Community Highlights: Meet Claudia Chakmati of Rhiza Films

Today we’d like to introduce you to Claudia Chakmati.

Hi Claudia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?

I’ve been living in the US for almost seven years now, which still shocks me to this day as I say it. At the same time that it feels exactly just as long as I’ve been away from home, it also feels like much less. I first moved to the US to study Communications at Emerson College in Boston, even though I secretly knew I wanted to change my major to Film as soon as I had the chance. When I finally did, I realized how unequipped I had been into thinking that I would be able to catch up to my peers. I felt like a total fish out of water; whereas many of my peers had already done short films, music videos, and mini projects, I had barely picked up a camera. That’s usually what happens when you come from a third-world country where the arts are severely underfunded in schools and higher education.

I was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, and although I always had a penchant for the arts and for expressing my creativity in general, I never thought it would be a viable career for me growing up. Looking back now, I realize how most of that mindset stemmed from the fear – that of others around me, of the community I was raised in, and my own – of not being able to provide for myself if I worked in this industry. Now, living in LA, I clearly see that I was wrong. Although we are in a historical moment in time for the business right now – where our writers and actors, those responsible for creating what we love, have to work a gig economy to simply be able to survive – I feel like my people are here. If I were to be producing and working in development back in Brazil, I probably would feel boxed in, marginalized, and overlooked. Here, I feel like part of something.

When I was around 14 years old, I had my first taste of the so-called “seventh art”. My parents enrolled me in a theatre course/production, where my older sister was already a member, in an effort to break me out of my shyness. I would consider it a success (although some might not), because I kept acting in these theatre productions for over five years, and over the course of those years, I also got to play a part in a very small TV movie. That, and the fact that I was named after my late uncle, who was a prolific Brazilian actor back in the day, convinced me that I should probably be pursuing something in the arts. Fast forward to a few years later, a couple of bad (and right) decisions, I ended up falling in love with being behind the camera even more than I did being in front of it. I learned in college that as a creative producer, you are pretty much the maestro, or puppet master, of the show; in charge of making sure that 100 pages of script turns into a beautiful (and sellable) movie. As a bonafide control freak, I found myself gravitating towards producing and tossed aside my dreams of becoming an actor because, in moving to LA, I didn’t want to limit myself in a city where everyone is waiting for their big break.

Instead, my big break came in the form of producing. I now work in development as well as independently produce via my production company, Rhiza Films, together with my business partner and co-founder Gabriela Matarazzo – another very talented Brazilian filmmaker whom I’ve had the pleasure to work with (so much so that we’ve tied the knot and are now stuck with working together forever). The last project I produced is an AFI DWW+ production, which is a female-led initiative supporting female directors, and was one of the most stressful yet additive experiences of my life so far.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

It has definitely not been a smooth road, and I’m still going over or around a few bumps along the way. The first bump that I can think of is, clearly, graduating college smack dab in the middle of a global pandemic. Trying to find a job – especially as a non-US citizen – was not fun or easy. But after building my resume with work experience in several productions like Steven Soderbergh’s “KIMI”, “Jurassic World: Dominion”, and Amazon’s “Daisy Jones & the Six” , I was able to get into the development side of the producing business, which is where I’m at now. At the same time, I still produce independently under my previously aforementioned banner, Rhiza Films, with my business partner.

In between all of that quick-paced shuffling, I’ve gained so much in the short term. I’ve worked and met (and continue working and meeting) with creatives that have taught me so much and who have made work that we are all proud to share with the world. I definitely credit the professional that I am today with the whirlwind experiences I’ve amassed over these few busy years.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?

Rhiza was born out of a mutual love for film and a mutual taste in this medium, with someone that I know from back home. If you were to interview my business partner Gabriela, I’m sure she’d tell you the same thing, which is that it’s hard to find someone where we’re from who has the same artistic sensibilities as you do. Apart from that, we were also good friends before ever learning about each other’s professional aspirations and dreams, which I think only adds fuel to the fire when two people decide to go into business together. She’s now my best friend *and* business partner, which I’m sure has its own set of complications, but has only been the absolute most fun time so far.

Rhiza, as a name, came from the desire to tell raw, grounded, and rooted stories while also championing talented filmmakers. “Rhiza” translates to ‘root’ in Greek, but it also sounds like ‘risa’, a Portuguese word that translates to ‘laugh’. Our goal with everything that we make is to capture the human experience; the longing for human connection, and both the traumas and joys that are rooted deep within us. We are quality- and filmmaker-driven while also knowing not to compromise commerciality with artistic integrity – it’s all about that balance for us. Gabriela, being a very talented writer-director, complements me in my role as primarily a producer: she is fantastic at the micro level, whereas I’m more of a big ideas person. We bounce off of each other perfectly in that way.

As such, we’re starting our banner with short films that we’ve created over the course of the past three years or so, as well as serving as Executive Producers on a Brazilian feature documentary entitled “Ashes of the Forest” trying to find distribution, and most recently a feature film in development with a Brazilian screenwriter. Our Brazilian docu-feature, which tackles the very serious socio political issue of the devastating wildfires in the Amazon (and all around the world), had its World Premiere at the Ecofalante Film Festival (the biggest environmental film festival in Latin America) and its International Premiere at EKOFilm in the Czech Republic, among others. As two Brazilians who speak fluent English and want to work / have worked abroad, our goal is to provide a balance of English-language and Portuguese-speaking content in our slate (as well as other languages, but that’s still far off). Our ultimate goal is to bring Brazilian stories to Hollywood and to the world – and when we’ve gotten that one figured out, we’ll let you know!

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?

I’ve definitely learned to pace myself and stop pressuring myself so much in times when I can’t control the outcome of what’s about to happen. I think having gone through the COVID-19 pandemic has, in a way, prepared us for the industry stoppage happening right now in Hollywood due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. As with the pandemic, there’s not much to do right now until the AMPTP hopefully reaches an agreement with both guilds. In times when I’m feeling antsy or like I’m not being productive enough, I remind myself that this feeling is not a reflection of me but indeed of the world around me. All I can do in these times is offer support to those who need it most and be proactive in finding solutions.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @cacauchakmati
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-chakmati-b51bb1158/

Image Credits
Pictures 1,2,6,7: Robert Kozek (Photographer). Pictures 3,4,5: Adam Cole (Photographer). Picture 8: N/A