FOR MORE INFORMATION: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Samantha Klinger - 310.836.7500 Street Date - December 6, 2011 [email protected] Pre-Book Date - November 8, 2011

ASTRAL CITY A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY Based on the best-selling book by worldwide famous medium Chico Xavier

On Tuesday, December 6, 2011 Strand Releasing proudly releases on DVD the smash Brazilian blockbuster, ASTRAL CITY: A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, based on the best- selling book by the worldwide famous medium Chico Xavier, who wrote it with the guidance of a departed spirit named Andre Luiz. This is the story of one man's journey after death throughout the spiritual world. It is a heartwarming story that teaches about love, peace and forgiveness with a lot of deep questions about the human condition.

The film boasts an international and award-winning crew, including Golden Globe® winner and Academy Award® nominated composer Philip Glass (The Hours, The Illusionist, The Truman Show), cinematographer Ueli Steiger (Godzilla, The Day After Tomorrow, Austin Powers) and visual effects studio Intelligent Creatures (Watchmen, The Fountain, Babel). Starring Renato Prieto, Fernando Alves Pinto, Rosanne Mulholland, Inez Viana, Rodrigo dos Santos, Werner Schünemann, and Clemente Viscaíno. With special guests Ana Rosa, Othon Bastos, and Paulo Goulart.

This was a massive hit in Brazilian theatres where in just one weekend it was seen by over 2 million people and broke box office records. It was also the most expensive production ever made in Brazil and won the Cinema Brazil Grande Prize for Best Special Effects.

"A SUPER-PRODUCTION WITH TOP-NOTCH SPECIAL EFFECTS AND MAJOR INTERNATIONAL TALENTS" - Variety "A PERFECT ADAPTATION "IT TACKLES MANY OF THE OF THE BOOK… ONE OF ISSUES THAT PEOPLE ASK THE PRECIOUS GEMS OF ABOUT LIFE, DEATH AND THE SPIRITIST THE NEXT WORLD" LITERATURE" - Paranormal Review - Suite101.com

Synopsis Based on the best selling book by medium Chico Xavier, the film tells the story of Andre Luiz, a successful doctor who experiences an enlightening spiritual awakening after his death. When he wakes up in the spiritual world, he embarks on a new journey of self- discovery and transformation, from his first days in a dimension of pain and suffering, until when he is rescued and taken to the spiritual Astral City. With magnificent art direction and special effects that have never been seen before in a Brazilian production, and featuring an amazing score by composer Philip Glass, the film brings to the screen what life is like at the Astral City that hovers in the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere.

102 minutes, Color, Widescreen, Not Rated, In Portuguese with English Subtitles Bonus Features: Making Of (comprised of 7 clips including the Great Wall, Plot, Production Value, Umbral, Having Fun, Production Design, and Promo), Original Theatrical Trailer, Other Strand Releasing Trailers Product #: 3106-2│UPC #: 7 12267 31062 3│SRP: $24.99

Long Synopsis When Andre Luiz, a prominent physician and father of three dies, instead of rising to what he believed would be heaven, he wakes up in a valley of devastation.

Living as a castaway, Andre Luiz, as well as the other spirits among him, is deemed to have been a suicide and it is beyond him why he has had such a fate.

Then, one day, a beam of light comes down from the sky bringing rescue to spirits in deep troughs of the Valley. Andre is rescued and lifted to a spiritual city named Nosso Lar (Our Home).

He makes new friends and alliances but also meets his enemy - himself, he has betrayed his own existence by his self-destructive actions during his life on Earth. In order to prove he still truly values life, Andre must gain merits in the eyes of the city’s Ministries through humbling hard work.

One day, he finally receives his greatest wish since arriving at the city, permission to descend to earth and "see" his wife and kids. Ten years have passed, his wife has remarried and his children have grown up.

In this awakening moment Andre, will have to put into play what he has learned back in Nosso Lar. He must accept his own death and step into another level of existence, learning forever to love and be loved and that life never ceases.

About the Director Wagner de Assis has been a professional screenwriter since the age of 24 in his native Brazil, where he also spent nine years (1993-2002) working for Globo TV, the fifth largest TV Network in the world, as the head of the press relations department. Wagner has attended the New York Film Academy workshops in 1997 and other screenplay seminars for movies and TV writing.

Cinética Films, his film production company, was found in 1997. He is also the COO of an independent distribution company, Film Connection, which imports and distributes independent films from both Brazilian and international producers.

Wagner is the author of six produced Portuguese language features. Three of them were the top grossing Brazilian movies of their respective seasons – Twisting (Requebra, 1998); Popstar (romantic comedy, 1999), Xuxa and the Gnomes (fairytale, 2000), Xuxa and the fairies (sequel, 2001), Summer Dream (2002, teen adventure), The Fortuneteller (drama, author-director-producer, 2004).

Interview with Director Where did, or from whom, did the idea to produce the film Nosso Lar come from?

"I contacted Renato Prieto in 2005 to know if he would be able to arrange a meeting with the president of the Brazilian Spiritualist Federation (FEB) because I would like to propose an adaptation of the book to the screen. I had read the book in the 80s and I was always impressed by the great paradigm shift it proposed, when we discover that life doesn't end with death. I thought - I still do - that answering this question doesn't change a person, but it does open a beautiful path for human beings to better themselves.

Renato was able to arrange that meeting and I made the proposition to FEB, who owns the rights to the book.

Throughout a period of 10 months, I met with the FEB directors to share the idea of making a movie - the new possibilities with the advent of new computer graphic technology and, especially, being able to tell the story in a more universal manner in film."

How did you prepare the cast for Nosso Lar?

"We rehearsed and prepared for 5 months. Everyone was aware of the book, and other works by Chico Xavier. We went to workshops at FEB, but at the same time we also worked the artistic aspect of the project. In the end, we talked a lot about each character, about symbolisms, about their trajectories in the story." What makes Nosso Lar so different?

"I think it's a very powerful story. That's what won over the American professionals. It's a story that moves you, that makes you think, and reflect about our origins. It has provoked intense reactions in many people, presenting concepts such as "unconscious suicide"; the application of the spiritual law of action and reaction, and the new paradigms of living with the knowledge that life goes on, that the grave is not the end."

About the Producer Iafa Britz is one of the most prolific and successful producers in her native Brazil, having produced over a dozen feature films over the last decade. She has headed a wide variety of productions, ranging from domestic blockbusters such as box-office hits "If I Were You" (2006), with over 3.6 million in admissions, "Sex, Love and Betrayal" (2004), with over 2.4 million in admissions, and the record-breaking sequel to “If I Were You”, “If I were You 2”, which went on to become the most-watched domestic film in Brazilian history.

Her last production “Nosso Lar” is a film based on famed Brazilian spiritualist Chico Xavier’s bestselling book. The film, the first of its kind in Brazil, is a big budget and special effects heavy production, which counted on international talent such as the cinematographer Ueli Steiger and music by Philip Glass.

As of 2010, Iafa started her own solo production company, Migdal Films, after over a decade as a founding partner of Total Entertainment and Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival, which became one of the biggest production companies in Brazil. Under her new banner, she will continue her success story with a varied palette of projects which have marked her career thus far.

Interview with Producer What was different about producing this film?

"Nosso Lar had a very different production process compared to the other films I, and the rest of the crew, had worked on. We were figuring out the size of the film the closer we got to the shooting date. Because it is a film with many special effects, it required a very specific preparation in order to insert these effects. This is something new for Brazilian filmmaking, so we had to learn from the professionals who already had experience with it, like Ueli Steiger, the director of photography and the guys at Intelligent Creatures in Canada. An example of this process of learning was the great wall. At first, the wall was going to be 3 meters long. When Ueli arrived and we had our talk, we came to the conclusion that we needed the wall to be 80 meters long. Then we went to 40 meters, then 60m and at last we settled for 70m. We learned quite a bit during the process of making this film.

What was it like to work with Wagner?

"As a director, Wagner is very relaxed, a great partner to work with. And this is a big film for any director! He had only done one low budget film in very different circumstances. This second film is practically a tsunami, by comparison. His posture on the set, the balance in situations in which we were completely ignorant and had to learn, was an example to be followed by the crew as a whole. When someone became altered, they quickly recovered from it. We tried to maintain this atmosphere throughout the shoot, and during pre and post-production. This was essential for a film like this.

How did you choose Philip glass to write the soundtrack?

"Brazil definitely has great composers. But, it was Wagner's dream, and every one else involved in the development of Nosso Lar, that we find someone who had the same vibe as the story. The film has some very specific creative characteristics that go well with Philip Glass' musical style. We were very lucky that he liked the script and joined us on this journey. He dove in headfirst. To execute the soundtrack that was composed by Philip glass, we sealed a partnership with the OSB (Brazilian Symphonic Orchestra). It was a wonderful partnership. The conductor and the musicians of the OSB recorded the songs at the Radio Nacional in a few days. Guto Graça Melo was the film's musical director. Philip, Guto, Vinicius França (Music Producer) and the OSB together, was just like a dream! Let this be one of many films that the OSB is a part of. It brings a kind quality to the film that is immeasurable, majestic. The soundtrack is incredibly beautiful."

What caught your attention in this story? What made you want to tell it?

"When we decide to produce a film, this decision comes for many reasons, especially the theme. Nosso Lar has a lot to do with my personal history and it was a reference for me in a specific point in my life. I never thought I would be a part of the filmed version of this story. When Wagner told me he wanted to turn the book into a film I thought it he was a lunatic! We are always in search of good stories to be told on the big screen. The success of the book is proof that it was a good story in itself. But, to bring it to the screen, we had to negotiate the rights before starting the project. The other fundamental question was that we needed to know that we would be able to create special effects that would translate the story with fidelity and quality to the fans and to people who did not know the book would expect and deserved to see on screen when they bought a ticket to watch it. It is a story that must be told in film. It is a story of hope, no matter what your beliefs are."

What do you expect the audience to take away from the film?

"We expect that the possibility that all of us involved in making this film had of questioning ourselves and transforming ourselves, be passed on to the audience and that they also have a chance to transform, to experiment with a new idea, independent of dogmas and religious beliefs. Nosso Lar is beyond religion; it is a proposition on how to lead your life. It is a movie to cleanse your souls. And the soul has no religion."

Interviews with Cast

Renato Prieto (André Luiz)

How did you prepare to play André Luiz?

"I went through all types of processes of experimentation to come up with a believable result of what they wanted to see in André Luiz's character. I lost about 17 kilos for the part, all the while working 6 to 8 hours a day experimenting with the text and with different behaviors. Wagner always watched me, made his comments, it wasn't easy, I had to go through many losses, suffering and changes. I had to change my inner vision in order to see the world through his eyes. I then became more quiet and observant. It was a period of time in which I didn't want any external contact with people who would bring me all sorts of everyday behaviors, but I was happy all the same. I was where life had taken me to, next to people that were helping me achieve my goal, with everyone giving me all the incentive and collaboration, but I knew that most of this sacrifice depended solely on me."

Had you ever thought of playing André Luiz before?

"I have a project in life, which is to like this subject matter. I believe in everything that is touched upon in this matter. Of all the parts that I have done in theater before, this was the only character I didn't want to play. I could have. But, in many cases I had the opportunity to choose, with the exception of one scene that was done in automatic writing (spiritual writing) by Chico Xavier, but he was never a character that I wanted to play and today I think I understand why. If I had played André Luiz in some other work, in the theater, on video, or even if I had immersed myself with all of the information, I would have had to get rid of it all. I thought it was great that I had been chosen, but I had to work hard for it, very hard."

What was it like to construct the character together with the crew?

"I believe this construction came about with all the conversations I had with Wagner de Assis and what he wanted to say, and also talking with the coaches.

I think that the shaping of the character came about with my own body, how it was modeled to resemble a character that has nothing to do with me and from everyone involved in the process; from André Luiz telling this story through Chico Xavier, to Wagner de Assis and Vivian Perl who kept rewriting the material and writing new treatments, but mainly with Wagner, who I was more in touch with all the time. I let my body be reshaped in order to come to that specific image, which then, along with Vavá Torres who did all the transforming work, would come to the physical and artistic result that they were looking for. If we were able to achieve that, then we are able to achieve anything.

Who was André Luiz and how did he get to Nosso Lar?

"André Luiz is a pseudonym for a doctor who, in the 20s and 30s, was very famous in Rio de Janeiro. Well respected, he knew everything about medicine. He was very well prepared. Suddenly, he, who was a doctor, was married, happy, finds out that he has an incurable disease and then dies. When he dies, exactly for not caring and not being aware of what was going around him during his life, ends up lost in this zone that, in spirituality, we call the Umbral -it is a region where the spirits with a certain moral ignorance go to redeem themselves from these mistakes. He stays in this region until he can't take it anymore and finally begs for help. When the worker is ready, the work shall come forth: he asked for help, and help came to him. Free Will is respected in every circumstance; his was respected in this manner. As long as he preferred to stay in the darkness, he did. Until when was rescued and taking to the spiritual colony of Nosso Lar, where he spends some time in treatment in a hospital, to recover. Even when going back to his original Earthly semblance, he still can't help being arrogant, questioning everything, not wanting to talk to the nurses, or even their superiors. This is until he realizes that, he either has to go to work and start learning or become stagnant, this is his free will. He decides to go to work."

What was this journey of discovery for the character?

"Once he was feeling well enough in Nosso Lar, he begins to search for paths of learning. Since he knows medicine, he looks for work with Nurse Narcisa, played by Inez Viana, who shows him that medicine there is a very different. He starts to observe and put into play the mix of knowledge he has from Earth and the ones he has acquired in the spiritual realm. From then on he starts to grow, until he earns the right to be with his family once again. He meets them again and sees that his wife is now with another man. He becomes enraged. This altered state of energy causes him to return briefly to the Umbral. But, while exercising forgiveness, he starts to grow spiritually, and puts his knowledge in the service of others, he starts to look both ways, and this allows him achieve a great level of spirituality in which he finds himself today. His path is something like this: death, the inability to heal oneself, life in the spiritual realm, his own rescue, spiritual growth, following his path towards the light and placing his knowledge in the service of others."

What is your relationship with the story of Nosso Lar?

"This film is an answer to everything I believe in. I grew up believe in everything you see there. I grew without any knowledge of this subject matter, but, for me, that was always very real, without anyone telling me about it or me reading about it. Nosso Lar, the colony, or stories similar to that of Nosso Lar, are a result of everything I have always believed in, and today I have much more faith in myself and I will go on this way for all eternity."

And how do you think the audiences are going to take in this film?

"Each of us did a his/her job in a way that the audience has the certainty that it is possible to make your lives better, that pain only comes if love isn't there before. Many are the teachings that will help each one of us take that leap forward. I hope that, when someone wants to help, in any way, to the growth of another person, give them the gift of the film of Nosso Lar, with the intention that this person will make their life better."

Fernando Alves Pinto - Lísias

What is your relationship with Spiritualism?

"I grew up as a Catholic. I went to a Catholic school that pushed me away from Catholicism as an institution. Of course, I find many of the Catholic teachings important, but it is necessary to study them profoundly in order to capture its essence. I became interested in pantheism, which relates a bit to Spiritualism, the idea of an energy that goes beyond the physical body. I have always been very curious. I started reading quite a bit about Spiritualism. I am reading the "Book of Spirits" by Allan Kardec. In the first book, he is very energetic, arguing that you can't say that it is all rubbish. I have a personal interest in the subject matter, a religious and philosophical curiosity."

What was it like to work with Wagner de Assis?

"As a director, Wagner is very caring. He gives you some freedom, but he knows what he wants and takes you wherever it is necessary to go to and, even with all this stuff, special effects, he concentrates on his work with the actors. And he has a great team, with Ueli and Lia. He is well supported, so he can spend time with us."

What is "Nosso Lar" like to you?

"'Nosso Lar' is interesting because, in one way it is very futuristic and in another way it is very inventive. It seems that the spirits who go there and build the city are very mindful of the architectural style. Most things done here on Earth are done so in order to make money, even medicine is done in order for you to take more of it. Over there, in theory, it is something more like an anarchistic utopia; things are done as they should be done. The aesthetics are more simple and harmonious. Things work in the way we think they should work. Even politicians are good people. (Laughter)."

What is the Umbral in your opinion?

"What I understand as the Umbral is a place where, when you leave your body, if you are too lost and have nowhere to go to, you end up going to this place which is more dense, filled with other people who are also lost, and who don't know what is going on. You stay there until you are able to see some of the light. According to the book and the Spiritualist religion, the prayers and energies of other people can help you. If someone prays a lot for you, perhaps you might receive some of that light, which will help you see a little bit more. Therefore, an intention, in your mind, can help people go to place that is easier to live in than the Umbral, which is a complete mess. This is what I understand of the Umbral, which is similar to the Purgatory, or Limbo, which is preached by the Catholics. Except, the Umbral feels more concrete."

How was it to work with the rest of the cast?

"My family was adorable. My mother and my fiancée are a mother and daughter (a play with the real life relationship between Ana Rosa and Ana Beatriz Corrêa), anyway, they are both adorable. My aunts are a blast too, Judith and Iolanda, well, my family is just very cool. In these months that I have been working with Renato Prieto, we have become goo friends, which is great. On the first day that my niece and I, played by Rosanne Mulholland, read our parts together, when she said: 'Uncle!’ we both just laughed our hearts out. She said: Uncle Sukita, right? (A play with on soft drink commercial in which an older man is hitting on a very young girl.) She used to be best friends with an ex-girlfriend of mine, so it was very funny to hear her calling me uncle. We worked on "Conspiração Guanabara" together and we became close since. Rodrigo dos Santos is a great pal. So is Clemente Viscaíno. I think the whole cast is incredible, the film is very well cast, the whole crew is great.

What was it like to work in a film like this?

"Being a part of such a big project is great. I am very happy but at the same time we all get very scared, because, from the get go, it is such a huge project. I believe that it will live up to its size and will be a hit. From what I am seeing, Ueli's work is coming out beautifully and you can't go wrong with Philip Glass' soundtrack. I have known Philip for many years. He is a family friend. I was very happy that he accepted to do it, he liked it and was very moved by the script, just like I was."

Rosanne Mulholland - Eloisa

What was it like to work with Wagner de Assis?

"Wagner, besides being such a dear, makes you feel very at ease to ask questions, talk and experiment... I didn't hesitate to ask him any questions because he was the director. Cris Duuvoort coached us, which was excellent. I already knew Fernando Alves Pinto previously, and it was good to see him again. We were joking around about the fact that he played my uncle in the film, because the age difference between us isn't that much. I admire Renato Prieto very much, not only as an actor but also as a person. I only met him on the third or fourth day of rehearsals. The moment we looked into each other's eyes things became a lot easier; it's what people call chemistry. Ana Rosa, Ana Beatriz Corrêa, the aunts and I, and the rest of the group, all used this time with Cris to get to know each other better, to get closer to each other and to build a relationship between these characters, which was very important to me. We ended up bonding which made working on this film even more pleasurable. People were very generous and I learned a lot; it was great being a part of this project."

What is your character like in the film?

"Eloisa is a girl who dies very young, who was in love, about to get married, and about to really begin her life. She couldn't get over the fact that she had died, for not having lived the life she had planned out. He can't accept this and becomes very unhappy at Nosso Lar. She is a romantic, but at the same time she has quite a lot of strength and attitude. She lived her 18, 19 years within the family, always very well behaved. Suddenly, when she is about to do what she most wants in life, she dies, and goes to a place where she does not want to be at. She becomes rebellious, which is a characteristic of her age, and impatient. All this loss is the cause of her anger. She loves her family at Nosso Lar, but that's not the life she wants to live now. It's great that she is the only character in the film that questions things, who questions André Luiz. He also does some questioning, but she goes beyond, she provokes, and this is really cool. There are many people who help him in this story, and Eloisa is one of them.

There is a tiny scene, that I enjoyed very much, in which I don't say a word, which wasn't very comfortable. It's right after Eloisa runs away, when she is found by Lísias, laying on the ground, hurt and filthy. It's a strong scene, a very delicate and painful moment, plus there's all the make-up that really helps the actor. I had never seen myself like that before, and I think I was a bit impressed by all of it, it was very intense and great to do."

What does this film mean to you?

"When I started on this film, I had no idea of its size and scope. I am not a Spiritualist and I really don't know that much about Spiritualism, but the film touches on things that are part of everybody's life, and that's a great thing. Everyone is moved by death, so I wanted to talk about it. I liked being here, of having this opportunity, and, if it is all true or not, I don't know. I was curious to read more on the subject, and it is unquestionable how much people have faith in this here in Brazil. Nosso Lar to me is about transformation and maturity.

Inez Viana - Narcisa

What is you character like in this film?

"My character is Narcisa. She is Nosso Lar's head nurse. She already has over ten thousand work hours and she likes it, she likes helping others, she feels energized by helping others. You have to give some of yourself, and that's Narcisa's mission in the film. It shows that the more you give, the more you receive. This is her life's motto. Narcisa could have reincarnated already, but she goes on helping people. When André Luiz arrives, he is hesitant about the work, because he is a doctor and he still has not understood how things work in Nosso Lar, he doesn't understand that he can't treat people as if they were on Earth. Nosso Lar is different, because you have to give; you have to give in order to receive. That's basically her story, she has this fundamental role to show him how things work, to demand from him that he fully understand that the way things work in Nosso Lar are different than on Earth, that there are other values. He ends up understanding this."

What was it like to work with this crew?

"I think Wagner de Assis made the perfect choices. When he announced the names I thought they were really good, but I had no real notion of it all until I came to the set and was able to see the characters in those actors. For example, Renato Prieto IS André Luiz! No other actor could have done it. I think he expresses, even because of his commitment to the subject matter, the exact version of what André Luiz would be like. Physically, it was very impressive, he really looked like him, he transformed. Rodrigo dos Santos, Fernando Alves Pinto, Othon Bastos, Werner Schünemann, Ana Rosa... It was very important to me to have this opportunity to perform with all of these actors, because you always get something out of it; you get the answers for your character by looking into that person's eyes. There is not enough that can be said about the crew, they were amazing, and it was an honor for me to be a part of it. I think that goes for everybody, from the cast to the crew. It was a very gratifying experience for me, and I am very happy that this film is being made. I think the audiences are going to love it, even if some people don't follow this religion (Spiritualism), just because it's an incredible story. I think that religion is what least matters in this case. It's a very moving story. "

How did see the religious aspect of Nosso Lar?

"When I was invited to work on Nosso Lar, I had to think a lot about the subject matter. It's not my religion, and all of us have our prejudices. The question of religion is very strong in Brazil and I was a bit guarded, like for example, being typecast for making a Spiritualist film. On the other hand, comparing with "2 Filhos de Francisco", you don't have to like Zezé de Camargo and Luciano's music to enjoy the film, as it was in my case, since they are not my favorite singers, but I was moved by the story. You might not believe in life after death, but that's not only what the film is about, it deals with a much larger question, of how you see others, how you can, from this moment on, become more generous with others in the midst of these troubled times. To me, Nosso Lar is a landmark for the film industry because of the involvement and seriousness with which this subject matter is treated. The film touches those who are not Spiritualists, and I'm not a Spiritualist, but I was completely taken by the story of this man and by what Chico Xavier meant, independent of any religious views, he was an enlightened person."

Rodrigo dos Santos - Tobias

What is your relationship with Spiritualism?

"I am a Candomblé guy, initiated in Candomblé. I'm searching for my spiritual evolution through my culture, which is not only a religion, but a culture, as a way of life, in my relationship with nature, and with the divinities. You don't have to be religious to understand that by having a relationship with a certain person or thinking in a certain way, the other will feel your intentions. I believe in this flow of energy and I like to concentrate on positivity, good intentions and good vibes. Being a part of a series of Spiritualist films is very interesting in the technical point of view of science fiction, through the messages of these books have to deliver and the time spent to communicate about these Spiritualist works, even to humanize the spirits and to spiritualize men."

What is your character like in the film?

"We see Tobias for the first time in the Umbral. He goes there to rescue André Luiz after he dies and finds himself in this intermediary region between Earth and Nosso Lar. This is a task that he is already used to doing.

He is a nurse, and at the same time, a guardian, a messenger. He works in the Rectification Chambers taking care of these newly arrived souls, taking care of their spiritual evolution, so that they understand this life after death. That is why he goes to the Umbral to rescue André Luiz; he follows André throughout the film, in a friendly manner, on a day-to-day basis, very loose, good humored. And this was the type of relationship that I formed with Renato Prieto during rehearsals. I brought this into the film because it was a relationship that generated an authentic feeling, light, brotherly, and it fit well with the characters."

What was Tobias' relationship to the other characters?

"I am Lísias' partner, we both work with Narcisa, the head nurse, who is the person that instructs us and has a higher position in the hierarchy. We all work towards the spiritual evolution of people. Tobias is the only black character that stands out. In the book, I'm can't really remember, but it's very symbolic, a black angel in Nosso Lar. It means a lot to me, because black actors usually represent the stereotype of the thief, the cop, and a person who is at the margin of a socio-political context. In this aspect, Tobias is the guy who breaks away with this paradigm; he is of equal status with Lísias, with André Luiz - although André has a greater importance in the story because he has a different spiritual mission."

How was the work with the director and the rest of the cast?

It was great, a beautiful encounter, very satisfactory. When I was invited to audition, Wagner sent me the script and some research material that he had done, so much so that my jaw dropped with the richness of the material. When I met him for the audition, I congratulated him on his research. He is a very approachable guy, humble, respectful, elegant, careful in dealing with people, calm, serene, a very nice guy... I instantly fell at ease with him. Making a movie is not easy, and I come from the theater and I understand that producing a play is not easy, but producing a film like this, with such a large crew, counting on many variables, natural and not, you need to know your stuff. I think he has a great career ahead of him."

What kind of reaction do you expect from the audience?

"I think this film has all the makings of a hit, it is high quality cinema. Reproducing a book that has sold millions of copies, it will cater to both Spiritualist and non- Spiritualists. I believe in word of mouth, and for being a Brazilian with such high technical quality, I don't think that has ever been a film like this in the history of Brazilian cinema. This will be an added bonus for the film. I hope that investors realize the potential of producing this type of cinema, because we are most certainly capable of making films such as this one. I wish long life to "Nosso Lar". It is a piece of work that will immortalize each of us in the cast, and the whole crew. I have very good expectations and I can't wait for the release. Nosso Lar is here. Don't wait for death to become happy, work towards good. Nosso Lar is here, so let's do good know.

Werner Schünemann - Emmanuel

Did you do any special preparation work for this character?

"I play a solar character in the film that concentrates the fraternity of the human being in a very singular and true manner. From the contact with this personality, who is at the same time simple and grandiose, I searched, through many readings, observations and conversations, to assimilate the manner in which he sees the world and how he relates to others. My focus in this search was to understand and to introject the fraternity from the point of view of this illuminated spirit. I searched the synthesis of all that is fraternal in the human being so that I could come close and lend myself to the character."

How do you the audiences are going to react to the subject matter of the film?

"I think the audience is certainly going to react in a very positive manner because the film moves us when it speaks of faith, the frailty and strengths of man, who makes mistakes and who gets things right on a daily basis, always searching for redemption. Brazil will be moved by the story of André Luiz. Even those who are not Spiritualists, or associated with any religion, or who will go to the movies to see a work of fiction, they will all be surprised by the care, the daintiness, the search and changes the characters go through. It would be great if all of humanity could see this film."

What is your relationship with Spiritualism?

"I have a relationship of profound respect and curiosity with Spiritualism. This phenomenon attracts me as a collective fiction. I want to study it, analyze it, and understand it. All religions, in a manner of speaking, provoke this reaction in me. I see it as a work of man who searches and reaches, through it, salvation and redemption."

Othon Bastos - Anacleto

Are you a Spiritualist?

"I started going to some sessions at a Spiritualist center because of my father and I became more intimate to it than a mere visitor. I started to participate in the spiritual meetings and I became part of it, I started to read and talk to people about it. From then on I became very interested in this phenomenon that is Spiritualism. I read "Nosso Lar" many years ago, also because of my father, because he has a whole Spiritualist library, but at the time I read more out of curiosity. Some time later, I started going to Frei Luiz and Casa de Padre Pio (well known Spiritualist centers). At Casa de Padre Pio, I became interested in the lectures and I started learning and being guided, to a point in which this curiosity started turning into a greater connection with Spiritualism. I learned a lot from Luiz Augusto (Executive Producer) and he gave me the opportunity to read texts, from which I started to become more interested in the Eastern ones. When I heard that this book was going to become a film, I thought: "This is wonderful!” but I never had the intention of coming up and saying: Ï want to work on it, I want to do this." I was very happy when Wagner and Luiz Augusto called me to play the Governor in the film."

What is your character like?

"I play Governor Anacleto from Nosso Lar. He governs this world, probably through some spiritual merit, and time there is not the same as time here for us. When he speaks, he always speaks of the other, he is always concerned about the well being of others so that they can reach their evolution and not cling to matter. As a coincidence, he has six ministries and these ministries have 12 ministers each. If you do the math, it all adds up to 72 ministers, which is the numbers of names of God. Everything is connected. The ministries are for the common good, they always have visions of the evolution of the human being. This man governs this all. It's not exactly a government; in reality he sustains everything that happens, being the enlightened being that he is. And that's what I find so beautiful in this film."

And what is his relationship like with André Luiz?

"The other minister oversee everything in relation to André Luiz's evolution, but still, when André Luiz comes to the governor, he is received with loving care, kindness, generosity and an extreme love that he even says: "Thank you for coming to see me. I am happy that you came here to talk to me." He gives so much of himself in a manner that André Luiz that he opens up many possibilities for him, saying: "Over here you will have this, you will be this, and you will need time do these things. Don't get ahead of yourself and don't worry, because you are not alone, you have always had support, including from people you knew back on Earth, like your mother." What he does is create possibilities for people to evolve. He doesn't impose anything; he offers possibilities and paths for André Luiz."

The governor's relationship with André Luiz is very touching, but as it is with André, it could be with John, Paul, Anthony, or any other person. He would act in the same way, in order for that person to evolve. As with André, any other person that went after the governor would be received in the same manner. It just happens that he is the one telling this story."

What do you expect people to take away from the film?

"People don't know how this film is being done. It's going to be a great surprise, especially because this is not a film a bout doctrine, on the contrary, it will guide to find your own spirituality, which is what is missing in the world today.

People are too attached to things and to themselves.There's too much selfishness and not enough generosity. There's a beautiful phrase that says: Ï was searching for myself. I searched for God and found no one. When I looked for someone else, the three of them were there." I think that this is what is going to happen to the film. People are going to find themselves and learn what it is like to be generous and to be closer to others.

It goes without saying that the whole crew worked on this film with great love and dedication. I wish that this is reflected on the screen and that this love is transmitted to the audience watching the film. I don't think everyone will become a Spiritualist after watching the film, but I wish it opens the doors for them to understand and feel the necessity to be spiritualized."

Ana Rosa - Laura

Did you have any knowledge of the Spiritualist doctrine before the movie?

"Throughout my career on TV, theater, cinema and the circus, I have had the opportunity to play a spiritual entity. I did a comedy called "Uma Mulher do Outro Mundo, for TV; for many years I did the play "Violetas na Janela", in theater; I also participated in the film "Chico Xavier. It is great because you bring these teachings to the audience in a pleasurable manner. I think it is of vital importance that more films be made with this Spiritualist subject matter, showing what happens on the other side."

How was it to work with this crew?

"Wagner de Assis invited me to be in the film last year. We had a meeting - him, Prieto and me - this was still when they were in pre-production. I was very glad because it was, after all, an adaptation of "Nosso Lar". The prep work was great. We had a couple of rehearsal before we started shooting. We also had a meeting with the Spiritualist Federation. This synergy with the crew and with Wagner, who did not know from before, was excellent. It was important because, when we came to the set, we were already more connected with Fernando Alves Pinto and the sisters... This contact with Wagner during the rehearsals was great, because I was able to see that not only he had the knowledge as a director, but he was also very knowledgeable of the Spiritualist doctrine, which was very important in the making of this film. This great knowledge that Wagner had also helped situate the rest of the crew. After all, if you have a good story, a solid crew and a director who knows what he wants, then I'm sure the film is going to be a success.

What is your character like in the film?

"My character is Laura. She lives in the spiritual realm with her son, her sisters and a granddaughter. She has no more need to reincarnate. She works in the spiritual realm, with a certain level of elevation. One day, she decides to return to Earth in order to help her granddaughter who has died and who does have enough condition to deal with what it takes to be in the spiritual realm. The girl is anxious to go back to Earth because she left her fiancée behind. She doesn't want to learn anything; she's too rebellious. So Laura decides to ask Clarêncio (a minister) for permission to reincarnate and help her granddaughter on Earth."

How do you envision the film "Nosso Lar"?

"Nosso Lar" is a learning experience. It delves in the search of what would be the true meaning of life, both here and in the spiritual realm."

Paulo Goulart - Genésio

How did you prepare for this film?

"I didn't have any sort of specific preparation. I just came in with an open heart and a willingness to share experiences and knowledge."

What was it like to work with this group of actors under the direction of Wagner de Assis?

"The work flowed very smoothly with a very upbeat and professional crew. Wagner de Assis proved himself to be a very competent as the maestro of this orchestra."

What is your relationship with the theme of the film?

"I have been a Spiritualist for over 30 years, so to be able to speak about it makes me feel good. I feel good doing my part, contribution to the spreading of the doctrine in a special way, through art."

Interviews with Crew

Ueli Steiger - Cinematographer

How were you invited to be a part of this film?

"I was practically hired over the phone, which is funny, and that's how this whole adventure began. I'm very happy about being a part of this project. When I came to Brazil, I had no idea about what to expect, since I had come from so far away and really did not know much about the project. But I found myself involved in a good way. The first time I read the script, I thought it was a very interesting story. Of course, a special effects film is a very ambitious project, because this film takes place in a different world. Since I had some experience with FX films, and for having been part of some big productions, I believe that the special effects will stay in the background. The key is not to allow the effects to take over the film. I haven't had so much fun in a movie set in years. I think it is important to have this relaxed atmosphere, because we work long hours and we want to be comfortable in the set. In this sense, the film was exceptional, very good.

You brought your own camera crew for this production?

"This is a very difficult film and there are certain things that you just can't let go of, for a matter of trust, the first thing you need is a crew that works well with you. Thinking about this, I brought my own cameraman, focus puller and Key Grip. The focus puller is really a matter of trust. Joey and I, for example, have been working together forever; besides, we have our own camera equipment. My Key Grip, Scott, has been with me even longer. People usually underestimate the role of the Key Grip; only photographers understand what they actually do. A good Key Grip is as important, or even more important, than a good cameraman. You can always find a good cameraman, but Key Grips are hard to come by. So, I always take Scott with me. I can't remember making a movie without him in the last 16 years. Reid, my cameraman, loves Brazil and has been here a couple of times. I met a pair of gaffers who told me a lot of good things about Marcelinho. When we finally met, we fell in love with each other. Marcelinho is great; he has a great attitude and is a very special person. You don't hear about a gaffer that is as prepared and experienced as he is, I should take him with me. The whole camera crew is great, it was very difficult to bring everyone from São Paulo, but it was worth it.

What was it like to work with Wagner de Assis?

"He is no different than other American directors. I've worked with all kinds of directors, and every time I start on a new film it is a new relationship that is being built. Wagner is very simple, has technical knowledge, the vocabulary of a filmmaker and is very open, which is his trademark. He listens and is not upset if I say things should not be done in the way he suggested. We had some good talks, and none of them were about who was right or wrong. This film is really about his story, he lives this story." Lia Renha – Production Designer

What was it like to recreate Nosso Lar as described in the book?

"Nosso Lar is a city in another dimension, and that is why it had to be created from scratch. It is a space where you rethink the values you had on Earth and then you are oriented on how to follow your cosmic trajectory.

Besides, Nosso Lar is a city. I started working with the set designer early on, in February, because we had to design everything that exists in a city: the ministries, the streets, the buildings, the houses and everything else. Even for a city in the 40s (the time period in which the film takes place), it is more advanced than our current references.

Another characteristic that we had to define was that it needed to be luminous and bright, since it is in a more elevated dimension. For this reason, everything had to be more fluid. In this aspect, my greatest accomplice was the Cinematographer - Ueli Steiger. The fact that he was from another country didn't matter at all, after all, the method of filmmaking is the same anywhere in the world."

What were some of your references to build the city?

"The starting point was to do research on the cutting edge architecture of today. The second reference was the work of Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. The idea was to associate the fluidity and lightness of the costumes to the architecture. In terms of geographical location, in our story, the city of Nosso Lar finds itself hovering over Rio de Janeiro."

Then there's Earth and the Umbral. Talk about building these two sets.

"The film takes place in three different places: Earth, the Umbral and Nosso Lar - being that the Umbral is an intermediary space, something like Purgatory. On Earth we had to recreate two time periods, the 30s and the 40s. The Umbral is the opposite of Nosso Lar; everything there is dense and colorless.... There is an absence of color in the Umbral, of lightness, exactly the opposite. The reference for this concept was his loss of parameters. Today I see three well-defined universes. The palettes are very different, but each one of them is in harmony.

Did the use of special effects in post-production alter your work during the shoot?

"The characteristic of Nosso Lar is that is was built as a set, with wood, paint... It was built in 3D and then later added to what we had shot. What we had physically built served to characterize and situate the scene, then, in post-production, we added the world that we had designed from the beginning. For example, we had the ministry all planned out, and then it was built in 3D. This way, the director knows what it is going to be like and what we shot, the difference being that we join both together, with the aid of computers." Luiz Augusto Queiroz - Executive Producer

"We hope to reach the whole market, because this film didn't come about to be a niche film. Despite the fundamentals in the story being from the Spiritualist doctrine, it is a film that talks about immortality, and it doesn't speak to a specific religion. Despite being born a Spiritualist, and most certainly most Spiritualists will be the first to mobilize to see this film, we made a film that will touch everybody. This is very important, for this film goes beyond, and soon the expectation will be that it continues to surprise us, as of today, and positively forever."

Elisabeth Marinho Dias - Executive Producer

"It is a moment of great realization, for me and for the whole crew. There are great expectations, and it makes very happy to see this project happening, to see it come true. I think that the director, the producers, the cast, and everyone, put in a lot of effort. To see the idea, that conversation suddenly taking shape and starting becoming a reality, especially due to the film's theme. I don't think it is focused on a specific niche group, for basically it speaks of love, about the power of transformation of love. His entire trajectory shows, in the end, that love saves. In our world today, I think it is very useful, even for those who are not Spiritualists. I think that is the main point and the strongest point for me. Now I am very anxious for the premiere."

CREW Written and Directed by ______Wagner de Assis Produced by ______Iafa Britz Executive Producers ______Luiz Augusto Queiroz Elisabeth Marinho Dias Wagner de Assis Cinematographer ______Ueli Steiger Original Score ______Philip Glass Production Design ______Lia Renha Line Producer ______Ilana Brakarz Executive Co-Producer ______Luiz Claudio Barbosa Post-Production Supervisor ______Renato Tilhe Special Effects Supervisor ______Geoff D. E. Scott (Intelligent Creatures) Music Direction ______Guto Graça Melo Music Producer ______Vinicius França Sound ______George Saldanha Sound Mixing ______Armando Torres Jr. Sound Editing Supervisor ______Alessandro Laroca Costume Design ______Luciana Buarque Acting Coach ______Ruy Brito Editing ______Marcelo Moraes Associate Producer ______Harold Apter

CAST

Renato Prieto ______André Luiz Fernando Alves Pinto ______Lísias Rosanne Mulholland ______Eloisa Inez Viana ______Narcisa Rodrigo dos Santos ______Tobias Werner Schünemann ______Emmanuel Clemente Viscaíno ______Clarêncio Othon Bastos ______Governor Anacleto Ana Rosa ______Laura Paulo Goulart ______Genésio

If you'd like more information about this film please call Samantha Klinger at 310.836.7500 or email [email protected].