– Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
My passion for cinema didn’t happen at a single moment. It was built up over many remarkable experiences. I was born in Presidente Prudente, in the country side of São Paulo, but spent part of my childhood in Paraná, where my father, a farmer, settled on a farm. When I was seven years old, I went to live with my father’s friends in Londrina, where I saw a television for the first time. It was 1964, and I was most struck by the Disney series “Zorro”, which premiered in the very year I was born. Those adventures enchanted me deeply.
A year later, I went back to school in my hometown and, next to the school, there was a movie theater. On Sundays, there were matinees, and I became a regular. Since then, images of endless frames have circulated in my mind. As a teenager, I continued to go to the cinemas, being enchanted by the spaghetti westerns with Giuliano Gemma and Bud Spencer and, of course, Chaplin, whose work inspired me to become a mime.
But movies like ‘Papillon’, directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, struck me in a different way; I watched it more than ten times. The acting of Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman, the photography and Dalton Trumbo’s script continue to intrigue me to this day. Another movie that had a big impact on me was “The Bridges of Madison County”, especially for the performances of Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood. Clint, by the way, has always been a great inspiration, especially because of his work philosophy: the decision to produce, write, direct and play his own films because he knew that no other director would give him the characters he wanted to play. And more recently, his answer to the secret of maintaining so much energy to keep working at over 90: “Be busy and never let the old man in the house”. It’s a philosophy I’ve also adopted as a life motto.
– When did you realize that the story living in your heart had to be turned into a screenplay and then into a film project?
The COVID-19 pandemic left deep scars on my soul and, above all, on my heart. It was a time of intense challenges, where I found myself plunged into a deep depression. This moment of internal conflict forced me into a necessary introspection, to look inside myself and understand the complexity of the human soul. This process of self-knowledge became essential for my reinvention, helping me to discover new ways of expressing my creativity and transforming pain into art.
Creativity became my anchor, which kept me alive, active and haughty, especially when exploring the contrasts between the beautiful and the ugly, the normal and the absurd. During this period, “Doctor Hypotheses” was born, a film that I consider almost prophetic about the atrocities of the pandemic. It brings a current, poignant, thought-provoking and innovative narrative language, exploring the trajectory of a man who calls himself Doctor and creates a clinic with dolls to serve him.
The movie gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in an inspired performance, surrendering myself to the passionate imbalance of this character in a game of possession, love, hate and seduction. “Doctor Hypotheses” was born out of my desire to give voice to these intense emotions that the pandemic has aroused in all of us and to reflect on the psychological and emotional impact of this challenging period. By turning this story into a script and then into a movie, I found a way to deal with my own emotions and, at the same time, connect with the audience through a powerful and meaningful narrative.
– Is there a person you would like to thank for helping you bring your project to life?
I don’t have a single person to thank, but an infinite list of people and professionals who have helped me bring my projects to life: Giustino Marzano, a great master, founder of Piccolo Teatro in São Paulo. I studied under him and his teachings formed the foundation of my career, forming the basis of my understanding of the craft and art of storytelling. I am also grateful to Walter Avancini, the wizard of Brazilian television, whose innovations and creative approaches to audiovisual storytelling have deeply inspired me. Domingos de Oliveira, another master who inspired me in the art of exploring the nuances of the human soul in my work. Clint Eastwood is an international reference I greatly admire, especially for his work philosophy and continuous energy, which encourage me to always seek out new challenges and projects. Finally, my father, José Vicentini, a farmer who always faced adversity with courage and determination. He taught me the importance of renewing oneself every day, always seeking new horizons, no matter how difficult the journey. His willingness and resilience are daily inspirations, both in life and in art. I would also like to thank my friends, collaborators and partners who, with their energy and support, make the process of creating and realizing my projects possible.
– Do you think the Wild Filmmaker Community is helping to turn your dream into a reality?
The Wild Filmmaker Community is a channel for communicating and spreading the dreams of independent filmmakers, offering a vital platform for giving visibility to projects and creating spaces where our voices can be heard and valued. For those who often face challenges such as lack of resources and restricted access to major media outlets, this visibility is essential, allowing for a rich exchange of ideas, experiences and collaborations, celebrating the diversity of stories and perspectives that is fundamental to the growth and innovation of independent cinema, connecting us to a global network of passionate professionals, creating opportunities for collaboration and exchange, allowing us to showcase our authentic and meaningful stories, keeping passion and creativity alive in cinema.
