We were lucky to catch up with Rafael Toledo recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Rafael, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us a little bit about your latest project ‘Blockbuster’ and what the short meant to you?
I think of ‘Blockbuster’ as my introduction as a professional director. I spent a lot of time trying to see what type of films I would like to make, and I feel with this film I got to know a lot about myself and what I like to achieve with my stories
I’ve always experienced an internal conflict between wanting to create artistic auteur films and my genuine love for popcorn flicks. And I think I tried in this project to refrain from labeling the movie and trying to put everything that I love in the story, and to me it worked. The film feels like a mixture of these two worlds, and I’m very happy with that. The reception so far has also been amazing, and I’m really grateful for that.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Well, I’m a screenwriter and director from Brazil, with a background in theater and a deep love for genre films, which I guess inspired me to blend these elements in my films.
My latest film, ‘Blockbuster,’ was selected for the Slamdance Film Festival, a significant milestone in my career, and is now set to premiere in Brazil. The film follows Abel, an amateur director who decides to orchestrate an actual building explosion for his next project.
I’m at a point where I’m preparing to make my first feature film, a journey I’m sure many filmmakers can relate to.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
One of the most common pieces of advice given to aspiring screenwriters is to “write about what you know.” However, as someone who views writing as a form of daydreaming, I always hated the idea that stories are just the retelling of things that happened to me.
As a writer, my goal is to immerse the reader in scenarios far beyond what real life offers—be it through different worlds, supernatural forces, or encounters with larger-than-life characters. And try to find in those absurd situations, things that are intrinsically human. It’s more of an investigative job of trying to create meaning inside an unfamiliar situation. That’s what some of my favorite stories do.
We are, of course, always influenced by our own life experiences, but saying ‘write about what you know’ is at the least very reductive and misleading.
And what do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I actually have a list of films I want to make throughout my career. These are stories that I know I need to share with the world. I like to organize them in terms of when in my career each film should be made. It’s somewhat of a pretend game to imagine this vast repertoire of films, but I think it’s crucial to have a goal and to view your stories collectively. This helps to understand what message you’re conveying to others and serves as a reflective exercise.
I’m currently working on releasing my first feature film, which will be a significant first step in turning this dream into reality. After all, we have to start somewhere.
Contact Info:
- Check the trailer for ‘Blockbuster’: https://vimeo.
com/860997375
Image Credits
Photographs: João Henrique Couto