The film “The Debate” shows the behind the scenes of the presidential debate in the story of a couple

The film “The Debate” shows the behind the scenes of the presidential debate in the story of a couple


Caio Blat’s first feature film, with Paulo Betti and Débora Bloch, takes place in a television editorial office and highlights the important role of the press in democracy

Caio Blat is the first to admit: “I’ll stop bothering my directors. I always gave suggestions on sets.” Consciously, or unconsciously, he was preparing for the big leap: becoming a director.

His feature film debut takes place with the debate. The film opens on Thursday 25. “We work in emergency conditions. The idea was to premiere the film in August, coinciding with the start of the electoral propaganda, to try to interfere in the process.” the debate is based on the play by Guel Arraes and Jorge Furtado, who wrote the screenplay. “The film was already in the process of shooting and the script was changing so that it could incorporate real-life lines and situations.”

Electoral process

By real life we ​​mean the electoral process. The film takes place in the shadow of the last presidential debate.

Gaius himself is the mediator. He appears in a TV studio, announcing the blocks. Each of them corresponds to a moment in the life of the couple played by Débora Bloch and Paulo Betti. They are journalists, he starts the film as his boss. The relationship ends. And while the debate itself never appears, they both constantly comment on the candidates.

From the tips, it is clear that they are the two who polarize today’s dispute. On Monday 22nd Jair Bolsonaro began the series of interviews with the National Newspaper with the best-ranked candidates in the polls. This Thursday, 25th, when the film hits theaters, it will be the turn of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The reporter points out the coincidence. Caio corrects him: “We worked hard, and quickly, to arrive at what you think is a coincidence. We did not know the dates, the order of the interviews or who would participate, but the idea was always to make a film. who helped in the discussion of the ideas and the great problems that afflict Brazil ”.

Bergmann

A good way to define the debate he is saying that the film filters The news marketthat Jorge Furtado made from Ben Jonson’s play and from Scenes from a wedding, by Ingmar Bergman. The role of the press in democracy is at the center of everything, permeating the discussion, but the story is that of the couple.

Gaius points out that it is no coincidence. “Anyone who knows Bergman’s work will identify, because we have a dialogue scene of the couple that pays homage to his film.”

Quickly shot and assembled, but with a lot of preparation, the debate experienced some difficulties. “We shot between the Delta and Ômicron variants. The actors initially chosen were positive for covid and it was necessary to look for others,” Furtado points out. “Fortunately, everyone knows that Betti is a political being. Débora came in and surprised us, because she was already prepared, as a citizen, for all this discussion.”

Theme

Being a film with many long shots, Caio rehearsed with the photographer Gustavo Hadba, still without the cast, with the extras signaling the signs of where the camera should be.

The director thanks in a special way Guel Arres. “On the first day, we shot a scene that didn’t work. It always ended at the same time. Guel, who was with us on the set that day, realized that the scene stopped with Paulo (Betti) on his back., and we were able to cut, dubbing the sound. It may seem small, but it was very important. The film flowed from there, “explains the director.

Guel and Furtado praise the actor turned director. “Caio did a great job with the actors. Now is the time to wait for the repercussions.”

Caio Blat has learned a lot from his directors and makes a solid debut

the first feature Gaius Blat Do not forget. Long before Luiz Fernando Carvalho shouted “Action!” on the set of archaic agriculture, which he adapted from Raduan Nassar’s novel, had already been captured by the cinema. “We had a long preparation and Luiz is very meticulous. I watched, observed and told myself it was what I wanted to do.”

After more than 20 years – agriculture is from 2001 -, Caio comes out in theaters his first feature film, the debate. He doesn’t flinch when the reporter asks what he holds back most from the experience. “Directing requires a lot of preparation, every step is important, but my greatest pleasure is working with the actors.”

Paolo Betti And Debora Bloch. The film tells the story of this couple of journalists, whose bond hangs by a thread. Instead of counting linearly, the screenplay written by Guel Arraes and Jorge Furtado – based on their comedy – selects scenes of a wedding that fit into the blocks that Caio Blat himself, as mediator, calls in the decisive debate between the presidential candidates in the race of 2022. They are not nominated, but you will identify them. The characteristics of both, highlighted in the couple discussions, are more than evident.

The role of the press

Can Ibope or not, should or shouldn’t it be disclosed? And in the last scene – 70% of the votes counted, who is in front?

You have to see the movie. It is worth it. Caio Blat makes a solid debut. He learned a lot from his directors. There were so many, I can’t name them all. Helvécio Ratton, Hector Babenco, José Eduardo Belmonte, Cláudio Assis, Júlia Rezende and a great etc. He says he was boring on sets, he wanted to make suggestions. I had to make my own movie.

The interesting thing is that the trio he created the debate he is together in another project, but this time Caio interprets, Furtado and Guel write and the second directs. A transposition – transcreation? – in Grande Sertão: Veredas in the midst of communities, with their problems of inequality, police, drugs and violence. When Guel called him to the film, Gaius hesitated. There was already Guimarães Rosa – that Guimarães – in the theater, with Bia Lessa. “I thought I was repeating myself, but the script points to something else.” This other thing that we citizens will only discover in 2023. From this Thursday, in the middle of the electoral process, what matters is the debate.

Source: Terra

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