The Cutest and Funniest Animals in the World (Os Animais Mais Fofos e Engraçados do Mundo)
Jorge is 70 years old and is one of the most capricious and dedicated janitors at the Paradise Motel, except for a single detail: He secretly records the audios of the room’s guests.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer/Editor Renato Sircilli
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you! :)
I believe that the film arises from my desire to tell a story about human relationships, challenging certain imaginaries we have in relation to old age. I found myself obsessed with movies with characters much older than me, but I was often bothered by the nostalgic tone with which these characters were developed, as if the power of these characters resided only in the past. In this way, one of the main desires of the film is to exalt the vitality and beauty of old bodies in the present time.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I think there is a freshness in the way the film approaches the queer theme, shifting the desire, which is insistently destined to the idea of youth, to septuagenarian bodies. But beyond the theme, the film also works on its formal aspects, both narratively and aesthetically. In this way, it seeks to build an original atmosphere that encourages the viewer to listen to their own desires.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
One of the strengths of the film is to tenderly portray a relationship full of contradictions and ambiguities. Despite focusing on what is specific and singular in the relationship between the characters Jorge and Alberto, the film is also about our eternal quest to understand who the other is and our own desires.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Jorge, the main character of the film, works as a janitor in a motel, but keeps a secret: He records the audio of the room’s guests and sells this material.
My biggest challenge was to build this character in a way that the film didn't judge his actions, and so the audience could relate to him in a more complex way, not moralizing his attitudes. This was central to all decisions from the script to the way the scenes were shot. The work of the actor Paulo Goya was also essential in creating an empathetic character, who relies on exposing his vulnerabilities as his greatest strength.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We are all very happy and excited about the repercussion of the film, which has surprised us in a very positive way! People identify a lot with the characters and are interested in the universe that the film builds, feeling invited to fill in the gaps that the film leaves. I believe that this reception also shows a lack of productions that address other types of characters and less hegemonic experiences.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I thought that the theme would make the film be received with some controversy, but it hasn't been seen like that, which I'm happy about. The idea was precisely to invest in humanization and to avoid an approach that could exoticize the characters, but we only know for sure how successful we were in these aspects in contact with the public.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope that the film can arouse the curiosity of new audiences, who would not know about the film otherwise, and that it can encourage people to challenge their own imaginations.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
All sorts of collaborations are great for amplifying the film's message. From journalists talking about it, programmers inviting the film to screenings or sales agents and distributors to spread the film in other territories. We are open to all these partnerships.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
May the film be the beginning of a path that breaks some stereotypes that we insist on cultivating.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
In addition to what I have already said about old age and queer experiences, I believe that a discussion that the film raises is about eroticism and the way in which our work seeks to construct it sonically.
Our idea was to displace the erotic content normally anchored in the images, relying on sound construction and thereby expanding the imaginative power of each spectator.
Would you like to add anything else?
I would just like to thank you for the space and the opportunity to talk a little more about the film. I'm available to talk more with those interested in the subjects!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am currently developing, together with João Turchi, the feature film based on the same universe as The Cutest and Funniest Animals in the World. The film also follows Jorge, who continues to work as a janitor at the same motel and secretly records the audios of the room’s guests, but with other narrative developments. We are excited!
Interview: June 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
The Cutest and Funniest Animals in the World (Os Animais Mais Fofos e Engraçados do Mundo)
Jorge is 70 years old and is one of the most capricious and dedicated janitors at the Paradise Motel, except for a single detail: He secretly records the audios of the room’s guests.
Length: 24:00
Director: Renato Sircilli
Producer: Diana Almeida, Renato Sircilli
Writer: João Turchi, Renato Sircilli
About the writer, director and producer:
RENATO SIRCILLI is a Brazilian director, screenwriter and editor. His latest works alternate between cinema, theater and performance. He has directed seven short films, including Cinema for the Dead (14', 2023) in partnership with Bruno Moreno and a hybrid feature film, Fôlego (85’, 2018).
JOÃO TURCHI is a Brazilian writer and playwright, with a master's degree in theater from the University of São Paulo (ECAUSP).
DIANA ALMEIDA is a Brazilian-Mozambican film producer living and working in São Paulo. In 2006, she founded Lacuna Filmes with Daniel Ribeiro, and produced several award-winning films such as The Way He Looks and Two Irenes.
Key cast: Paulo Goya (Jorge), Wilson Rabelo (Alberto), Luiza Brunah Jerrô, Beatriz Id, Bruno Moreno
Looking for: sales agents, distributors, film festival directors, buyers, journalists
Facebook: Renato Sircilli
Instagram: @renatosircilli
Made in association with: Lacuna Filmes
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Frameline San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival/USA - June 14-24, 2023;
Xposed Queer Film Festival Berlin/Germany - June 15-18 2023;
Psarokokalo Athens International Short Film Festival/Greece - July 02-14 2023;
Rio LGBTQIA+/Brazil - July 6-12 2023
Visible - Festival de Cine LGBTI+ de Panama - 2023