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In early 2020, before a global pandemic disrupted normal activities and international travel, Brandon Brito '20 was 3,000 miles away from campus in Cape Verde, an archipelago off the west coast of Africa.
The Revere, Mass., native and then-senior at 涩里番下载 traveled to the island nation to film his documentary, 鈥�.鈥� The project, designed to shine a light on the hardships and limitations for soccer players and clubs in Cape Verde, was funded by a grant from the Jacques Salmanowitz Program for Moral Courage in Film. Administered by the University's Film Studies Program, the Salmanowitz Program supports 涩里番下载 student filmmakers interested in creating documentaries that provide role models for youth worldwide and inspire future generations.
Brandon Brito
Soccer is arguably the most popular sport in the world. Many young players grow up dreaming of playing on their country鈥檚 team or playing professionally. Brito wondered how soccer players from Cape Verde鈥攁 small and remote place鈥攎ake it to the next level. 鈥淚 wanted to learn about their motivations, their setbacks, and represent them,鈥� he said.
In 鈥淜icking on Rocks,鈥� Brito explores the dedication and love players have for the game, but also the hardships and limitations of several football clubs on the Cape Verdean islands of Brava, Fogo, and Santiago.
Brito interviewed players, trainers/coaches, and managers, and shot footage of their practices and games. He was also responsible for all the post-production, including editing and music, on the short-subject documentary.
Some assistance on the film came from his father, Ananias Brito, a Cape Verde native who accompanied his son on the trip and served as a translator. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of difficult to translate English to Kriolu (Creole) because Kriolu is a mix of Portuguese and African languages," Brito said. "My dad was a great help navigating around. And he knows all 10 islands like the back of his hand.鈥�
Language wasn鈥檛 the only challenge to the filming proces. When a sandstorm from the Sahara blew over to the islands, ferries and flights between the Cape Verdean islands were postponed or canceled. Finding himself with extra time in Fogo, Brito had to improvise. He and his father met a local man at dinner who connected them with a soccer team. Brito filmed that team the next day, and the unplanned footage ended up opening the documentary.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the cool thing about documentary film,鈥� said Brito. 鈥淵ou can write down as much as you want about what鈥檚 going to be in the it, but depending on the situations you find yourself in and the response you get from your interviewees, it can change your film drastically. It can add something you didn鈥檛 expect or you can have more questions and turn it in different directions.鈥�
鈥淜icking on Rocks鈥� was part of this year鈥檚 virtual 涩里番下载 Arts Fest and has been chosen as an official selection for the Cape Verdean American Film Festival.
The project combines two of Brito鈥檚 passions: sports and filmmaking. Brito was captain of his high school football team and is a certified personal trainer who worked at 涩里番下载's Margot Connell Recreation Center.
Faculty in the University's Film Studies Program praise Brito鈥檚 talent as a filmmaker and screenwriter, citing his storytelling, writing, and editing abilities, as well as his leadership and interpersonal skills. He received the Art, Art History and Film Department鈥檚 Screenwriting Award for excellence in screenwriting.
鈥淏randon has a remarkable eye for storytelling and the passion to convert his ideas to a vivid reality on screen,鈥� said Professor of Film Studies John Michalczyk, Brito鈥檚 advisor. 鈥淗is initiative and hard work to film in this less-known setting, with all of its challenges, indicate that he has a fresh start in the professional world of media.鈥�
According to Film Studies part-time faculty member Mary Conroy, Brito was a 鈥渟tandout鈥� in her Advanced Screenwriting course. 鈥淗e was very focused and disciplined. I admired his work ethic. He put the time into his work and it showed.
鈥淏randon is really impressive,鈥� she continued. 鈥淪ome screenwriters are character-driven and some are story-driven. He鈥檚 both. His work shows a lot of heart.鈥�
Brito鈥檚 fascination with storytelling began at a young age. While watching films like Spider-Man or the Harry Potter series, he was interested in checking out the special features to learn about the making of the movies. He loved reading and drawing, and was writing little books as early as the first grade. He also was in school plays and talent shows throughout his youth and has acted in some films created by fellow 涩里番下载 classmates.
Brito says one of his favorite classes at 涩里番下载 was Social Issues in Literature and Film taught by Michalczyk and Susan Michalczyk. 鈥淚 loved that class. We watched a bunch of movies made 20 or 30 years ago and then had really good conversations connecting those movies to what鈥檚 happening now.鈥�
Brito graduated in May with a bachelor of arts degree in film studies. He knows a career in filmmaking may likely bring him to New York or Los Angeles, but for the time being he is working on local projects and hopes to return to Cape Verde to shoot another film.
鈥淓very film starts with an idea. And I have tons of ideas.鈥�
Kathleen Sullivan, University Communications | July 2020