‘Rule 34’ Director Julia Murat Developing Musical ‘White Masks’ at the 2025 Pop Up Film Residency Projeto Paradiso (EXCLUSIVE)

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Julia Murat, a renowned Brazilian director and screenwriter, will be working on her fourth fiction film titled “White Masks” at the Pop Up Film Residency in Revine Lago, Italy, which is organized by Projeto Paradiso. This residency is part of an international project that supports the development of fiction feature films and has been extended to Murat by Brazil’s only philanthropic organization dedicated to the audiovisual industry.

Murat first appeared on screen with the 2008 documentary “Father’s Day,” and since then, she has primarily focused her work on creating fiction feature films. Previously, she directed “Rule 34,” a film that won Locarno’s Best Film Prize and earned her the Best Directing award at the Rio Film Festival. She also directed “Pendular,” which won Berlin’s Fipresci Prize, and “Found Memories,” a movie that garnered 39 international awards and was selected for over 80 festivals such as Venice, Toronto, and Rotterdam. The director was also involved in producing Marcelo Martinessi’s “The Heiresses,” which won the Fipresci Award in Berlin. In the summer of 2025, the director will travel to Revine, Lago in Italy for Projeto Paradiso’s Pop Up Film Residency.

Details about “White Masks” are scant, but its logline hints that the director’s upcoming project is a deeply personal musical exploration of her home country’s sociopolitical tapestry: “A multifaceted ensemble of artists embark on a journey through the intricate maze of identity, passion, and privilege in modern Brazil, weaving an audacious autofictional musical that seamlessly combines biting satire and introspective reflection.

When discussing the project, Murat mentions that what initially attracted her was the opportunity to “push boundaries.” She explains that “White Masks” is a complex film, not only linguistically and in terms of production, but also due to its sensitive subject matter – identity. The movie focuses on individuals who are close to her heart, including friends and herself, delving into their vulnerabilities and highlighting how they are entwined within a system of oppression.

She goes on to say, “This movie is quite difficult to work with. I’m eager to use the resources here to figure out its structure and get a better grasp of how it should be made. I’d like to express my gratitude for being chosen by this team; it will greatly aid in the production of the film.

Viviana Carlet, founder and artistic director of Lago Film Festival, expresses her excitement about welcoming Murat to Italy. She believes that Murat’s unique approach to filmmaking extends beyond just a strong creative vision; it also involves the bravery to tackle intricate and politically charged topics with unflinching honesty. Her project is daring, poetic, and indispensable – a piece that provokes thought and invites reconsideration. Having Murat at Lago is an honor: it’s a setting where the tranquility of the surroundings and the resilience of the community create the ideal atmosphere for taking risks, reassessing, and perfecting work.

Murat is the sixth artist to take part in the Pop Up Paradiso residency, an initiative designed by Projecto Paradiso together with TATINO. Josephine Bourgois, executive director of Projeto Paradiso, explains that the program was developed “to ensure that Brazilian filmmakers who have already had their international debut can work on their third film (and beyond) under optimal conditions, as there are very few opportunities for this group of accomplished yet still emerging talent.

The Pop Up Film Residency is a global collaboration of film residencies that teams up with international organizations like Cannes’ Short Film Corner, Jihlava’s Emerging Producers, and When East Meets West. This program primarily supports director and screenwriter duos who are working on their third or subsequent feature films. Past participants include Beatriz Seigner in Slovakia for “While They Sleep,” Esmir Filho in Athens with “Undetectable,” Caru Alves de Souza in Vilnius with “Lonely Hearts,” Daniel Bandeira in the Faroe Islands with “Red Express,” and most recently, Carolina Markowicz in Bucharest for “The Funeral.

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2025-05-23 14:17