Margarida Madeira is the creative brain behind pickles films production company with several animations movies awarded at national and international festivals, including "The Prisoners" and the famous "Dona Fúnfia".
How does animation come about in your life?
Margarida Madeira: I was studying communication design at the Faculty of Fine Arts of Porto and went to do Erasmus in Poland. As the animation movies in this country are very important, then decide to take some classes, I realized that it was what I liked the most, then when I returned to Portugal I bet on this change.
You started working in a production company in South America, in the "Hierroanimación", and then you arrive in Colombia after college, or was not that way?
MM: It was not soon after college, I finish the course and then I went to do a master's degree in Barcelona. I had a group of friends who developed a project that became a series, they had the support of a Colombian television channel and needed professionals, people trained in animation and who knew how to use the software that had been used in the short. So, They invited me and other people to work there.
Then you had another opportunity in Mexico?
MM: Yes, when I finished the production of the series I was thinking about what I was going to do, this same group of friends decided to go to Mexico and I decided to look for work there and spent some months in an advertising agency.
Then you returned to Portugal and created a very award-winning short film that is "The Prisoners". How does this project come about?
MM: "The Prisoners" appears while I was still in Mexico, they told me about a book "Prisoners: Mothers behind bars" by Isabel Mery, writer and journalist, I did not know that mothers could keep the children in jail and I was shocked because I thought it was not very ethical and even bad for them. After reading the book my opinion was not so clear, I had serious doubts about what I previously thought and thought it was a good theme to develop in an animation. On the other hand, I thought it would be good to spread the theme of the book and that would be a great vehicle to get this message to other audiences.
And that's when you decided to create pickles films?
MM: That was a little out of necessity, because as I got support from the ICA (Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual) to develop this project it was necessary a production company and I thought it was a good idea to start developing this and other animations.
And what was the public's feedback about this short film?
MM: The public liked it very much and a little like me I meet a lot of people that also did not know that kids could be with the mothers in jail. I think I fulfilled my objectives with this animation movie that was to make people think, realize that reality is not black and white and that there are several tones and that we need to think twice about things. People were touched and with the prizes it was good to realize that even at an international level it made sense the message that I wanted to convey.
How does appear "Dona Fúnfia, tour to Portugal on a bicycle"?
MM: It was an idea I had for some time, a good few years ago, but one that I had never put into practice. It was about a lady who had never worn pants and it was about a reality that I knew. It was made while I was waiting for the support or not to develop "The Prisoners". I took old things I already had and in one month I made this short film. "Dona Fúnfia" was made in my free time, but afterwards it turned out to be very good, because it was well accepted by people, it participated in some festivals and it even gave arose a first episode of a series.
Yes, but you will continue this project, because you plan to take "Dona Fúnfia" to other locations in Portugal.
MM: Well, I did this first episode that is about a tour around Portugal and the locality is Vila Real. I was looking for funding to do the remaining chapters, the idea is to make 20, however, other animations appeared and I also did not got the funds needed to give it continuity, so it is a project that is in stand by.
And you have a partnership with "the Portuguese music liking itself". How did this come about?
MM: One of the initial ideas of "Dona Fúnfia" is to rely heavily on traditional Portuguese music and all the cultural aspects that this entails. I always liked this project of Tiago Pereira, so I decided to ask if I could use the songs and inspire me in the images of the film that he records to develop characters and complete the episodes of the animation. He thought it was a good idea, I took the videos and the people of some of them to do "Dona Fúnfia” on tour thru Portugal.
And the voice of Dona Fúnfia, how did you select the person for this character?
MM: That was very easy, the first "Dona Fúnfia", the original of the short film I did in a month, the only person who came to my mind was my grandmother, so I decided to use her, because her voice has a lot of empathy and she is a good story teller.
And the physical aspect of the character was based on your grandmother?
MM: No, "Dona Fúnfia" is not my grandmother, the physical aspect of the character is based on the ladies I saw daily in Canas de Senhorim, which were part of my imaginary, women who never wore pants and always wore robes.
And what was the reaction to this animation film?
MM: It has been very good, even at an international level, it has already won a lot of prizes and I even thought it was a very Portuguese reality, after all I noticed that it also exists in other countries and people like some aspects that I develop in this short film.
Are you developing other projects?
MM: Yes, I'm developing a short film called "Essay on Death", based on Isabel Mery's book, the writer of "The Prisoners", is about death and I wanted to explore this subject because it makes me think .
And you're going to introduce it later this year?
MM: That's the idea, but it will be release by the end of the year when it's finished.
