BERNARDO BERRATO
 BERNARDO BERRATO
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
I recently moved from Rio de Janeiro to Los Angeles, where I’m currently based and continuing to develop my work in film and television. How did you discover The Palm Springs International Screenplay Awards and how did you decide to enter this contest among all the others? I discovered it through FilmFreeway. What attracted me was the festival’s reputation for recognizing bold, character-driven storytelling and giving visibility to emerging and international voices. It felt like a strong fit for the kind of films I make. Your script or media entry stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your project ? I’ve always been fascinated by sharks, not only the fear they represent, but also the mystery and mythology around them. When I met João, the real-life inspiration behind The Bait, I became deeply interested in understanding the human story behind the attack. What began as a survival story evolved into something much more layered: a film about identity, family, memory, and transformation. How long did it take you to write your script or produce your pitch deck/sizzle reel/trailer...and what was your development process? The process has been long and immersive. I began interviewing João in 2020, gathering memories, emotional details, and personal history. In 2023, I started outlining the screenplay. Since then, the script has gone through multiple drafts, shaped by research, lived experience, and a desire to go beyond the traditional survival genre. A major part of the process was physically retracing João’s experience. I went diving with him in the exact area where the shark attack happened, and together we followed the full route of what he endured that day. Experiencing the geography, the ocean conditions, and hearing him recount the events in the place where they happened gave me a much deeper emotional and sensory understanding of the story. What is your ultimate ambition as a writer or filmmaker? To tell stories that matter — stories that stay with people emotionally. I want to create films that connect across cultures and touch something universal. My ambition is to build a lasting career making meaningful cinema while continuing to challenge myself artistically. Which film directors or screenwriters inspire you? Why? There are many, but the Iranian Asghar Farhadi is one of the greatest in my opinion. His films feel deceptively simple, yet they carry enormous emotional and moral complexity. He finds depth in ordinary lives and creates tension through human behavior rather than spectacle. What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show? I don’t think I have one definitive favorite. It shifts depending on where I am in life and what I’m feeling at the time. But if I had to mention a film that deeply impacted me, it would be Easy Rider — for what it represented culturally and artistically. It challenged the studio system and helped redefine independent filmmaking. As for television, one of my favorite series is Breaking Bad. I admire its character evolution, tension, and the way it balances emotional depth with cinematic storytelling. But honestly, these answers can change depending on the day. How do you approach competition entries, and what have you learned from participating in these contests? I approach contests as part of the development process. Beyond recognition, I value the feedback and notes. Competitions push me to revisit the material, refine it, and see the work through fresh eyes. Each submission becomes another step toward a stronger script. |
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What advice do you have for others hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Live life. Your unique experiences are what differentiate you from everyone else. Technique matters, but authenticity matters more. The stories that resonate usually come from something personal and deeply felt. What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? I’m currently developing Chubby, a coming-of-age feature inspired by a true story. Set in Brooklyn in 1978, the film follows Benny “Chubby” Caruso, a lonely and overweight twelve-year-old who moves in with his emotionally distant father and struggles to survive at a new public school. After a brutal humiliation, Benny impulsively reinvents himself by claiming to be the grandson of a mob boss arrested during a major mafia sweep across New York City. The lie spreads quickly, giving him status, protection, and a sense of identity he’s never experienced before. But as Benny leans deeper into the performance, the criminal mythology he’s borrowing begins to blur with reality. Guided by a former soul musician connected to Harlem’s underground, Benny learns to embody the role — until the world he’s pretending to belong to starts closing in around him. Chubby is a darkly funny and emotional story about identity, survival, masculinity, and the dangerous power of reinvention. It explores how children create myths to protect themselves — and what happens when those myths become larger than life. Where can the world find you? (Website, IMDB, etc.) www.bernyfilmes.com.br @bernardobarreto_swaraj Imdb Where can the world find you? Website: www.bernyfilmes.com.br Instagram: @bernardobarreto_swaraj IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2489120/?ref_=fn_t_1 |
