Being Brave
Bravery comes in all sizes
Beckett, a precocious and resilient twelve-year-old, travels the bumpy road of a young boy living in complicated times. Beckett craves the love and acceptance of his divorced parents, but sees it jeopardized by the constant bullying he receives at school because of his father’s sexuality. Incensed by the latest homophobic taunts by his mother’s new boyfriend’s son – Spencer – Beckett reacts, standing up for himself and unleashing a chain of events that in his eyes will resolve the situation he finds himself in and keep him safe. (short film)
Festivals & awards
Awards:
Best Director Short Film at Hamburg Film Awards, Germany 2022
Honourable Mention at Indiefilmopolis Film Festival, the UK 2022
Best Ensemble Cast at World Indie Film Festival, Italy 2022
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role (Alexander Elliot), Best Short Film Semi-Finalist, Best Queer Film Semi-Finalist at Lonely Wolf International Film Festival, the UK - 2022
Best Director Short Film Format at AltFF Alternative Film Festival, Canada 2021
Best Canadian Narrative Short Film and Best Cinematography (Max Putintsev) at Toronto Independent Film Festival of CIFT, Canada 2021
Best Short Film at Motion Pictures (MP) Film Award, USA 2021
Best Acting for Alexander Elliot at Onyko Film Awards Festival, Ukraine - 2021
Outstanding Achievement Award for Short Film and Cinematography (Max Putintsev) at World Film Carnival, Singapore 2021
Best International Short Film at 4th FestCine Pedra Azul, Domingos Martins ES, Brazil - 2021
Best Short Film and Best Cinematography (Max Putintsev) at Redwood Film Festival, India - 2021
Best Canadian Short Film, Best Cinematography (Max Putintsev), and Best Production Design (Helen Kotsonis) at Canadian Cinematography Awards Festival, Toronto, Canada - 2021
Best Cinematography (Max Putintsev) at Lake View International Film Festival, Punjab, India - 2021
Best Short Film at Krimson Horyzon International Film Festival, West Bengal, India - 2021
Film Markets and Special Events:
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) hosts its annual 2022 InFocus: Canadian Cinema program, presented in partnership with the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles, Québec Government Office in Los Angeles and Telefilm Canada.
Short Film Corner/Rendez-vous Industry at Cannes, France - 2021
Short Film Market at Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, France - 2021
ShortFest Film Market at Palm Springs International ShortFest - Palm Springs, USA - 2021
Festivals:
Pride Film Fest “Open Space Arts” - BEST OF THE FEST, Chicago, USA - 2024
Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, Providence, USA - 2021
18th El Lugar Sin Limites LGBTQ+ Festival, Ecuador - 2021
Culver City International Film Festival, USA - 2021
OutFest Peru, Lima, Peru - 2021
Ontario International Film Festival, Toronto, Canada - 2021
Bucharest ShortCut CineFest, Romania - 2021
Anatolia International Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey - 2021
Shockfest Film Festival, USA - 2021
Iconic Images Film Festival, Goštauto, Vilnius, Lithuania - 2021
Film in Focus Festival, Bucharest, Romania - 2021
Rome Independent Prisma Awards, Italy - 2021
Phoenix Shorts, Ottawa, Canada 2021
4Theatre Selection, USA 2021
Festival Internacional Signos da Noite, Lisbon, Portugal - 2021
Kalakari Film Fest, Dewas, India - 2022
Gralha International Film Awards, Curitiba, Brazil - 2022
Korea Queer Film Festival, South Korea - 2022
Reviews
From Indiefilmopolis Film Festival (UK)
Originality/Creativity 10/10 Direction 10/10 Script 8/10 Cinematography 9/10
Lead Performances 9/10 Supporting Performances 9/10 Production Value 9/10
Pacing 9/10 Structure 9/10 Editing 9/10 Music 8/10 Sound 9/10 OVERALL RATING 9/10
Final Comments - A fresh take on the effect of divorce, family dynamics and bullying. A well crafted script with some excellent performances. Spot on direction and top notch production values - congratulations all.
backstory
2019 Recipient of the Canada Council for the Arts grant “From Conception to Realization”
Shot in July 2019 in Toronto, Canada.
Producers: Jorge Manzano, Gerry Mendoza, David Emanuel Faria and
Joffre Faria Silva
Co-Producer: Tex Entsch
Executive Producer: David Cormican
Written and Directed by Joffre Faria Silva
Cinematography - Max Putintsev
Production Design - Helen Kotsonis
Editor - Rodrigo Meireles
Composer - Antonio Gradanti
Sound Editor - Krystin Hunter
Costume Designer - Stephanie Faria
Original Song “Brave/Bravura” by Robson (Art) Goulart
Screenplay Competitions
FINALIST
Pitch Now Screenplay Competition - Los Angeles, January 2019
14th Holly Shorts Screenwriting Competition - Los Angeles, August 2018
SEMI-FINALIST
ScreenCraft Film Fund - Fall 2017