Brazilian Outlaw Cinema, pt. 4 — Larissa Anzoategui
Larissa Anzoategui makes movies that are fun for everyone: they’re full of blood and gore, they’re sexy and smart, they’re metal as fuck, and they’re fun as hell. As the director of Astaroth Producoes (alongside writer Ramiro Giroldo and cinematographer Pedro Rosa), her star is steadily rising, with a handful of short films (A Janela da Outra, Red Hookers, Fatal, etc.) and a couple feature-length films (Astaroth and Domina Nocturna, both available through Vince D’Amato’s Darkside Releasing). Keep an eye out for the return of the Astaroth Producoes website, packed with bonus features and horror-style photo shoots with devilishly beautiful, bloody women, as well as the upcoming anthology, Helldose.
Nervousmaker - Do you feel that Brazilian horror/genre films are influenced by the social/political climate, and if so, in what way?
Larissa Anzoategui - Yeah, I think so. Sometimes it can appear in the themes of the movies. Dennison Ramalho does an excellent job addressing social problems in his films. But I think that the big influence is political and artistic, and maybe my answer is not the way it is expected to be. Let me try to explain. You see, horror is not a “well seen” genre, although it has a big fan base. With that in mind we have to look at the way that films are produced in Brazil, or rather, how they are financed. The films are produced through public notices, with public money (it used to be for a brief period of time, but with the new president things are more complicated), and it seems that horror films are not very popular with jurors. I think it´s a worldwide problem, there is this art canon and horror movies aren´t good enough to fit in, aren´t good enough for the people who care about it, and usually these are the people who decide who the money goes to. So if we don´t have money we have to figure out a way, and that is: go really independent and make movies with no or almost no money. And that is it, Brazilian horror movies are made with passion and low budgets, it does not mean that they are a bunch of trash, in most cases they are not. Well, some are because they want to be, we are always giving our best.
So, yes, we are very much influenced by the great "we don't give a shit about you" from politicians and the “true art” owners.
Nervousmaker - Is there a specific "Brazil" style when it comes to horror/genre films? Something uniquely Brazilian about your films and those of your peers?
Larissa Anzoategui - No. Well, the films are recorded here in Brazilian territory, normally people are speaking in Portuguese, and that is a Brazilian product because it was made in Brazil. We cannot run away from the influence of the culture that surrounds us. But there are several “Brazils” and “Brazilians,” it´s a very large and heterogeneous country. Just to give some examples: there are big cities, small cities, and communities that live in the middle of the forest. I, for instance, grew up in small cities, next to farms, but I didn´t like to go to the countryside. I´m Brazilian, but I hate soccer and I´m not able to dance samba, that´s enough to say that in my films I do not try to accentuate any Brazilian stereotype, I also do not try to produce something that does not seem Brazilian. Actually, I don’t even think about it, my idea is that the stories may be happening in an indefinite time and place, but I know that as I was born and grew up here, something about the local culture will appear there on the screen, I just don’t know exactly what it is.
There are producers and directors who are well-suited to local characteristics and culture. For example, the great Rodrigo Aragão; his films show a fantastic interior country without exaggerating, without making a manifesto or big propaganda.
Of course, a country of this size that has a mix of different cultures has many legends and stories that are an immense terrain of ideas ready to influence and inspire horror stories. I myself have an idea for a feature film that would take place in the Paraguayan War, with the presence of creatures from our folklore such as “Pé de Garrafa” (a kind of werewolf) and indigenous women healers.
So to summarize my answer: yeah, the specific element of Brazilian horror is chaos.
Nervousmaker - What are the most important and influential horror/genre films/filmmakers of Brazil?
Larissa Anzoategui - I do not know if all the horror producers in Brazil are assumed as such. Of those who assumed the great name is undoubtedly José Mojica Marins, director and actor who played Zé do caixão (Coffin Joe), I think there is no doubt in saying that his Triologia do Zé do Caixão is the most iconic production of Brazilian horror cinema. Then I would mention Petter Baiestorf, he is the guy who produces the most and encourages other horror producers; Rogério Sganzerla, Rodrigo Aragão, Joel Caetano, Mariana Zani, Felipe Guerra, and Dennison Ramalho. Can I mention an author and screenwriter? Rubens Francisco Luchetti is the Brazilian father of pulp, he has written many scripts, including for Mojica, and nowadays he is releasing a new series of horror books. He is so awesome!
Nervousmaker - Who are some other current horror/genre filmmakers from Brazil we should keep an eye on?
Larissa Anzoategui - I've been reading a lot that we're on a good wave of horror films here in Brazil. The number of women in production, direction, effect makeup, and scripts is growing.
Here is a list with a few (because I know there are many more) people who are producing Brazilian horror, there are some more established names in national cinema, but the vast majority are independent: Juliana Rojas, Fabiana Servilha, Marco Dutra, Filipe Silveira, Geisla Fernandes, Gurcius Gewdner, Fernando Sanches, Leo Miguel, Pomba Cláudia, Magnum Borini, Beatriz Saldanha, and the ones already mentioned (Rodrigo Aragão, Petter Baiestorf, Dennison Ramalho, Joel Caetano, Felipe Guerra, Mariana Zani). Also, Vinícius do Santos, he produces great low budget movies. Some in horror, others in action.
