A new Portuguese-language web series—“It’s No Longer I Who Lives”—documents the life and experiences of a 19-year-old Seventh-day Adventist in Amazonas state, Brazil.
Over the course of eight days, dozens of people were involved in the production. The story takes place in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and portrays the life of Amazonian student Esthefany da Silva Maia. The plot covers her daily life and involvement with the Adventist Church’s Pathfinder Club (Clube de Desbravadores).
The premiere took place on September 20 at Feliz7Play, the Adventist Church's video platform for South America. Esthefany was a young student with many dreams. After discovering that she had lupus, her life was marked by many changes as well the desire to make a difference among the people with whom she lived.
The diagnosis of the incurable illness—and a new friendship—brought Esthefany a change of direction in her life. Living challenging days with lupus’ complications, she began writing her reflections in a diary given Esthefany by her father, Armando Maia. The diary’s entries became the background for the web series.
Production
Pollyana Corrêa wrote the series script, with episodes directed by filmmaker Rudy Barros, both from the production company RUDFilms Sudamérica, based in Curitiba, in Brazil’s Paraná state.
“It was from this diary the script began to take shape, even inspiring the very title of the series and the essence of who this young missionary was. We also reconstructed the story by listening to several witnesses, especially Esthefany's parents,” Pollyana said.
For the director, conducting the project in Amazonas had its challenges and rewards: “Adapting a real story to fiction is a big responsibility, because there is someone else's personal life experience. So, you need to respect the feelings of real people without it becoming dysfunctional for the screens. The work will provide us with an inspiring and hopeful experience,” he said.
Cast
The cast was composed of professionals from Manaus, such as actors Leonardo Novellino, Cláudia Simões, Allícia Castro, Karyme Dibo and Valentina Marques. During the eight days of recording, carried out at the end of August, all safety protocols were followed, with a reduced production team within the set and the use of hand sanitizers and masks.
Novellino played Esthefany's father. He has been acting in the theater since he was 13 years old and this web series project touched him. “It was inspiring and exciting, because being an instrument to help tell the story of struggle, overcoming and victory in the faith of Esthefany and her family makes us reflect on the direction we are taking in our own lives and motivates us to also take care and help others,” Novellino said.
“It was a new and incredible experience. I met nice people and I will keep this experience for the rest of my life,” points out Valentina Marques, who plays Letícia, Esthefany's sister.
Evangelism
In addition to publicity on the Adventist Church's digital platforms , audiences from the states of Amazonas, Acre, Rondônia and Roraima will be able to follow the episodes of the webseries during the evangelistic week The Great Hope (A Maior Esperança).