Authentic Choice:
A Quest for Authenticity in Rio

Post because we have something to say.

Some years back I was in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil serving as Director of Photography on a film, which in itself was a fantastic experience. The weather alone made filming very challenging, sometimes stopping production completely. Terrific crew, and we made some great images with complex camera moves, stunts, dramatic lighting, and more. It was great fun.

One of the producers was Breno Agusto Guimarres, who is an actor and author as well, and grew up in Rio. He became my guide to the city, and took me to all the best restaurants (which in Rio doesn’t mean the fanciest or most expensive), the Costa Brava Clube out on the point outside of Rio, and the other iconic parts of the city. The two of us share eclectic interests, and a fascination for the obscure and the out of the way, and we explored that too. He took me to an Oscar party at the only remaining DVD rental shop in Rio, run by Cavi Borges, who’s also a filmmaker and is opening a cinema now.

Of course Breno has dreams too, and one of them is to make a film about a person and place that is near and dear to him – Academia de Boxe Nobre Arte, in Cantagallo, a favela above the city, and run by Claudio Coelho. On one of my last days in Brazil, we hiked up to the top of the city to one of the neighborhoods that is known for its poverty and high crime rate, and its tight knit, loyal community. A place where tourists are advised not to go unaccompanied by someone familiar with the neighborhood. Breno, our sound recordist, and myself hiked up to what felt like the top of the world with my mirrorless camera, a few lenses and a minimal sound package. What we found there was more than a boxing gym – it’s more like a community center, or even a family. Claudio took a few minutes between training sessions to tell a part of his story, which is the story of growing up in the neighborhood and eventually becoming a trainer for many well known combat sports stars. But this isn’t what’s important to him – what is important to him is helping turn the tide of violence and fight against the marginalization the neighborhood and its residents have suffered since before he was a child.

This is a story worth telling – it’s a much bigger one than we had time and resources for while I was in Rio. It’s a story of dedication and resilience, of someone intentionally building a life and legacy they deem worthy.

This is the kind of story that reminds us why we do what we do – not for social media likes or viral moments, but because some stories need to be told. Claudio’s work exemplifies how one person’s dedication can ripple outward to transform an entire community.

I look forward to returning to Rio someday to help tell this story more fully. In the meantime, I’m grateful for the opportunity to have witnessed firsthand how passion, purpose, and perseverance can create meaningful change where it’s needed most.

#CommunityImpact #Filmmaking #SocialChange #DocumentaryFilm #RiodeJaneiro #BehindTheScenes #Storytelling #MakingADifference