N.E.S.T
A battle to change lives through hip-hop culture.
Interview with Director Fernanda Turchetto
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
We saw it as an opportunity to fully experience the Hip-Hop universe and show it to people that didn't have access to it, or never even bothered to learn about it and to show them that there's more than meets the eye. Our number one priority was to speak about the culture for people that don't know about it and to make the people from our town see that we are more than our Italian ancestral culture of wine and gastronomy. Therefore, we're happy we surpassed this border.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
If we love a culture, or intend to explore anything we should always look further into other cultures, countries, and people. The Hip-Hop culture is known as a fight, a fight for its own space, acknowledgement or even in its people's daily battles beyond the music or arts. Prejudice is a strong word but I can say I’ve witnessed it while recording and living with N.E.S.T.
I see this film as a mirror: a mirror to society and ourselves. How much do we judge something just because we don’t know anything about it? But if you look further into it you learn so much, there are so many beautiful things around it and you truly come out of it as a better person, wanting to learn more about other cultures and people.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I think it speaks to everyone's search for something meaningful to keep going, to find somewhere they belong and feel welcomed.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
It completely changed and evolved. Even from the first sketches, the first rec, through the editing to the finished film. We have never lived this before, we didn’t know what we were about to live, we just wanted to tell a story. We learned so much in each event, person, story or movement we’ve witnessed. I just know the story couldn't be even close to our first sketch, it had grown so much.
While editing it was a huge challenge to make sense of so many incredible stories! It was a long and tough time. But finally, we made a film, a film with a strong message, hoping that it can contribute to Hip-Hop culture and others, inspiring more and more people to make the things they believe in happen and that persistence at some point becomes progress.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
“It is a documentary for the world to see! It has opened a door for great things”;
“People need to learn more about how this culture works.“;
“The film is really beautiful, emotional, it’s important and necessary”;
People were very proud of seeing this film coming to life. We live in a small town, called Bento Gonçalves, of Italian descent, yesss! And they are basically the only Hip-Hop collective around. They do an incredible job with kids and everything they touch. And in my opinion, I just wanted to make sure people saw them more than they “expect” them to be.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Not the feedback about the final film, but the journey did! In so many ways I couldn't even imagine. But you can see when you watch N.E.S.T!
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We are looking to get more people to know the Brazilian Hip-Hop scene - specially N.E.S.T. - and the struggles they face in order to make their art. Their stories deserve to be told and acknowledged, and we're very proud to have built this bridge between the audience and N.E.S.T.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Anyone that's interested in spreading the message of love, belonging and strength that it takes to keep N.E.S.T. alive and running.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
We hope that it can contribute to Hip-Hop culture and others and as I've said before, to inspire more and more people to make the things in which they believe happen, that persistence at some point becomes progress. In our point of view, a good documentary should raise questions and if by watching it, you raised at least one, we did a good job. Because it is exactly when we question something and see a problem that we are ready for the next step: finding a solution.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Why's there so much prejudice over Hip-Hop culture? Why do people tend to connect it to something criminal?
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you for giving us an opportunity to share our experience!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Sadly, we’ve distanced ourselves from documentaries. At this moment we are working on advertisement campaigns, but we intend to come back to it really soon!
Interview: May 2023
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
N.E.S.T
A battle to change lives through hip-hop culture.
Length: 51:32
Director: Fernanda Turchetto
Producer: Pedro Ramon Festa, Diego Gheno, William Sarate Ballestrin
Writer: Fernanda Turchetto
About the writer, director and producer:
FERNANDA TURCHETTO always wanted to tell great and real stories to leave the world with. Along with Lucas and Diego, they started Ancora Produçōes because they wanted to do something different, something greater than anything that there was in their region (Rio Grande do Sul). Fernanda did her Masters in documentary film at the International Cinema Academy (AIC) in Brazil. Until this very documentary film, her work was mostly known in the commercial area, working with big brands under her other company called Tangram Content Designers. Along with Ancora's long-time work with family documentaries. Fernanda just fell in love with Nest's purpose, what they did for hip-hop and people. She felt like the world needed to know the work they did to inspire more people to fight for what they believe in.
Key cast: André de Almeida Cunha (self), Bruna de Lima Ferreira (self), Pedro Ramon Festa (self), Ramoniele Silva (self), Wiliam Ballestrin (self), Zion (self), Bernardinho (self), DJ Bugz (self), Camila Soro (self), P.MC (self), Luan Dalmasso Arce (self), Marina Bernal (self), Marcello Gugu (self), Marcus Flávio (self), MC Miliano (self), Mirley Allef (self), Rodrigo Almeida (self), Virgínia Segueira (self).
Instagram: @ancoraproducoes
Website: www.nemeuseitudo.com.br/en
Other: IMDb
Made in association with: Nest Panos, Fundo Municipal de Cultura e Secretária Municipal de Cultura de Bento Gonçalves
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Festival HipHopCineFest.org/ Rome, Italy - 12 and 13 May