inspire.me

I want to give voice to those who can’t speak for themselves

avtor Natalie Cvikl Postružnik 21. decembra, 2019

A few weeks ago I met an astonishing young woman, Louyse Gerardo, an Erasmus student from Brazil. She radiated a rare energy with so much potential while she was speaking about her mission: preserving the life of abandoned, minorities and outcasts on the films to show the world the forgotten ones (take a look at her work). Louyse claims to be curious, free and happy. From what she told us, she is also a dreamer, prone to perfectionism and determined to achieve her goals. A rare mixture of characteristics, that promise to hear about this remarkable woman in her 20ies a lot in the future! And we publish this interview today on her birthday – happy happy!

People are my inspiration

What is your dream? Why?

My dream is to give voice to people and minorities groups that do not have it through my movies and documentaries. With that I want go to many important film festivals (like Oscar in documentary category) and show to everyone other realities and cultures. I want that because I think when you have some special talent it is very important to use it for a good cause and show people the way you see others, how you do and how much you love doing that. This way I can help many people through my perspective and show my love and respect about people, cultures and differences.

Who is in your heart/soul, what drives you?

My family is in my heart, especially my grandmother, my mom and my little sister. I do everything for them and this makes me stronger and keeps me on my path; as being far away is not easy but I think this makes me grow in a different way.

People and life motivate me, living in other countries and experience totally different cultures is what makes me feel alive, also travelling, I’ve been in more than 30 countries trying to learn as much as possible from others.

It started as a random photo-shooting…

What kind of productions (film, movie, documentaries …) have you already prepared?

I started as a photographer but one time in one job I was asked to make a fashion film. That time I didn’t have idea how to film anything. I just started recording random images in my house to make a test. Then my battery ended and I didn’t try anymore but I though I could use that footage for something. That’s how I did my first short movie – this shooting was in several film festivals in the world.

… and continued to film festivals around the world

After that and also because of some advices I received from movie critics I started doing more independent short films in a horror gender, many commercial shootings, video clips for bands because I also play instruments (and it makes me very happy to record them) and documentaries on different subjects, as a director or director of photography, some of them still in some festivals.

My last documentary one is “Os enlatados de Madre de Deus”; a documentary I did in Bahia-Brazil, about a carnival group that collects cans in the street to make a costume for carnival parade, every year they do that and in the end they recycle the entire costume to donate the material. It is very beautiful and very environmental conscious.

Women in my family are amazing

What do you need to fulfil your dreams?

I believe in my potential, and in my dream, this in itself motivates me more to reach what I want. I think I just need the right opportunity. Contacts with people I have already filmed for my documentaries or I’ve taught (when i was a teacher in Brazil) to see they are on a really good path because of something I have done, fulfils me.

When I met you, you seemed like a vey determined young woman. Where does this determination come from?

I believe that comes from my family. I come from a poor family in Brazil. My grandmother did her best to change her life through work even though her husband didn’t want that in the old times. My mom learned with my grandmother to always study and work, this was the way that she could change our lives for better. She raised me and my sister alone. So I always lived with very strong women. They taught me since I was a kid that I’m able to do whatever I want and work hard to reach my dreams and be independent.

It’s not all sunshine and roses

Who supports you on your path?

My mom always supported me even when she disagreed with my decision to stop studying law and start studying arts and cinema. In Brazil is not easy when you choose this kind of profession to be in; so she was very worried but always supportive of me.

What are the biggest obstacles on your way?

The biggest obstacles are finding work and having money. It is hard to be creative when you have to worry all the time about how to survive. But I believe in positive thoughts. If you want something or you want to do something very badly, you need to believe from deep of your heart that everything is going to be fine and you will get what you want and meet amazing people on your way to help you with that.

So far I have already fulfilled most of my biggest dreams in my life, so I truly believe that if you want something you have to go for it and do it!

Slovenia took my breath away

Why are you in Slovenia and where will your life take you from here?

First time I came in Slovenia was in 2015 and I was completely in love with this country. I knew I had to come back here sometime. When I figured out I was moving to Portugal to make my master degree I had to find a way to come to Slovenia and stay.

Now I’m doing part of my master theses at the University of Maribor.

I don’t know where my life will take me from here, I will not return to live in Brazil yet and I hope Slovenia stays with me.

I hope also that I can have the opportunity to continue doing my work and what I love most – that is shooting documentaries.

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Foto in video: Louyse Gerardo