Culture · August 13, 2021

KNITTING

Knitting – banner-teaser

I, a movie buff, in love with culture, desperate for good stories, imagined: I want to write about movies I’ve been watching, about art, music, and culture.

And now, at the same time that I am creating this website, a film which I was very honored to be the casting director, is about to have its premiere: Knitting is competing for the best Brazilian feature film at the Gramado Film Festival, the most important film festival of Brazil. 

The madness of being the casting director of Knitting with all the complexity that each character has was to personify what Nanna de Castro, screenwriter of this beautiful story, had created with the attributes of each character. It was about finding what Claudia Pinheiro, director of this work of art, projected as ideal for each of those who would live the characters. And also to meet the expectations of the executive producers — my friend and master Diego Freitas, who recommended me for the project, and my other good friend Luciano Reck, who opened the door for me to be part of this story. 

How lucky I have been to be able to count on all the generosity of this team, helping me to create the look I needed to meet each of these actors. 

It took eleven months of research and auditions, with many adversities and the challenge of embodying this family of five brothers, who are shown in the film in three different stages of life. 

I almost can’t believe that I was able to find so many similarities in each of the adult, teen, and child actors, without them, ever having met in the audition phase. And then to connect their characteristics to the actors who play the parents of this family. And, finally, to find a match with the characters who would be their partners, acquaintances, or accomplices in the scene. 

I also can’t believe my nephew Thomas was able to be part of this movie, as Cacau, the youngest of the five brothers, is in the childhood phase. 

Knitting will premiere at Gramado Festival on August 15th. It will be shown on Canal Brasil, at 9:30 pm (Brasilia time) and the entire crew of this film is just love, each one of the actors, each one of those involved in the production. 

Me here on the other side of the world, I’m nothing but proud.

My only sadness is not being in Brazil now. In a reality without a pandemic, I would see Ball of Wool on a giant movie screen.

Long live the cinema.  Long live Brazilian cinema.

SYNOPSIS – Knitting (2021)

Family Drama feature-film 

Knitting is the story of five brothers abandoned in childhood by their father who, after his mother’s death, end up being raised by his older brother. In adulthood, around the 90s, they follow different paths. Mauro is a microentrepreneur who is unable to deal with his feelings. Cicinho, the second brother fights against recidivist alcoholism. João, the third is a famous psychiatrist who hides his homosexuality from his brothers. José Carlos, a lawyer is the stereotype of male aggression. Claudio, the youngest is a sensitive young man, an actor without expression. One day they receive a call saying that an elderly man has been found beaten and is in a coma in an ICU. It may be the father who abandoned them. In the waiting room, the brothers plunge into their conflicts and memories, and through knitting, learned early with their mother, they reestablish the fraternal bond while the state of the man gets worse. The eldest, Mauro enters the ICU to try to recognize him, determined to put an end to the story and everyone can follow their lives. For this, they will have to rescue together much more than the possibility of having reunited their father, will need to discover how to mend their lives from this reunion.

CREW

Director CLAUDIA PINHEIRO
Producers LUCIANO RECK AND DIEGO FREITAS
Executive Producer LUCIANO RECK AND PAULA DIMARLI
Author and Screenwriter NANNA DE CASTRO
Cinematographer CARLOS FIRMINO
Production Design THAIS ALBUQUERQUE BRAGA
Costume Design MELINA SCHLEDER
Sound Operator RENE BRASIL
Makeup Artist SIMONE SOUZA
1st Assistant Director YARA GUZMAN
Production Manager LUCIANO RECK
Production Coordinator ZÉ EDUARDO JORDÃO
1st Assistant Camera ITAMAR BETHANCOURT
Gaffer FERNANDO CAFFE
Grip FRANKLIN CLOSEL
Casting by JOISI FREIRE
Editors DIEGO FREITAS and BRUNO AUTRAN
Sound Design and Mix TOCO CERQUEIRA
Music Composers ANDRÉ NAMUR and YANIEL MATOS
Colorist ELY SILVA, ABC

CAST

CICINHO                       ROCCO PITANGA
MAURO                         NANDO CUNHA
ZECA                              SÉRGIO MENEZES
JOÃO                              ROGÉRIO BRITO
CACAU                           SIDNEY SANTIAGXZDO KUANZA
MAURO – 12 ANOS      CAIO PATRICIO
MAURO – 19 ANOS      FERNANDO LUFER
CICINHO – 11 ANOS    GUSTAVO BISPO
CICINHO – 18 ANOS    MICHEL GOMES
ZECA – 5 ANOS             MIGUEL LUCCA
ZECA – 12 ANOS           VICTOR ALVES
JOÃO – 8 ANOS             CAIO OLIVEIRA
JOÃO – 15 ANOS           KAIK PEREIRA
CACAU – 2 ANOS          THOMAS FERREIRA
CACAU – 7 ANOS          PEDRO GUILHERME
ALZIRA                          ISABÉL ZUAA
ORLANDO                     ANDRÉ RAMIRO
OLIVER                          DAVID WENDEFILM
JACK                               THAIS LAGO
SANDRA                        HELOISA CINTRA
SOLANGE                      LÁRA CÓRDULA
SUELI                             GISELLE DE PRATTES
AMANDA                       ANA CAMPOS
DONA ELZA                  GRAÇA ANDRADE
EDUARDO                     GUILHERME RODIO
DRA. PIMENTEL          LIGIA BOTELHO
ATENDENTE LOJA      ROSA ROSAH
FILHA CICINHO 1       CAROL CASTRO
FILHA CICINHO 2       LORENNA NUNES

Note: Knitting won the Kikito for Best Film at the Gramado Festival by the Popular Juri vote. The actor Nando Cunha, who plays the character, Mauro, was awarded Best Actor for his performance. The actress Isabél Zuaa and the film’s youth cast received an honorable mention for their performances in the film.