MMXII - MMXIII DEMO REEL

SANDRO MENDES, Demo Reel of 2012 - 2013.

A few grabs from late 2012 early 2013 work as Cinematographer; Cameraman; Video Editor. Enjoy!

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MMX - MMXI DEMO REEL

SANDRO MENDES, Demo Reel of 2010 - 2011.

A portfolio with samples from works produced within this period, in the context of functions such as Director; Cinematographer; Videographer and Editor.

I hope you appreciate the video, and if possible leave some feedback.

TEASER TRAILER OF "LDMFBBE"

Here's a small new teaser trailer from the 3rd short film directed by Sandro Mendes. "Little Daeng's Mood For The Big Bad Escapism" is currently on it's final post production phase. Enjoy!

LITTLE DAENG'S MOOD FOR THE BIG BAD ESCAPISM

         Theatrical Trailer

This is the third short feature from Sandro Mendes. A 16 mins lenght short film, also filmed in digital format.

Statement by Sandro Mendes, director and writer: 

"The main purpose of this short film is to explore the conflict of guilt of a human being through its most extremist irrational attitudes versus the introspective and self-analytical state of an enlightened factual conscience."

Synopsis

Daeng leaves her condominium immersed in trivial thoughts of common daily tasks and obligations, however this routine is broken when a mysterious watchman, in her absence, enters silently inside Daeng’s apartment with the purpose of abducting her.

Once back home, Daeng is taken by surprise and attacked by the intruder, which takes her to a place far away from any traces of civilization.

Now Daeng realizes that she is alone, and consequently, placed to the test of escaping from a threat that unveils bit by bit, to be strangely familiar in her memory.

On the set: (left to right) Tew Wetchpinan, Bjoern Vogel, Sandro Mendes.

On the set: (left to right) Winnie Wong, Sandro Mendes, Tew Wetchpinan.

FROM S... TO S... AND THUS SUCCESSIVELY

This is the second feature from Sandro Mendes. A 25 mins lenght short film, also filmed in digital format.

Statement by Sandro Mendes, director and writer: 

“What interests me more than capturing the transformations of a character, is to expose it’s own perceptions, thoughts and feelings experienced in a non linear narrative. In this short film, the character rejects the surrounding world and becomes the world. Unconsciously Samara, the main character, creates an imaginary safe ground for her fragility towards reality, therefore she will conduct the time and space of her quest, in a search for the balance of her personality.”

Synopsis

A woman isolated in her apartment, becomes a victim of a severe sequence of bipolar disorder episodes. This condition was triggered by the ending of a long term relationship. Left in the edge of pain and loneliness, she incarnates the identity of her ex-partner, simultaneously blocking any subconscious guilt complex of failure.

This swap of personalities condemned her to a worst conflict; she still bares the feeling of being abandoned, in this case by her "true self". This misinterpretation comes as a result from her illness, where she assumes as truth, an unrealistic ideal situation, where she would be the one putting an end to the relationship, leaving all the pain and loneliness inflicted to her ex-partner.

And while assuming her ex-partner personality, she becomes obsessed to find the woman who is gone from her/“his” life. Consequently, the hallucination episodes become more frequent and vivid, making her lose total grip of reality. Her delusions take her to different places where finally she, being "him", sees her true self walking amongst the crowd, appearing as a mysterious woman in a red dress.

The chase to find the woman in red starts...

For more information about the shooting process as well a few still shots from the short film, please check for ABSURD Office on Facebook.

COUPE ROUGE

This work is the debut of the young director Sandro Mendes. A 7 mins lenght short film, filmed in digital format.

Statement by Sandro Mendes, director and writer:

"This short film seeks to portray in a metaphorical sense the primary fears and consequences from the post rupture of a relationship. The plot unfolds through a poetic narrative, whether through dialogue or monologue of the characters. The atmosphere and tone, strengthens the feeling of being watching a dream within a dream, but with a reality of profound feelings experienced by the characters."

The surreal elements in Coupe Rouge, come from film genres more attuned with the European and Asian Experimentalist "Art house" cinema, proclaiming therefore the main influences of the Portuguese filmmaker.

The casting consisted of only two actors, Eric Lamoureux and Karnpitcha Sathapitanon.

Eric Lamoureux, a Canadian graphic designer and also a self-taught photographer, showned great interest in participating in the project, revealing a surprisingly good performance in front of the camera.

The young Thai Karnpitcha Sathapitanon (Kwan), was chosen amongst other young actresses because of her solid experience demonstrated in previous works: film, sitcom, soap operas, commercials.

Coupe Rouge (Red Cut), is the first short film of a trilogy conceived by Sandro Mendes. The main concept is the lovers rupture and their self-denial of "mea culpa" through the inversion of roles within the couple. Throughout the trilogy the characters take refuge in the escapism from grim facts and from the re-adjustment of living alone, driven by feelings like obsession; retaliation; passion and Red. Yes, red was chosen as a methafore for such feelings explored in the trilogy, either by visual colored elements or even in as a characters name (symbolizing  the personality,  the object of desire).

In the case of Coupe Rouge, under the form of object/color, the red ribbon represents the lovers relationship and one's inability of setting himself free.