who we are

The old world is dying.

The new is slow to emerge.

It is in this chiaroscuro that the monsters appear.

— Antonio Gramsci

There is something ingrained in this phrase, like an afterimage retained in our retinas once we stop looking towards the light. It was with this in mind that not only the name of our production company was born, but also the ferment that fuels our growth, in other words, our ideal.

If we have to think objectively about what chiaroscuro is, we think of it as a bridge connecting two borders. As Brazilian artists and producers, we grapple with a rather particular unease, a kind of identity limbo whose mirror never reflects us clearly.

We are Latin Americans and we don't speak Spanish. We look to the north, to the center, to the old world, but we don't know how to speak their language either. We know that 'Brazil never went to Brazil', but where has Brazil gone (or where is it now)?

We are João and Hellen.

A man from Rio de Janeiro and a woman from Recife.

We met in Buenos Aires, when we were both far from home. From there, Claroscuro was born: a production company with its roots firmly planted in Rio and Recife, but with its eyes set on Latin America. We are producers and directors, we make films, series, documentaries, exhibitions and whatever else comes to mind! Whether for those who are here, there or somewhere in between. And we are not alone. To complete our trio, we have Eduardo, our managing partner, the same one who organizes our finances, loves a spreadsheet during the day and a movie at night.

Our production company is therefore born in this borderland limbo. Claroscuro is a transition, an inflection point between poles as distinct as day and night. It's where the darkness is no longer, but neither is it where we can clearly see the forms. Just like Portuñol.

Our mission involves trusting in a more united Latin America, seeking plural voices that do not sound in unison, but rather broaden our perspectives through difference.

Let's allow the old world to die, so that it no longer makes sense to think in terms of vertical axes, but rather in terms of enriching collaborations for all parties.