INTERVIEW with Bernardo Barreto
Bernardo Barreto is an award-winning Brazilian actor, writer, producer, and director. In 2011, he conceived the film Artificial Paradises, produced by José Padilha (Narcos, Tropa de Elite). In 2013, he co-produced the documentary City of God: Ten Years Later, which received critical acclaim. In 2019, he produced and directed his first feature film, The Seeker, which won the Jury Award at the PÖFF Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. More recently, Bernardo wrote and produced The Ballad of a Hustler, a co-production with the USA, directed by Heitor Dhalia. The film premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and won Best Dramatic Feature Award at the Arizona International Film Festival and SOHO International Film Festival, as well as Best Narrative Feature Award and Best Actor in a Feature Award for Bernardo at the Garden State Film Festival. His upcoming projects include the horror film Epitaph (2026), his second feature as a director, as well as two international co-productions currently in development, The Bait and Free Spirit.
How long have you been making movies? How did you decide to start?
I have been working as an actor for around twenty years, and my career gradually expanded into writing, producing, and directing. Acting introduced me to storytelling through the inner lives of characters. Over time, I also wanted to develop stories of my own, which led me to establish Berny Filmes in 2011.
Why did you choose this project?
I was working on post-production for another film when the pandemic hit. Everything stopped, and I found myself stuck on the coast of São Paulo indefinitely. While looking for a place on Airbnb, I came across a house in the middle of the woods with no cell reception. It wasn’t practical for me to rent, but something about it stayed with me. That night, I dreamed about the house.
By the following day, I had written a forty-page treatment for a psychological horror film, a genre I had never imagined working in. I gathered some friends who were just as hungry to create something, and together we developed and shot the film. Afterward, I had to raise the money to finish it, which took years. It was an unexpected journey that began with a house I never rented and a dream I couldn’t shake
If you can share, what was the budget?
The production budget for Epitaph was approximately US$500,000.
Was it self-funded, or did you work with producers and investors?
Both. The project was developed through my company, Berny Filmes, using a combination of my own funds, outside investment, and generous support from family and friends.
How long did it take from the initial idea to being ready for release?
The idea came to me during the pandemic. Writing and development took about two months, followed by a month of pre-production and fourteen days of shooting. Then came the long part: raising the remaining money and completing post-production took five and a half years. The film came together very quickly at first, but finishing it required a completely different kind of patience and persistence.
Are you happy with the result?
Yes. We faced so many limitations during the shoot that every day became an exercise in reimagining the plan while staying true to the story. I believe the tight schedule, the small crew, and the unexpected challenges helped us in some ways. They pushed us to be inventive and trust each other.
I’m proud of what we achieved together and grateful to everyone who helped bring it to life. After such a long journey, I’m excited to see how audiences respond.
What phase is the project in right now? Are you beginning, midway through, or finishing the festival circuit?
We have recently completed Epitaph and are in the early stages of submitting it to festivals. We are also exploring distribution opportunities and working to find the right audience for the film.
How has your experience with festivals been so far? Where do you think they could improve?
It is still early in the festival journey for Epitaph. Across my other projects, festivals have offered valuable opportunities to meet audiences and fellow filmmakers. Those conversations can give you a new perspective on your own work.
I would love to see more festivals help independent films build lasting connections with distributors and audiences. Clear communication and opportunities for meaningful exchange also make a real difference for filmmakers.
Which platforms do you use to submit your projects to festivals?
I use FilmFreeway.
Were you inspired by any directors or films? What were your references?
I was never much of a horror fan, mostly because I get scared so easily! My references were mainly classics such as William Friedkin’s The Exorcist, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, and Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula. But as I developed Epitaph and explored the genre more deeply, I became hooked.
That exploration opened up a much wider range of filmmakers for me: Ari Aster, Robert Eggers, Jordan Peele, and James Wan, particularly The Conjuring and Insidious. Films such as The Others, The Invitation, and The Invisible Man also offer fascinating ways of connecting psychological tension with the threat of something we cannot fully understand.
What interests me most is how horror grows out of the characters’ emotional lives. In Epitaph, the relationships need to feel believable for the supernatural threat to carry weight. The audience has to care about what is happening between these people, as well as what might happen to them.
What is your favorite movie?
I always struggle with this question because I really don’t have just one. I love different films for different reasons. Sometimes it is the filmmaking itself; sometimes it is the moment in your life when you saw a film and the effect it had on you.
I feel a strong connection to American cinema of the 1970s, so I’ll give the admittedly familiar answer of The Godfatherand The Godfather Part II. Even when asked to choose one, I end up choosing two! But tomorrow my answer could be a Danish, Russian, Argentine, Iranian, or Brazilian film. There are too many great films for one answer to feel permanent.
What is your favorite series?
Again, there are many, but lately I would say The White Lotus.
Do you see yourself making movies in five years? Where do you see yourself?
Absolutely. I don’t know how to do anything else! I want to continue working between Brazil, the United States, and wherever a story takes me. I’m interested in stories rooted in specific experiences that can still connect with people across cultures.
I also want to keep growing as an actor and filmmaker, collaborating with people who challenge me and help me see things differently.
Do you have any other projects in mind?
One of my main projects in development is The Bait, inspired by the true story of João Portinari, who survived a great white shark attack in Brazil. It combines a physical struggle for survival with an intimate story about family, recognition, and self-worth.
I’m also developing a miniseries inspired by a particular period of my childhood, and I’m in the process of optioning two other stories.
What do you hope for the future of cinema?
I hope there will continue to be space for original voices and films that take risks. Independent filmmaking needs sustainable ways to reach audiences, so that a film’s life can continue beyond its festival premiere.
As a filmmaker and an audience member, I want to encounter stories that surprise me and allow me to understand someone else’s experience.
What has been your best experience in a movie theater?
One experience that has stayed with me is seeing Oliver Stone’s The Doors with my father when I was eleven. I was probably too young for that film, but it opened something up in me.
I was fascinated by the idea of people coming together to create something: the music, the performances, the shared creative energy. Looking back, I think I was responding both to the band onscreen and to the filmmaking that brought their world to life.
Jim Morrison’s interest in becoming a filmmaker also stayed with me. There was something powerful about discovering that an artist could be drawn to different forms of expression. I could not have articulated it that way at eleven, but that experience helped me imagine becoming an artist myself.