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HOW DID “THE LAST TIME I SAW MACAU” COME ABOUT? I spent most of my childhood in Macau. I lived there.
I hadn’t been back in Macau in 30 years. We had been talking about the subject with Jõao Pedro for the last 19 years.
HOW DID “THE LAST TIME I SAW MACAU” COME ABOUT? The idea was conceived with the confrontation of two memories: his and mine. Mine are memories from never having been there.
I had never been to Macau. He always talks about it through stories about his childhood that left a mark on him.
I got to know Macau through his stories, but also known through films, history of Portugal and literature.
I had a fictional idea of Macau in my head, while he had a fictional idea too, because his memories belong to his childhood. Memories from childhood tend to be based on fantasy.
so making a documentary made no sense, although there is still a documentary part in this full-length film.
The fictional part appeared while filming what we believed to be a documentary, and it overlapped the documentary part, in the classical sense of the term.
IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALS When a film is presented at a festival, the aim is to reach the greatest number of people.
Films are made to be seen. I have always made films in order to communicate things to others, which I cannot express in any other way.
Sometimes films are screened in bigger festivals and other times in smaller ones. I don’t believe the number of people attending it is the most important.
The festival’s feedback is necessary for us to know how people understand films and how they are interpreted by the audience.
All international film festivals help us show films that could not be screened in any other way. This idea is excellent.
I really like the fact that there are more festivals around Portugal. The film selection is equally excellent.
If it wasn’t for the festivals, many films would be made to remain inexistent.
FILM’S PATH We have practically just come back directly from Japan. We arrived in Lisbon, changed suitcases and went to the Azores, where we presented our film.
We had previously presented it in Macau and in the Hong Kong Film Festival. Even earlier, we presented the film at Busan, the biggest Asian Film Festival, in South Korea.
The film was at the New York Film Festival and in three festivals in Canada. The film’s path at international film festivals has been very interesting.
Our film was made with very few resources and we already knew about it from the start.
It was thought to be made with those few resources. We had some obstacles like being short on money, when the film was still to be finished.
We had to look for more funding. This was not easy. I think it is very important to think about the resources available, when making a film.
One should think about the artistic and creative part of a film, based on the resources available to make it.
All of us have done it this way despite having had the difficulties, which are usually financial.
DO YOU CONSIDER THAT PORTUGAL HAS THE NECESSARY CONDITIONS FOR FILM PRODUCTION? No. At present times there are many difficulties. Film production has been stuck for the last two years.
Film should be supported in Portugal. There is no other way.
The state should finance it as there is no other alternative for making films.
The funding for film received by our government compared to other countries is low. I think it is pathetic that even if funding is available there are no mechanisms to promote film.
It is impossible to have the perfect conditions. They do not exist anywhere.
I hope they will get better and things change rapidly, in order for people being able to make films with dignity.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO MAKE THIS SITUATION BETTER? First of all, a greater political commitment in culture, not only film. This commitment is inexistent in the current state’s politics.
NEW PROJECTS We are finalizing a short film also together with Jõao Guerra da Mata, called “Mahjong”. It was made at the request of the Vila do Conde Short-Film Festival.
I have also finished a film for the Guimarães Capital of Culture, made on my own. I am preparing my next full-length film.
EVALUATION OF PANAZOREAN II It was a pleasant surprise especially because of the festival’s topic.
I might be wrong, but I believe it is the only festival in the world with this topic, or at least one of the few that are known, with an extremely interesting topic.
We are very thankful for having been invited and it is an honor for us to be here.
If people don’t go to the cinemas, cinema have to reach the people. We have to find a way to make cinemas available in places.
Just like Jõao Pedro said before at the film’s presentation, when we arrived here we found out that apparently, there are no cinemas in the Azores.
There are cinema clubs but no proper cinemas. We were quite surprised.