Circle interviews with the Alumni: Meet Joana Oliveira - CIRCLE Fiction Orbit 2024 participant.

We've asked our Alumni to share their Circle experience with us: motivation, outcomes, how

it helped them shaped their projects and what it means to be part of the Circle family along with their views on the current cinema landscape and how gender has been an asset or barrier.

Q. Please introduce yourself and your project briefly.

My name is Joana Oliveira, I'm a brazilian director and screenwriter. My project is a narrative about a little tree that enters the lives of three women trying to survive in an intolerant Brazil. It is my first fiction feature film.

Q. What made you apply for CIRCLE?

Circle Fiction Orbit called my attention for being a lab for female filmmakers. It sounded like a save space to open up about specific themes and uncertainties about my work.

Q. Can you compare your experience at CIRCLE with other similar platforms that you have been part of?

Being among women of different ages and backgrounds made me feel, at the same time, inspired by their wisdom and refreshed by their different ways of approaching the world.

Q. How has participating in CIRCLE helped you and/or your project?

Participating in Circle Fiction Orbit helped me specially in the way I see my project cinematographically: not only the narrative was discussed but also the sound and the image approach of the film.

Q. As a woman working in the industry, have you faced any barriers or issues related to your gender?

I started working over 20 years ago as a director and it has always been hard to walk up to a new crew and feel that I have to win their respect. Although it has gotten better for me because of my experience I see that new female directors have been going through the same thing. It is about gender and it is tiring, but I have hope that we are building a new perspective. When I started there were very few female directors, now things have changed for better.

Q. What's the most challenging part of being a Filmmakers under the current world circumstances?

I think the far right wave that has come and spread throughout the world is scary. Artists are being attacked, people are loosing rights and wars based on racism and hate speech are increasing.