Mônica Carvalho actress and screenwriter

MÔNICA CARVALHO TALKS ABOUT

PARTICIPATING IN REALITY TV AND

A NEW PHASE IN HER CAREER

* Mônica you recently participated in the program No Limite and you were the first eliminated, how did you feel after the elimination? MÔNICA - For those who watched it, it seems like it was a short time, but for me it was several days with many deprivations. I felt very hungry, cold, didn't sleep well... The Amazon Rainforest is very challenging. I didn't make alliances with the other participants. And I know myself, if I stayed longer I might not be happy. I think I left in a light way and with everyone liking me.

* You complained about the lack of “coffee” in the jungle, which generated many memes on social media. What did you miss most? MÔNICA - This coffee made hilarious memes! I loved the creativity and speed of the fans! A sense of humor is essential, but the need was real and I was very upset, wanting a coffee to give me energy (laughs). Honestly, I thought it would be a breeze, but the deprivations are real. And sleeping was difficult, on top of the ropes and next to a bunch of people.

* For you, what was the most difficult thing about this experience? MÔNICA - The night was complicated because of the cold and the sounds of the for * How do you evaluate your participation in the program? MÔNICA - Very good! I didn't go unnoticed. I left lightly, people liked my style. Now everywhere I go, people offer me coffee! (laughs) To become a meme, the public has to identify with it and it was something spontaneous. Really, I am a person who likes the practicality of the modern world. The experience was incredible, working with my team was fun. I'm going to take this experience with me. I felt very brave for accepting it. I'm not afraid of challenges, but I lived this experience. * You are writing a screenplay for the cinema with Tiago Santiago, can you tell us a little about the project? MÔNICA - I was invited by Tiago to contribute as a screenwriter to this wonderful story “Rose of Carnival”, written by Tiago Santiago himself. History is inspired by “Gata Borralheira”, so to speak, in an unusual setting that is a samba school court. The protagonist dreams of becoming a drum queen. The plot takes place in the middle of samba! Not at the apotheotic party but behind the scenes focusing on the process, rehearsals, competitions, sabotage and so on! The story is cute! We will be able to show this rich universe around carnival. I am really happy! Tiago was my professor at University. To be writing alongside him today is an honor for me!

* Your feature film “Sara Lia e Leia” will premiere this year, what will the release be like? MÔNICA - My feature film is ready. It is in the post-production phase. The launch is expected to be at the end of the year. The distributor is Imagem Filme. From today onwards, all decisions about the best date to launch are no longer in my hands. I co-produced the film. I wrote the script together with Michele Muniz and Marcelo Correia. I had the idea of writing Sara Lia and Leia in the middle of the pandemic, talking about three women who have a lot of expectations for the year 2020 with several job opportunities, but with the pandemic and lockdown they were unemployed and stuck in a kitnet, going through several funny situations until they decided to travel to paradise. The chosen paradise was Maragogi, our Brazilian Caribbean. I cannot fail to record the support we received from the mayor of Maragogi and the government of Alagoas. We are portraying the city in a very beautiful way! The Brazilian people will be very curious to discover this little piece of Brazil. The film has a message of friendship, beautiful landscapes, and portrays nature as spectacular as the Maldives and the Caribbean! We have everything here in Brazil! * Besides the film, what are your plans for the second half of the year? Have you been approached about returning to TV? MÔNICA - I want to go back to TV, not at the moment. I have many projects underway and my focus today is writing. I want to dedicate my time to the release of my film, my little baby. Because an actress, screenwriter, co-producer can release a film in cinemas across Brazil, I confess to you that it is a lot of work! I never imagined it would take so long to make films. When you finish filming, the post-production work is just beginning. I am taking part in all stages, I want to be well included in this process as an actress, screenwriter and co-producer.