I hope my films create space for reflection and empathy. Many of the stories I tell focus on people whose experiences are often invisible, particularly women and migrants navigating complex systems. If my work can help audiences feel those realities with more sensitivity, that already feels meaningful. I would like to be remembered as a filmmaker who told honest stories and used cinema as a way to connect human experiences across borders. LARISSA MAXINE
What inspired you to pursue a film career, and how has your Brazilian heritage influenced your storytelling?
My artistic journey began in my teenage years when I discovered the Brazilian rock icon, Rita Lee. Her freedom and strength as a female artist were a turning point that opened the door to my own creativity. I began exploring drawing, dance, and eventually acting. I performed in my first theatre play at 16, and by 18, I was already playing a protagonist on television. Over time, I expanded into writing and directing. With The Stain, I brought all these elements together: Writing, directing, acting, and contributing to the soundtrack. My Brazilian heritage deeply shapes my storytelling through creativity, resilience, and imagination.
Can you share the central themes of your short film, The Stain, and what motivated you to create this story?
The Stain follows an immigrant mother facing deportation while trying to regain custody of her daughter. Since 2019, I have worked closely with survivors of domestic violence, and many of the emotional realities portrayed in the film come from listening to those experiences. However, the film is not based on a single story. It grew from a deeper desire to reclaim and reshape the narrative around immigrant women into voices that are often reduced to statistics or silence. As an immigrant woman myself, writing and directing this film was a way of reflecting fragments of many lives, including my own.
How do you approach the process of writing and directing a film? What does your typical workflow look like?
As a multimedia artist, my creative process can vary quite a lot depending on the project. In the case of The Stain, the process began when I met the cinematographer, Williams Pinto, and we decided to create something together. At that point, I didn’t have a complete script, only fragments of ideas and emotions I wanted to explore. The story developed organically from those fragments. From the moment I started writing to the beginning of filming, we had only about 30 days, so the process was intense, collaborative, and driven by intuition and trust in myself.
As both the writer and actress for your character Lily in The Stain, how did you balance these dual roles during production?
I approach character development through construction. I first build the universe the character lives in (her circumstances, pressures, and emotional world), and from there the character gradually takes shape. Knowing my own acting range can help while writing, but I keep the roles separate. Writing and acting require different skills, even though they ultimately support each other.
Your work is known for its visually symbolic approach. Can you discuss how you incorporate visual elements to enhance the narrative?
In The Stain, the image of the black stain becomes a metaphor for the misogynistic idea of purity, the expectation that a woman must remain flawless. The film explores how those standards clash with realities women face in everyday life, particularly for someone who is divorced and an immigrant confronting the possibility of returning to her country of origin. The stain represents failure, judgment, and the marks that society places on women. I often use visual symbolism as a narrative tool; images allow the emotional layers of the story to emerge in subtle ways. That is the big jam about being a filmmaker, your feelings and ideas come into life through images and sound.
What draws you to the psychological thriller genre, and how do you think it allows for deeper exploration of human emotions?
I’ve always been a fan of horror and psychological thrillers. Historically, the genre has often been shaped by male perspectives, so directing within it is also a way of reclaiming space as a filmmaker. For The Stain, the psychological thriller format allowed me to explore themes like domestic violence and immigration with emotional intensity, making the character’s inner world more visceral and immersive.
Your films often explore themes of migration and memory. How do these themes resonate with your personal experiences or observations?
I am a migrant myself. I was born in Curitiba, in the south of Brazil, and when I was 15, I spent time in the United States on a student program. When I returned, I realised the world as something much bigger than I had imagined, and that experience shaped my desire to move, explore, and observe different cultures. Migration deeply informs my work because it comes with many challenges, as language, cultural adaptation, and the constant effort to build stability. In The Stain, Lily’s story reflects that reality, exploring the systemic pressures and emotional weight many migrants experience while trying to remain in their chosen country.
Why do you believe it is important to focus on female subjectivity in your work, and how do you convey this perspective in The Stain?
I believe in gender equality, but after more than 20 years working in the entertainment industry, I know how far we still are from that reality. Representing female subjectivity is not only about women’s voices in a traditional sense, but about acknowledging the plurality of experiences that exist beyond cis-normative definitions of womanhood. It is also about opening space for other underrepresented perspectives. In The Stain, which deals with domestic violence, migration, and motherhood, it was essential that the story was told through a woman’s perspective, reclaiming narrative power over experiences that are often misrepresented.
What was your experience like participating in the Stockholm City Film Festival, and how did it impact your view on filmmaking?
Participating in the Stockholm City Film Festival was a very meaningful experience. Being recognised as a finalist reaffirmed the relevance of the themes explored in The Stain. Stockholm Film Festival created a space where filmmakers from different backgrounds can exchange perspectives, and seeing the film resonate with international audiences strengthened my belief in telling intimate stories that reflect broader social realities.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a filmmaker, and how have you overcome them?
Time was one of the biggest challenges. While writing and producing The Stain, I was also preparing for a world tour as an Art Direction assistant for the Brazilian band Matriarcas do Samba. Moving between Europe and Australia while developing the film made the process quite intense. It was a hectic but rewarding experience, and it taught me the importance of giving future projects a bit more space to breathe.
How do you approach collaboration with your cast and crew, and what do you think is the key to a successful working relationship?
Cinema is fundamentally collaborative. Sometimes we wear multiple hats, but filmmaking only truly comes alive through teamwork. As an actor, much of the work can be quite solitary (sending self-tapes or rehearsing alone), so the set becomes the place where connection happens and the work grows collectively. That exchange elevates the craft. As a director, I feel the same: even if writing begins as a solitary process, collaboration with cast and crew is essential to expand and strengthen the narrative.
Are there any upcoming projects or films that you are currently working on that you can share with us?
I’m currently in a moment of transition as I prepare to spend some time in New Zealand. I believe that travel always expands creative possibilities, and Wellington — where I’ll be based — has a vibrant artistic community, especially within film. I’m excited to see how this new environment will influence my future projects and collaborations.
Being based between Australia and Brazil, how do you think this cultural exchange influences your work and perspective as a filmmaker?
Being based between Brazil and Australia has deeply shaped my perspective as a filmmaker. Moving between cultures allows me to observe how different societies approach identity, family, and belonging. This exchange broadens the way I tell stories and helps me approach characters with greater empathy and complexity. It also naturally brings themes of migration, displacement, and cultural dialogue into my work.
What advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers who want to explore similar themes in their work?
My advice would be to start from what is honest to you. The stories that resonate the most often come from lived experiences or close observation of the world around you. Don’t be afraid to explore complex or uncomfortable themes. At the same time, surround yourself with collaborators who believe in the project, because filmmaking is ultimately a collective process.
What impact do you hope your films will have on audiences, and how would you like to be remembered as a filmmaker in the future?
I hope my films create space for reflection and empathy. Many of the stories I tell focus on people whose experiences are often invisible, particularly women and migrants navigating complex systems. If my work can help audiences feel those realities with more sensitivity, that already feels meaningful. I would like to be remembered as a filmmaker who told honest stories and used cinema as a way to connect human experiences across borders.
