“The film [Aquarius" ] is very, very successful. We had the highest per-screen average of last week's releases.” LastsFilmSuccessfulWeekHighestAverageScreensReleaseAquarius Author:Sonia Braga
“["Aquarius"] it had a bit of a rocky arrival in cinemas because we were given the 18+ rating, which did not make any sense in terms of the Brazilian rating system for a film like this.” FilmGivenBitsTermCinemaRatingArrivalsAquarius Author:Sonia Braga
“When you actually see it, it is quite strong, but there's nothing really pornographic about it. They are high-impact yet very short moments of sexuality, which makes it very confusing for the censors. If censors were merely human beings who watch a film ["Aquarius"] and come out with a conclusion about what they saw, then there wouldn't be a problem.” IfsHumansMomentsProblemFilmStrongHuman BeingsWatchesSawsImpactSexualityConclusionConfusingAquarius Author:Sonia Braga
“The rating [of "Aquarius"] was eventually brought down to 16 after the third appeal. Everything blew up after the second appeal because the press picked it up and spurred suspicions of persecution.” ThirdsPressesAppealsSuspicionPersecutionRatingAquarius Author:Sonia Braga
“When I wrote the script [of "Aquarius"], it seemed to hold people's interest.” PeopleInterestScriptsAquarius Author:Sonia Braga
“Sônia Braga reacted in a beautiful way to the draft I sent her, so we just made the film ["Aquarius"] as I had written it. Emilie [Lesclaux], my wife and producer, told me, "This is not a two-hour film. This is going to be longer." And I said, "Well, let's try and make it work, whatever length it is."” WayTryingWellsMadeSaidTwoBeautifulFilmHoursWifeWrittenMy WifeProducersLengthAquarius Author:Sonia Braga
“Of course, I was a little concerned about it being over two hours [in "Aquarius" ]. "Neighboring Sounds" was two hours and eleven minutes. This is two hours and twenty-five minutes, and I did try bringing it down. For instance, I considered cutting out the sequence with the family looking at pictures.” TryingLittlesTwoCoursesSoundHoursFiveCuttingMinutesConcernedTwentiesInstanceFive MinutesSequenceElevenTwenty FiveEleven MinutesAquarius Author:Sonia Braga
“I didn't want to overstate anything, but at the same time, the scene expands on some of the themes in the film [ "Aquarius"].” WantFilmSceneThemeAquarius Author:Sonia Braga
“People have reacted to the length of "Aquarius" in very positive ways. For example, at the beginning, you have people in a car on the beach at night. One character says, "I'm going to play you this great track." She pushes in a cassette tape, and they listen to about 45 seconds of Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust." You can actually see the pleasure registering on their faces, but it takes time, and audiences have appreciated that.” PeopleWayPlayCharacterFacesNightPleasureAudienceCarExampleTrackDustBeachQueensLengthSecondsBitesTapeTake TimeAppreciatedIt Takes TimeVery PositiveAquariusCassettesCassette Tapes Author:Sonia Braga
“The reaction I got from Sônia [Braga] in less than 48 hours after I sent her the script [Aquarius] was so genuine that it left me stunned. Often when you show people scripts, you get polite, absent-minded reactions, as well as exclamations of "What the f - k is this?".” PeopleWellsShowsLeftHoursScriptsGenuineReactionsPoliteAbsentStunnedExclamationAquariusAbsent Minded48 Hours Author:Sonia Braga
“When Sônia [Braga] talked about the script in detail, it was as if she had seen the film [Aquarius] last night, even though it hadn't existed yet. It was a completely bulls - t-less reaction, so I knew it had to be her, and she has been great ever since.” IfsHas BeensLastsFilmNightScriptsDetailsReactionsLast NightBullsAquarius Author:Sonia Braga
“When I talk to [my kids], I remember my father talking to me, so it's understandable that I would make a film like "Aquarius." A very good friend of mine saw the film, and she said it was clear that it had been made by someone who had just become a father.” MadeSaidKidsRememberFilmFatherTalkingClearSawsMinesVery GoodGood FriendAquariusVery Good Friends Author:Sonia Braga
“I just hope the film [Aquarius] doesn't feel overly nostalgic because too much nostalgia for me leads to depression. I think Clara is very pragmatic.” ThinkingFeelsFilmToo MuchNostalgiaNostalgicPragmaticAquariusClara Author:Sonia Braga
“I think anybody who was ever saddened by a movie theater closing would be able to understand this film [Aquarius].” ThinkingWould BeAbleFilmTheaterClosingMovie TheaterSaddenedAquarius Author:Sonia Braga
“I think the film [Aquarius] comes from that original feeling I had 18 years ago, when I was in a São Paulo supermarket. I was in line to pay for something, and when I looked up, I saw the little windows of a projection booth. That's when I realized the supermarket used to be a movie theater. They didn't even bother to change the walls. Years ago, "The Sound of Music" could've been playing in that space.” ThinkingYearsLittlesFeelingsFilmUsedSoundLinesSpacePaySawsWallYears AgoWindowTheaterOriginalsI RealizedUsed To BeBotherProjectionSupermarketsMovie TheaterSound Of MusicAquarius Author:Sonia Braga
“I think the relationship [in Aquarius] with her nephew shows that she's not nostalgic. She just wants to preserve what is important to her - her records, her books, even some furniture. She doesn't want to leave that house because it is her home. That is where her kids were born. After moving so much in my life, I was touched by Clara's need to stay in that apartment. I love her life, and that may be why I connected to her so strongly. We are the most alike when we are fighting for our rights.” ThinkingWantNeedsMayImportantBookShowsHomeKidsMovingFightingHouseBornRecordsRightsConnectedPreservesTouchedApartmentFurnitureNostalgicNephewAquariusClara Author:Sonia Braga
“The movie [Aquarius] is about love, ultimately, and it was made with love. There were a lot of parents in the crew, and they were the best crew I had ever worked with. Everybody knew the construction of each scene, and were completely invested in every shooting day.” MadeParentSceneShootingConstructionCrewAquariusMade With Love Author:Sonia Braga
“I just realized the other day that Clara [in Aquarius] and I are now going to be apart year by year. She's still 65, and I'm 66 now. When you make a movie, it preserves you at a certain age, and it's so wonderful that Clara has preserved me at 65. People are talking about her age in a way that is positive and respectful, which is so wonderful.” PeopleWayYearsStillsAgeCertainTalkingWonderfulPreservesRespectfulAquariusClaraJust Realized Author:Sonia Braga
“Everybody else is going to react differently to the film [Aquarius], but what I love about it is that both men and women are going to react to it because they will find themselves represented.” MenFilmMen And WomenAquarius Author:Sonia Braga
“When I saw that scene [in ocean from the Aquarius] for the first time, it blew me away. It caused me to reflect on my age, my history and all that I've been through in Brazil. Having been away from Brazil for so long, while not speaking in my own tongue, when I saw that image, I felt like I was taking my first deep breath after nearly suffocating to death. It was like the plastic had been removed from my head. Even if this breath turned out to be my last, at least I got to have this one moment of release. At least I got this one chance.” IfsFirstsLongMomentsAgeLastsFeltChanceMy OwnSawsSceneOceanFirst TimeBreathsTongueReleasePlasticBrazilDeep BreathOne ChanceSuffocatingAquarius Author:Sonia Braga
“It's a great role for any age. Any actress wishes they would find a screenplay that means as much to them as "Aquarius" meant to me, as a person and a citizen.” MeanPersonsAgeWishRolesCitizensActressesScreenplaysAquarius Author:Sonia Braga
“I live in New York, and Clara lives in Recife. The character is Brazilian, and as I read the script, I felt like Kleber [Mendonca] had been spying on me in order to create this role [in Aquarius]. Clara and I have different backgrounds. I come from an intuitive world, and she's an academic, but when we got together, we really became one. There are many times when I'm watching the film where Clara will say something, and I will find myself agreeing with her. It was the first time that I had this weird sensation that the character I played is so me, but yet it's so her.” WorldFirstsDifferentCharacterTogetherFilmOrderFeltRolesNew YorkFirst TimeScriptsBackgroundsSensationsAcademicIntuitiveDifferent BackgroundsAquariusClara Author:Sonia Braga
“Nobody who comes out of the movie [Aquarius] focuses on those [sexual] scenes, because they are not the heart of the film. They are a consequence of the story, but I don't remember hearing audiences talking about them afterward. They came out discussing themes of resistance, history and memory. They're talking about the beauty of the self and how it can become demolished.” HeartSelfStoriesRememberFilmMemoriesTalkingAudienceSceneConsequenceHearingResistanceThemeDiscussingAquariusHistory And Memory Author:Sonia Braga
“We did receive some questions about the film's [Aquarius] sexuality in Cannes, but they came from the press rather than audiences.” FilmAudiencePressesSexualityAquariusCannes Author:Sonia Braga
