Contributor Introduction – Rita 🇵🇹

Olá!

I’m not much of a writer – you’re more likely to find me in the cutting room, working as a video editor here at ReSee – but, once in a while, I try to put into words how much I love the movies.

My film journey started in my teenage years, when my introversion made me feel like I was incapable of fitting in, and so I relied on fiction to experience the world. I lived vicariously through movies: there, I could always count on great adventures, friendly faces, and star-crossed lovers. It was also a desperate attempt to find some representation in an incredibly heteronormative society; a way to feel less alone.

Soon, this developed into a fascination with the process of filmmaking itself – how did people create these fake worlds and characters that felt so real? How did they bring them to life? Could I do that, too?

And so I dove right into binge-watching video essays and film edits (shout out to Now You See It, clemmie and Lucy May), started experimenting with editing software, and making my own little projects just for fun. I quickly realized that this was something that brought me immense joy. Maybe I wasn’t made for holding a camera or directing a crew – that felt like too much pressure for someone who gets stressed out just making a phone call – but I sure loved putting some footage together!

More than just giving me something to relate to, films often allow me to experience radically different lives from my own and still find some common ground, whether in a character’s mannerisms, their motivations or the way they react to their environment. Ultimately, I believe movies have made me (and continue to make me) a more empathetic person. And so, while I can enjoy any type of film, I tend to gravitate towards “slice of life” films and realistic stories that capture fleeting moments of truth – or what some people affectionately call “no plot, just vibes” films.

Here are some of my favorite movies:

• Aftersun (2022)
• Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
• The Florida Project (2017)
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
• Little Women (2019)
• Boyhood (2014)
• Lady Bird (2017)
• Toy Story (1995)
• But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)
• Before Sunrise (1995)

My relationship with film still feels very fresh. At 24 years old, I’m constantly hit with a very specific type of anxiety: I will never be able to watch every single film out there – all the cult classics, the blockbusters, the arthouse projects, the festival releases. I’ll come to terms with that eventually…

At the same time, I’m someone who loves the comfort of rewatching movies, even if just to see other people’s reactions. ReSee has not only allowed me to explore my passion for editing, but also to find a community of movie lovers around the world to share opinions with and discover new perspectives about film. I hope to see this community grow and spread the joy to cinemas everywhere. For my part, I hope you stick around and enjoy the videos.

I’m just getting started.