Epic, the largest sustainable consumer tradeshow and eco-marketplace in western Canada, kicks off tomorrow; however, this year I have an extra special reason to attend the Vancouver Sun’s sustainable living expo. My friend and entrepreneur Regina Landim Noppe  will unveil Green Sapphire Imports, an importer and distributor of eco-friendly Brazilian products in Canada. Green Sapphire Imports is the realization of Regina’s dream of sharing eco-friendly and sustainable Brazilian products with Canadians.

Even though she is very busy with the last Epic arrangements, Regina took the time to quickly answer my questions about Green Sapphire Imports. Regina’s passion is contagious and her dream of contributing to Brazil’s development is another reason to become one of her customers. Enjoy!

Veronica: Why did you decide to bring Brazilian clothing and accessories to Canada? Why do you think that your products are special?

Regina: As a Brazilian-Canadian, I’ve always wanted to bring some part of  my mother country to my new home so Canadians could also experience some of the beauty and passion that beats in every Brazilian heart. Having been living in Vancouver for 5 years, I’ve also been learning a lot about respecting the environment. It has been pleasantly surprising to see how much Canadians care and do their best to contribute to a better, more healthy world.

I am bringing two prominent Brazilian brands to Epic. Eden Organic Fashion and Patricia Moura Biojoias. Eden Organic is a clothing label inspired by elements of nature and made of 100% cotton coloured with natural and chemical free dyes. Patricia Moura is a Brazilian-born designer who has been internationally recognized for her outstanding talent. Her eco-jewels are made of raw materials from Amazon rain-forest, Pananal and Brazilian Cerrado. Do I need to say more?

V.: Why did you choose to represent these two brands is Canada?

R.: I decided to represent both Eden Organic and Patricia Moura Biojoias because of the contribution of their products in building more sustainable communities in Brazil.

By using the açaí berry in her design, Patricia Moura is also encouraging the cultivation of the açaí berry rather than the harvesting of the tree, helping to prevent further reduction of the rain forest. Patricia Moura eco-jewelry infuses the local economy with profits from açaí jewellery sales, giving a real reason for people to protect the forest .

On the other hand, Eden Organic not only produces eco-friendly clothing but is also social responsible. Eden Organic supports over 200 families living in the city of  Juquiratiba, in the State of São Paulo, and have planted over 1,000 trees in their Eden Garden.

V.: What is Sapphire Imports planning for Epic?

R.: We will have both Eden Organic and Patricia Moura eco-jewelry represented at Epic Fashion shows (Friday 2:30pm, 4:30pm, 6:30pm – Saturday 12:30pm, 2:30pm, 4:30pm, 6:30pm – Sunday 12:30pm, 2:30pm, 4:30pm). We will also have our products displayed at booth FH12.

Regina has kindly offered one admission to Epic and a Patricia Moura Biojoias açai berry necklace to my readers. Here’s how to enter to win:

Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry):

I entered to win Green Sapphire Imports’ contest @MadameHeringer http://ow.ly/1qysMN

I’ll will draw the Epic admission winner tomorrow, May 28th at noon. The winner of the Patricia Moura Biojoias açai berry necklace will be announced on Wednesday, June 2nd at 3:00pm.

UPDATE – May 28th: Caroline (@SexyinVancity) won the Epic Expo ticket. Caroline, Regina will contact you shortly to arrange the pick up!

UPDATE – June 1st: Anna is the winner of Green Sapphire Imports’ açaí berry necklace. Anna, Regina will contact you shorthly.

Thanks everybody for your nice comments and tweets!

Claudia Costa by Joe Lederer

When we first met, Claudia Costa was the project manager of the 2^nd Brazilian Film Festival of Vancouver. Since then, our paths have crossed in various initiatives related to the Latin American community.

Costa is both an enthusiast of Brazilian culture and an admirable cinematographer who is making room for her talent in Hollywood. Recently, she worked as an Assistant Director in both Diablo Cody’s Juno, and the blockbuster 2012. Last week, we chatted about her work in this latest Roland Emmerick’s production and her career path in the film industry.

Veronica: When we first met, I remember asking you where you were from in Brazil and you said that you feel that you belong to at least three different cities. Can you tell me how you found your way to Canada? How did you land your first job in Vancouver?

Claudia: My hometown is Curitiba. Luckily, my work allows me to live wherever I want and I surely take advantage of this. In Brazil, I lived in both Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo and that’s the reason for my funky Brazilian accent!

I first came to Vancouver to study English for 4 months. However, since I am a workaholic and my Brazilian soul enjoys exploring the world I couldn’t spend my time only studying while I was here. And when I first saw all the production trucks parked on the streets, I decided that I wanted to be part of the film industry and work here!

In Brazil, I worked for many years as an assistant director for TV commercials. This professional experience was crucial to get my first job in the same role in Canada. However, I wanted to follow my dream and work in the film industry. So, I decided to send letters to producers and directors who were shooting feature films in Vancouver asking for an opportunity.

After 2 weeks of complete silence, I received a call from a producer who gave me my first opportunity here. Since then, I’ve been working in what I am passionate about and I am very thankful for all the people that I have been able to work with. I made lots of new friends and had great mentors throughout my jobs.

V: How hard is it to work with Roland Emmerich?

CC: Working with Roland was an awesome experience. Roland is both a visionary director and a great person to work for. It is always exciting when you have the opportunity to learn from the masters and in Roland’s case; I had the opportunity to learn from the master of disaster.

V: What is special about 2012? Why should people pay to watch another Emmerich’s apocalyptic movie?

CC: 2012 will blow your mind! The visual effects are incredibly well done. It’s the biggest catastrophe that you’ll ever watch!

Another added value of 2012 is the great performances of John Cusack, Woddy Harrelson, Oliver Platt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Blu Mankuma, Chin Han, Osric Chau, Beatrice Rose, Zlatko Buric, and the young Liam James.

V: If you were starting your career now, what type of advice you’d like to receive from a fellow professional?

CC: Everyone wants to know how to get their foot in the door, what the secret to start in a project is and how to make a difference in your profession. I must confess that I’m still working on that!

The secret is never quit. It’s a hard industry to get into, but if you are passionate about film making, you will find your way! Work in as many movies as you can; take advantage of the Internet and resources available in the industry; and come up with a good idea! If you don’t give up, you will convince people to hire you!

Also if English is not your first language and you want to work in North America, never quit the English classes!

V: What is your next project?

CC: My next goal is to produce a feature film. My dream is to make a co-production with Brazil. Maybe it could even be the project that I am writing right now… Who knows?