The Brazilian Film Festival of Vancouver has been visiting our city for the same number of years that I have been living here. As a Brazilian expat, I am always happy to welcome The Inffinito Group’s film festival and watch my beloved Vancouver get better acquainted with my culture.

In the last few years, the Brazilian Film Festival of Vancouver has allowed me to meet other amazing Brazilians who are also learning to call Vancouver their home, Canadians who speak perfect Portuguese, and people from all around the world who love Cinema . With a workforce of over 50 volunteers, the Brazilian Film Festival of Vancouver brings four full days of Brazilian cinema packaged in a very interesting selection of Brazilian short and long length films, and special events.

The 3rd Brazilian Film Festival of Vancouver will take place at Vancity Theatre from July 15th to 18th. Ten full-length films will be screened, including four documentaries, one comedy and five dramas. The festival has also scheduled  a FREE panel discussion on Saturday, July 17th called BRAZIL XXI – A Cinema Without Borders with film critic Wilson Cunha and one of the festival curators Bianca de Felippes.

[ONLINE CONTEST] Blue Eyes – Olhos Azuis

The Inffinito Group has kindly offered MadameHeringer.com a pair of tickets for the July 18th screening of José Joffily’s drama Blue Eyes.

To enter, leave a comment on this blog post or tweet:

I entered to win a pair of tickets for the Brazilian Film Festival of #Vancouver @madameheringer http://wp.me/pHmOV-BL

The winner will be announced on Friday, July 16th at 3:00 pm. Good Luck!

Monica Hamburg is the lucky winner! Thanks for the comments, everybody.

I bought the Star Wars in Concert tickets after watching The Making of Star Wars in Concert on TV.  I bet the force was with me at that moment; buying these tickets was the wisest decision that I’ve made so far in 2010!

I never thought of myself as a big Star Wars fan, but having my childhood heroes being re-introduced to me by C-3PO, I mean Anthony Daniels, was an amazing way to re-visit the adventures of Luke, Leah, Han and Yoda. I must confess that tonight, I was a little girl learning Star Wars’ story again for the first time.

I am way too biased to analyze the quality of the Concert itself. However, I will recommend the concert to any Star Wars fan. It doesn’t matter how old you are or in which decade you were introduced to the Star Wars saga. I saw so many kids tonight who were not even born when Star Wars III: The Revenge of the Sith was released having a great time and even humming Lord Vader’s theme song.

Photo Credit: Myke Ames and his HTC Touch Pro2, because contrary to what Steve Jobs and his legions of Apple fanboys (and girls) will tell you until they are blue in the face, the camera on an iPhone 3GS is garbage (added by Mr. Ames).

An exclusive exhibit of Star Wars costumes, props, production artwork and behind the scenes videos extracted from George Lucas’ archives travels along with Star Wars in Concert, so allow yourself lots of time after the show. I guarantee that you’ll have a chance to shoot the best Star Wars themed pictures that you can have with Darth Vader and Yoda and also have lots of fun watching the stormtroopers posing with fans.

If your city is not in this world tour list, the Star Wars in Concert official website will give you the exact idea of what we are experiencing this month in Canada. Enjoy!

I am having the busiest week of my life, but it feels really gooooood! I recorded this videolog last Saturday and spent the whole weekend trying to make my 2006 Dell laptop talk to my new 2010 Canon Rebel T2i camera. As you can guess, things didn’t go as smoothly as I expected.

Last Saturday I interviewed the founder and publisher of The Canadian Immigrant Magazine Nick Noorani. I’ve known Nick for a year now and his passion for helping immigrants and making Canada a better country for everyone is a real inspiration to me. I am still trying to befriend my new camera with my old laptop and even although Adobe Premiere is completely installed, it might take a while to edit my talk with Nick. Be patient with me and stay tuned!

I also talked about my participation in the Women in Leadership Foundation (WIL) mentorship program in this video. I am extremely excited about the program and only 2.5 hours away from the official launch of this year’s program.

I am also planning on uploading my videos from Tuesday’s Brazilian craziness on Commercial Drive very soon. I must confess that it’s very hard to be Canadian during the World Cup, but since this country is about diversity, I might get a passing grade this month!

Talk to you soon,

Veronica

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I just discovered that I have 100 days to become a real Canadian. Scary eh?!? I really don’t know how this videolog series will unfold, but I would love to interview you if you consider yourself a real Canadian!

Leave a comment or fill out my contact form.

Talk to you soon…

Apparently, every time that I get overwhelmed by inspiring stories, I have a hard time translating them into a concise blog post. That’s one of the most ironic situations that a trained journalist can face. However, instead of ignoring Northern Voice 2010 and pretending that it didn’t happen in my life, I am showing up for duty and re-establishing this blog’s purpose.

Northern Voice 2010 was my first blogging conference and I still can’t understand why it took me so long to get out there and start meeting people like me. Well, according to Kimli Welsh’s presentation, I learned that I am not the only blogger who gets intimidated by the idea of leaving the safeness of a URL. Luckily, lots of familiar avatars stopped by to say “hi” to me, giving a friendly face to their strong online presences.

For me, this year’s conference was all about finding my voice online. I have been blogging for over 5 years now, but even after several metamorphoses MadameHeringer.com still feels like it only makes sense to me (Yes… I am completely ignoring thousands of monthly unique visitors and behaving like a drama queen!). However, Monica Hamburg and Dave Olsen’s workshop was the best validation that I could wish for. Blogging takes time and effort to find your niche and voice, but also it’s about having fun and experimenting with new mediums. Lesson learned!

Stefani Cameron’s How to Screw Up Your Personal Blog session was the most resourceful and sincere story that I heard at Northern Voice 2010. In a nutshell, stick to who you are and respect your boundaries. Readers are smart people and they know when you’re faking!

Northern Voice 2010 was a 2-day long event about blogging, Twitter and online marketing. From creating podcasts to copyright laws, it covered it all. I got a lot out of the sessions and plan to bring some multimedia experiments to this space in the following months. Stay tuned, my Northern Voice experience has just started!

Madame Heringer baby and Dona Alzira – December, 1982.

My mom is the most powerful woman that I know. You might argue that Oprah, Hillary Clinton or even Dilma Rousseff should be considered as strong contestants, but none of these women have had the impact that my mom had on my life!

Dona Alzira, today a 63-year-old woman, went through a lot in her life. She was raised on a coffee farm in a small town called Laranja da Terra in Brazil, but always dreamed of moving to the city and becoming a nurse. When she turned 21-years-old, she finally convinced my Granny to agree with her plans of moving to Rio de Janeiro. Since her uncle needed a reliable nanny to take care of his children, she volunteered to move in with his family to take care of his three kids during the day and go to nursing school at night.

After she graduated, she landed a job at one of the biggest hospitals in Rio and has been there ever since. It has been 35 years since my Mom entered Hospital da Lagoa’s doors for the first time! My childhood is filled with good memories of my mom as a nurse in action. I remember going to work with her and being always greeted by her patients and coworkers. I’ve never met anyone with more passion about their profession than my Mom. Even now, she says that she will only leave the hospital when she dies, and I believe her!

My Mom is a huge inspiration to me both as a professional and as a woman. She has always supported me in every single adventure. From drama classes to immigrating to Canada, she has always been there for me. I know, it is the type of thing that moms do for their children, but deep inside I know that sometimes it’s hard for her to cope with the distance and longing that motherhood has imposed on her.

Happy Mother’s Day, Dona Alzira!

I have one $60.00 gift certificate for lunch at Provence Marinaside, valid Monday- Friday from 11:30am to 3:00pm, that was generously offered by Chef Jean-Francis Quaglia to MadameHeringer.com. To enter this contest, leave a comment describing how your Mom’s teachings had an impact in your life. The best story will be chosen on May 21st at 3:00pm.

Provence Marinaside is a award-winning restaurant located at 1177 Marinaside Crescent, Vancouver, BC. Chef Jean-Francis along with his wife and chef Alessandra, are the authors of New World Provence: Modern French Cooking for Friends and Family and the artists who have cooked the best meals that Mr. Ames and I have ever eaten in Vancouver.

Update: Maria is our lucky winner! Maria, please check your inbox for pick up details.

Charlotte, Angela and Daniela, thank you very much for sharing your stories with me!

Illustration by Edel Rodriguez

I can’t believe it took me so long to go to the opera for the first time. And what a debut! Vancouver turned out dressed to the nines for the opening night of Vancouver Opera’s production of Marriage of Figaro at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. I went for the music and the opportunity to wear very high heels at the beginning of the week, but came home a true opera fan. Gosh, why did it take me so long?

Since I am a former TV producer and actress (I know… shame on me for taking so long to meet Mozart’s opera!), it’s always a challenge for me to truly appreciate any show. I am always looking for the behind the scenes gaffes, for the actor who forgets his line, for the lighting that missed the main character. Vancouver Opera’s Marriage of Figaro passed the test! Every single actor was fantastic and Jonathan Darlington’s orchestra nailed it from beginning to end.

Julie Boulianne’s Cherubino was the most delightful performance of Marriage of Figaro. I felt like a little girl when I noticed that it was a lady in a male role, but it took me less than 5 minutes of watching Boulianne to forget this detail. Chris Alexander’s stage direction is impeccable, his transitions are so smooth and involving that it really transported me into Marriage of Figaro’s world.

Tomorrow (Tuesday, May 4th) is Marriage of Figaro’s last night at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Yes… it’s sung in Italian, but you’re allowed to read the subtitles! If you need a second opinion before buying the tickets, Tris Hussey, Gus Fosarolli, Peter Andersen, Kelsey Dundon, and Vancouver Opera’s blog will provide  you with all good reasons to make this investment!

The last time I watched a performance by Grupo Corpo, I was living in Brazil and the soundtrack of the show was composed by João Bosco. I fell in love with Grupo Corpo while watching their performances of Bengelê and Santagustin at Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro. Since 2002, I have been chasing them around the world and if it wasn’t for my good friend Lili Viera de Carvalho, I would have missed their performances in Vancouver.

Corpo means body in Portuguese. Grupo Corpo is the realization of Paulo Pederneiras’ ambitious dream of mixing contemporary dance with genuine Brazilian music. Grupo Corpo has given life to over 30 different shows and toured through several countries. Grupo Corpo is eye-catching for its powerful and defiant way of introducing a human body to movements and concepts that are beyond imagination. Its Latin American take on contemporary dance ads an extra sparkle for its audience, and watching one of their performances always leaves you having trouble believing what you’ve seen.

PARABELO

Photo Credit: José Luiz Pederneiras

Parabelo was the first act of the Vancouver show. Meant to be a re-creation of the Brazilian Sertão, it is described by its creator Rodrigo Pederneiras as the most “regional” concept that Grupo Corpo has brought to life. Parabelo is as intriguing as its title.

The impressive soundtrack created by Tom Zé, one of the most polemical Brazilian musicians, and José Miguel Wisnik brings to the stage the exact feeling associated with the hard reality experienced in the Northeast of Brazil. However, the beauty of Grupo Corpo’s choreography and audacity of mixing xaxado, forró and frevo with modern dance makes Parabelo an unforgettable experience.

BREU

Photo Credit: José Luiz Pederneiras

The rock and roll approach that Lenine gave to Breu’s soundtrack is conveyed by Grupo Corpo as a fight between darkness and sound. Lenine’s wild guitars also set the tones of violence and brutality that fill the stage.  Apparently, choreographer Rodrigo Pederneiras asked Lenine to have fun while composing BREU’s soundtrack. Lenine certainly followed his instructions by adding uncomfortable and rebellious sounds to Grupo Corpo’s darkest show.

The second act of the Vancouver show completely challenged gravity. Jumping from the floor while twisting and balancing bodies against each other were ordinary tasks for the cast of BREU. Compared to the first act, BREU was too rushed and I didn’t feel that it conveyed a full story to me in its 45-minutes. It was beautiful to watch, but I’d love to see more darkness and young anxiety through a structured story that could better relay the spirit of Pederneiras’ vision.

Grupo Corpo is now on its way to Europe and will be back on the stage on May 8^th and 9^th at Teatro Municipal de Valencia, in Valencia, Spain, and May 12^th at Gare du midi, in Biarritz, France. For more information, visit http://www.grupocorpo.com.br/site

The 8^th edition of the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival (VLAFF) is rapidly approaching and the final touches are being made on this year’s festival. Even though opening night is only happening on September 2^nd, VLAFF organizers are accepting design ideas for VLAFF’s 8^th edition poster only until this Friday, April 30^th .

The contest is open to all British Columbia-based artists. Submissions are limited to three entries per person. Design concepts will be judged according to their public appeal, content and marketability. The winning artist will receive a $500 prize and exposure on VLAFF’s website and newsletters.

Click here, for more information about the VLAFF 2010 poster contest.

Good Luck!

The National Volunteer Week is an opportunity for non-profit organizations to appreciate the work of their volunteers Canada-wide. I particularly see this week as a chance to inspire other people to engage in their community, share and connect with others.

You’re probably thinking that I am so pro-volunteerism because of my job at ISSofBC. You guessed right! Before moving to Canada, I would never consider working for free. Volunteerism was an activity only possible after retiring or winning the lottery! However, since my work requires me to engage, train and encourage volunteers, I realized back in 2008 that I had to roll up my sleeves and start my volunteer career in Vancouver.

After 2 years working as volunteer at different non-profit organizations, I can tell you that it is fun! From TV Host to dog handler, I’ve tried it all! I am currently balancing my full-time job at ISSofBC with my online communications coordination work at Vancouver Latin American Film Festival, and a pet visitor (with Ipanema) position at Yaletown House. I can proudly say that every single volunteer opportunity brought more opportunities to my life than I could imagine when I first accepted then. The feeling of accomplishment and both professional and personal connections that I gained from my unpaid positions have been working as a fair trade for me.

If you are excited about getting involved in the community, you can learn more about the organizations before you commit to a specific position by attending the Timeraiser Vancouver on September 23rd. If you can’t wait until September, Go Volunteer has been the source of all my volunteer positions and will probably have something for you as well!

Are you currently a volunteer at a non-profit organization? Where? What is the best story you have to share so far?