounds“ ja „Barcurau“ on kaks väga põnevat uuemat Brasiilia filmi. Klassikutest veel „Entranced Earth“ (Glauber Rocha), „Limit“ (Mário Peixoto), and „The Red Light Bandit“ (Rogério Sganzerla) on mõned Brasiilia kino meistriteosed.

IN ENGLISH

„Writing a Short Film Script“ course starts on March 5. We asked the course tutor Lucas Abrahão a few questions in order to introduce him and to get some film recommendations.

How is it like to write short films compared to features?

In many ways, I find writing short films to be more challenging than writing features, because it is always an exercise in concision. Julio Cortázar used to say that the novel has to win by points, whereas the short story can only win by knockout, and I think that this is also valid for short films.

When did you write your first short film?

I was 20 when I wrote and directed my first short film. It was called Os Mal-Agradecidos (The Ungrateful), and it was somewhat easy to write because I had no idea about what I was doing. I just threw everything I wanted on the page, joined a crew of people that were more experienced than me and shot it in the countryside of São Paulo. The result is, of course, pretty bizarre; as a whole, it definitely doesn’t work. But there are still some things I enjoy about it — there is a sense of freedom and experimentation there.

What are you currently working on?

I am going to direct a short film here in Estonia called “A Wooden House”, and I’m pretty excited about it. I’m also working on two Brazilian feature film scripts. One is a dark comedy called “Outdated”, and I’m writing it with Kauê Telloli (Dead Volume – PÖFF 2019). The other is a heist movie, and I’m writing it with Jotagá Crema (one of the writers and directors of Netflix Series “3%”). Both projects have been awarded development grants in Brazil.

What was your first contact with Estonian cinema?

My first proper contact happened when I was a teen who, on a lazy afternoon, went to a run-down film theatre in downtown São Paulo to watch a random movie. It happened to be Veiko Õunpuu’s Autumn Ball. I remember finding it pretty bold and idiosyncratic at the time, and I still have some of the film’s images in my head. Never in a million years I would guess that I would end up establishing a connection with that strange land called Estonia.

Can you give a recommendation of an amazing Brazilian film?

“City of God” (Fernando Meirelles) is very popular everywhere, so if you haven’t seen it, it’s very recommendable. One of my favourite contemporary directors is Kleber Mendonça Filho – “Neighboring Sounds” and “Bacurau” are two of the most interesting recent Brazilian films. About the classics: “Entranced Earth” (Glauber Rocha), “Limit” (Mário Peixoto), and “The Red Light Bandit” (Rogério Sganzerla) are some of the masterpieces from Brazilian cinema.