"Endless Dream" is inspired by true events on the life and work of Brazilian film director and pioneer Eduardo Abelim and his dream of developing a true
genuine cinema from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, removing the cinema axis of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, where artists and film starts were in high demand and
also where everything happened.
In a very amusing and charismatic performance, Carlos Alberto Ricelli gives life to Edu, a handy army man who finds a way to get discharged from his duties of
driving authorities here and there, and becomes fascinated by the world of arts becoming a stunt man on risky performances. After failing to get a job as an actor in Rio,
which was weird since he had the looks as pointed out by a woman who said he looked exactly like famous star Eddie Polo, he returns back to his state, buys a camera and
starts making his own movies with the intent of making and showing the good cinema of Rio Grande do Sul.
His initial experiments are met with laughter due to the amateur quality of his productions, mostly made among friends, but he gets some encouragement from
audiences who become his contributors for his next films and the loyal support of an experienced theater actress (Débora Bloch). A partnership is formed and they
start making more films, one of them being "O Pecado da Vaidade", a dense melodrama that was met with huge criticism by audiences claiming it to be imoral and against
good costumes due to a kissing scene (oh the times...). And with that, Edu begins to question if his art is valid or worth doing since audiences fail to understand
what's he showing.
This is a humored and interesting film on the pioneering days of a Brazilian filmmaker, a very encouraging story about pursuing a dream and fighting each and
every obstacle, and despite such description it's not a corny film. The period recreation of the early 1930's is very detailed and accurate. But the mystery as from
where director Lauro Escorel managed to recreate Abelim's films remains since his films are all lost and even to find information on the internet about are really
rare to find. He probably had read some news articles of the period or managed to interview people who watched those films back in the day. Since practically nothing
about the man can be found - unless some film library out there - but I'd really like to know about Abelim's documentaries covering the Vargas revolution in 1930 of
which he joined to cross the country, where are those movies and what happened to him in later years (he died in 1984, two years before this movie's release and never
returned to make another film).
I fascinated by this story from a different era when making movies were a fun and amateur experience, conducted by people who knew almost nothing about making
a movie yet they managed to create stories, become a little famous and improve each movie went by, without attending film schools or anything. It was all about learning
as you go, and this is the kind of things that doesn't happen anymore unless if it's some video project here and there, or some group with resources who manage to
make their own pieces. This proves a great way that with creativity, enthusiasm and a passion one can find the ways and means to make their own art. It's inspiring all that much. 8/10.
