In Gabriel Mascaro's film, viewers meet 77-year-old Teresa. The Brazil she lives in considers older people unproductive. The authorities round up everyone over 75 to send them to retirement homes. What happens to them there is unknown. In any case, they won't return.
"It's a dystopia, but I'm playing with the genre. There are no flying cars or anything like that here," Mascaro tells TT when he visits Stockholm.
Refuses to be found
Teresa refuses to accept age discrimination. She escapes, having always dreamed of traveling, something that is now forbidden for the elderly. After many twists and turns, she gets a lift from a skipper on a rickety boat on the Amazon River, and here her adventure begins.
Gabriel Mascaro himself grew up close to his grandparents.
"I shared life with them. I saw how my grandmother, when she was over 80, started painting. She started a new life. That became a seed that made me think about a possible film," he says.
In the film, Mascaro wanted to mix genres.
"My film is a road movie, it's dystopian, it's playful, sad but also optimistic. And it's critical of ageism in society. It's never too late to find meaning in life."
Snakes and piranhas
Filming on the Amazon River wasn't as difficult as you might think. Many films are made there, so there are plenty of experienced filmmakers.
But there are lots of dangerous animals, like alligators, snakes and piranhas. It was important to know where you could put your hand in the water.
The political satire in "The Blue Journey" is ironic and not particularly provocative. Yet, during his presidency, Jair Bolsonaro stopped the funding that had already been granted to Mascaro for his film. As soon as Bolsonaro was out of power, the funding was distributed.
I don't understand why it was stopped. Possibly because he knew that we filmmakers are usually against the right and that he therefore didn't want us to be able to work.
Positive problem
The film has been a huge success in Brazil and has won a number of international awards. This has brought with it a problem, albeit a positive one.
I don't have time to start thinking about the next film. I'm just traveling around talking about 'The Blue Journey'.
Age: 42.
Lives: Rio de Janeiro.
Profession: Artist, screenwriter, film director.
Previous films in selection: "Housemaids", "Neon Bull", "Divine Love".
Current: With "The Blue Journey" which has its Swedish cinema premiere on January 16.
