Petra Costa will follow up “The Edge of Democracy,” her Oscar-nominated documentary exploring the evolving political landscape of Brazil, with a project focused on life during the COVID-19 pandemic. Titled “Dystopia,” the project “aims to reveal the societal problems and inequalities that the coronavirus crisis has put in sharp relief,” Variety details.
“We want to document this urgent moment in which the COVID-19 pandemic brings to surface our deepest structural problems and the inequality that defines our societies,” Costa tweeted. The Brazilian filmmaker urged the public to participate in “Dystopia” by sharing video footage that reveals what their lives are like during the pandemic.
“We want to know what’s going on with your family, your community, your neighborhood, and your city,” the Brazilian filmmaker explained. “Film horizontally what you see, think, live, and feel today. We are not asking or encouraging anyone to leave the house! But, if you really have to leave, please film.” She emphasized, “We want to make a mosaic with different views of the world, to try to make sense of this pandemic.”
Those who submit will “receive a form that will ask for some information in order to register the video, so that we can contact you for appropriate licensing if your video ends up on the final cut,” Costa details. “If you have any questions write to the same channels and our team will answer.”
“I had a hard time choosing a career as I was compelled strongly into different areas,” Costa revealed in an interview with us. “I loved theater, later fell in love with anthropology, which gave me the tools to understand a lot about my country, and I was always intrigued by psychology. I think that I could only settle for cinema because it was an area where all my interests could converge,” she observed.
When we asked her advice for other women directors, Costa said, “Be stubborn. Or as Che Guevara says, ‘Be strong without ever losing tenderness.'”
“Olmo & the Seagull” and “Elena” are among Costa’s other credits. Her latest film, “The Edge of Democracy,” made its world premiere at Sundance 2019 and received a nod for Best Documentary Feature at this year’s Academy Awards.
