Marcel, Barbara

Barbara Marcel
Brazilian filmmaker


Interview: 10 questions

1. Tell me something about your life and the educational background

I was born in 1985 in Brazil and after studying Films and Philosophy in Rio de Janeiro, I worked three years in the Brazilian Film Industry of Post-production. In 2009 I moved to Berlin to do a Master in Fine Arts at Berlin University of Arts, and since then have been concentrated in own projects.

2. When, how and why started you filming?

I started filming since school, as amateur filmmaker, but professionally since University. From youth I was always fascinated by cinema, and I followed with a passion most of international production. I chose to make movies because it’s the best way for me to reflect on the world, through the production and analysis of moving images.

3. What kind of subjects have your films?

I prefer to think that one can not separate the films themes and forms, or personally, I prefer not to do this kind of analysis. But I would say that my films are about experiences of being in the world, on stories or images that somehow disturbs me, and that need to be addressed to others who wish to receive them and think them.


The process is different in every movie. Most projects are born from a collection of images and / or sounds, words, stories and historical events that seem urgent somehow. There is then a moment of accumulation possible intuitive-motion-pictures and sounds, and then an attempt to organize them in order to realize them and communicate them to the team. Although this organization is important for an understanding of what might be the work process of filming and editing the material, creating only expire when the film is shown to others.

5. Tell me something about the technical equipment you use.

At the moment I work more frequently with my private equipment: Canon EOS 600D camera, Rode microphone and several lenses. This equipment allows me to be very independent and to experience more alone or with a small group of collaborators. I also like shooting with analogue material, such as Bolex 16mm or Super 8 cameras, but it depends on the project and funding.


The new EOS digital cameras allow more independence and have an increased quality of image. They are lightweight, practical and relatively easy to use. However, they still have many limitations. Moreover, the digital image doesn’t has the same quality, presence and experience of analogue image. I still prefer the analogue image by the beauty of its material, the way the image is formed on the negative grain and texture, depth and density of the material. However, like everything that involves the analogue world production and display of images, requires a lot of money, and is no longer being produced for the market, it is increasingly difficult to opt for this medium.

7. How do you finance your films?

Until now I always had the funding of universities where I studied, but soon I will try the Brazilian funding or international cooperations.


Right now I have individual projects and in cooperation, in progress. I think most of the time I prefer to work alone, but from time to time I need collective projects.


The entire history of cinema, especially Robert Bresson, Claire Dennis, Gus van Sant, Jean-Luc Godard, Chris Marker, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Manuel de Oliveira, Pedro Costa, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Rogério Sganzerla, Glauber Rocha, Karim Aïnouz, Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Agnès Varda and Harun Farocki.


To be able to financially live from making my films and videos, and displaying them in Cinema halls, galleries and museums.
