FEATURE: Richard Guenne & Rita Pereira (My Pandemic Year Filmmakers)

Mini Interview: Richard Guenne & Rita Pereira (My Pandemic Year Filmmakers)

Could you shortly introduce yourself?

Rita & Richard: We are Rita and Richard. We are from Portugal and Netherlands and we met in Rotterdam. We are both interested in world affairs, arts, and music. We enjoy sharing experiences and discussing their meaning.

How did you experience the screening?

Rita & Richard: The screening was a perfect way to mark this date. It was an incredible year, for the good, and the bad. It was important for us to share the screening with close friends with whom we experienced last year with.

What do you think about the films that were shown?

Rita & Richard: Besides being extremely entertaining, we were surprised by the diversity of personal experiences of the pandemic.

How was this evening different for you than going to the cinema?

Rita & Richard: During this evening we could chat and comment on what we were seeing immediately, either at home or in the chat. That was very cool. You could have an immediate feel for the different opinions of the short movies. Overall, we think that (weirdly) you get a better sense of connection with the other viewers/creators by seeing their faces, the names, and reading the chat, than if you are in a conventional cinema. 

What is your “artistic take away” from this past year during the pandemic?

Rita & Richard: Never, in our wildest dreams had we thought we would live in a reality where life just stops, you don’t go to work, and you are not supposed to meet or hug your friends. There was a lot of sadness and loss in the last year, but the insanity of it all was very inspiring.