REEL DE ORO

As a child, the Brazilian Director, Marcello Lima always thought he would be a drawer when he grew up, but he was seduced by cinema through a group of friends who shot short films at school. This event led him to move to New York to study the occupation. Back in Brazil, he made a career for himself working in a wide range of styles –from visual comedies to elegant spots for cars—, he has directed for clients such as Peugeot, McDonald’s, Fiat, Snickers, Hyundai, Netflix, Volkswagen and many others. After all this vast experience, Lima is ready to set foot out in the international market on board of Cortez Brothers.

What do you like to direct?
As a filmmaker, I have done all sorts of things. I love being able to do something in the comedy genre, and another a beauty or car film. But I have a soft spot for casting. I am passionate about working with good actors and actresses; for building characters and understanding their behaviors and seeing how that translate into costume, and art direction. Even when I am doing advertising, when often there isn’t time to reveal complex psychological stories, I try to create some sort of logics for actors; and when they absorb those behaviors, we have magical moments full of pure truth.

Where do you find inspiration?
I try to study a lot, even when I don’t have a job in sight. I am a Vimeo and Pinterest nerd, and I also find inspiration in what I see in Instagram —I have a folder with pictures and when I watch series I am always capturing images from the screen. But I also have my oracle, filmmakers I watch over and over again: Woody Allen, Sergio Leone, Jacques Tati, Kubrick, Wes Anderson, Ridley Scott and Scorsese. I have two twin daughters that are a well of creativity and curiosity. I am always going to museums with them and discovering new worlds.

What is your seal as a filmmaker?
This is a hard question to answer. I try to create a naturalistic atmosphere, regardless of the scene. Even if it is a dialog of a girl with a dog, I try to turn it into the most routine situation in the world. I also treat art direction fondly, and try not to be restricted to repetitive formulas that we see so often out there.

What lesson did you learn from the time you spent in NY?
It was a strange life and profesional experience. I lived there between 2004 and 2006. I would go to Kodak, buy film and we would go around the city making short films. At night, I worked as a bartender at a Portuguese restaurant. I learned to operate cameras, capture sound, edit, I worked with costume and art direction. It is truly the city of independent cinema. I took theater lessons and for the first time, I was able to understand what the work with actors consists of. It was an amazing revelation. I worked on an indie feature film looking for old cars to decorate a Queens from the 1980s. I was able to write every day. If I learned one lesson, it would be that we are constantly studying and learning.

What does it mean for you to be in Cortez Brothers?
I think that now is the best moment to pursue an international career. I had time to gain experience and carefully develop a reel that allows me to talk to markets worldwide. Cortez Brothers has a very good roster of directors and for me it is a privilege to be on this team. I am eager to start shooting with them, and am sure we are going to be very successful.

Production Company
Cortez Brothers, EE UU
Contacto: Martin Feuerstein
T +1-310-821-8280
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