First Maré, then the beach

As always, time seems to get you by surprise, and we now only have one week left before the video carta comes to an end. But which one! The last couple of weeks have been worth waiting for. First came the opportunity to go outside the walls of Luta Pela Paz and film the kids' daily environment in Maré. A few days after the sun came out and we went to the beach in Ipanema to do a little filming, but most importantly to have a great day together. Both days could get the title of being 'the best summerday', to use a frase that Peter Lucas' students will remember. Simply meaning that they were pretty amazing.
The day we filmed in the streets and shops of Maré gave us some important footage for the video carta. Under Bira's guidance we got to film a little restaurant where a family of one of the kids were working. We shot a shop with birds and fish. And not least we filmed one of the smaller streets of the community, where people and also the postman were interviewed by the kids. It was not easy, but we succeeded in getting around with cameras and doing our shots without stepping on anyone’s toes. This could not have happened without Bira who was making sure that the kids never pointed the cameras towards the main street or other places where traffickers could be catched by the lense. As earlier mentioned Friday can be a hot day in Maré and while filming inside a restaurant a small group of men with big guns took place on the street. This is the first time that I have seen that so early during the day, but the kids didn’t care and even mentioned that we should relax – ’it’s normal’.

The day at Ipanema beach was of course more peaceful and had a handful of the more polished Kodak-moments. Blue sky, kids playing in the water and even a kite that the kids managed to get high high up in the sky. After playtime in the water we went to the big rock that divides Ipanema and Copacabana, Arpoardor. David filmed and the rest of the groups gave a sum-up of the day. It all ended very beautiful with the sun paiting the sky pink when we walked towards the van picking the kids up to go home.
Check out the pictures from both Maré and the beach. A lot of the pictures are taken by the kids, who are all very into not only filming but also photography.

Nadia Claudi The New School, New York