DOCUMENTARY
Idea and Script: Mariana Sanmartino (CONICET, Group for Science Education, La Plata, Argentina)
Production: Juan Manuel Costa (El Birque Animations, Córdoba, Argentina)
Paintings: Néstor Favre-Mossier (Visual artist, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Original Music: Carlos Mastropietro (Composer, La Plata, Argentina)
Voiceover: Ramiro González (Writer and musician, La Rioja, Argentina)
Script Review: João Carlos Pinto Dias (René Rachou/CPqRR Research Center–FIOCRUZ, Minas Gerais, Brazil)
Duration: 8:40
Year of Production: 2010
LANGUAGES
CHAGAS: EXPLORING PERSPECTIVES, UNITING VOICES, BRIDGING DIVIDES
A SHORT HISTORY OF A COLLECTIVE PROJECT
Chagas is a complex and deeply social problem that goes beyond biomedical limits. It requires investigation, prevention, and control measures that provide integral responses that fit within the context (rural and Latin American, as well as urban and global). In this vein, and in order to bridge the gap between scientific production and the reality of the affected populations, it is essential to develop plans of action that are not simply centered around avoiding the disease, but also about promoting overall health in real people. In light of these considerations, we created “CHAGAS: Exploring Perspectives, Uniting Voices, Bridging Divides”. It is an audiovisual material in which we reinterpret Chagas from unconventional places–art and the ever-increasing value of the voices of those affected by it.
The documentary shows the basis of the problem from an integral perspective, using a video as a visual support which shows the creative process of artist Néstor Favre-Mossier as he creates 5 pieces of art in acrylic that illustrate the key themes of the text.
The piece doesn’t attempt to provide exhaustive information about the topic, or to show every aspect that characterizes it; more aptly, it serves to provoke people to begin to think of Chagas differently. It can be used in multiple situations and contexts: to begin discussion of the topic in a class, as an introduction (or conclusion) of an exhibition at a conference, to spark debate around a particular issue, etc.
We seek, essentially, to invite collective and constructive reflection, aiming to raise awareness and pose questions to the public, both those specialized in the field and those who are not.
In November 2010, the video was premiered to the public for the first time at the 6th International Public Health Day by the School of Public Health (Faculty of Medical Sciences at the National University of Córdoba, Argentina) where it won the prize for best multimedia production.
In 2013, thanks to the generous collaboration of Tania Araújo-Jorge, Leonardo Marcus Perim, and Genilton José Vieira from the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (Brazil), we were able to create the Portuguese version as well.
COORDINATING INSTITUTIONS
