Behind the Scenes of Nova Esperança — New Hope
Behind the Scenes of Nova Esperança — New Hope
When people watch a short film, they usually see the polished final cut — smooth shots, clean sound, and a powerful story. What they don’t see is the chaos, the jet lag, and the occasional sprint to find a bathroom.
That’s where our story takes us.
The Filming Journey
We started in Vienna, Austria, and after a long haul of flights, landed in Mozambique. There wasn’t much time to rest. Just a couple of hours after arrival, we were already rolling the camera. The local organization we were partnering with was hosting a conference to train new leaders for a prison ministry program, and we wanted to capture those first moments.
Day one went pretty smoothly — except for one thing: our main characters weren’t even there. They were three hours north in Gaza Province, on a road we were told was unsafe to travel at night. We had to figure out how to get to them… or convince them to come to us.
We decided to make the trip on our “day off.”
The First Big Challenge: Food Poisoning
Day two hit us hard — really hard. The entire crew (plus half the conference) came down with food poisoning. We were slow, groggy, and holding cameras while holding our stomachs. One of our most important interviews, with Mudard, the director of the prison ministry, was done in the small window of time that our stomachs and the neighbour’s booming radio allowed us to get it done.
By the end of the day, we hunted down some medicine, crossed our fingers, and prayed the next day would be better.
The Long Drive to Gaza
Day three started before sunrise. We packed the car, grabbed extra toilet paper (just in case), and headed three hours north to Gaza Province. The road was long, dotted with police control points. Each time, we were waved through without trouble.
When we finally reached the school’s location where we were to film, we faced a surprise: the filming location was a bit too drab and lifeless. We wanted a backdrop that showed hope, so we scrambled to find somewhere better.
Then came the real curveball — our main characters couldn’t make it.
Finding Phineas
Instead of heading home empty-handed, we started talking to the other former students from the prison program who had gathered there. That’s when we met Phineas.
Phineas’ life had been turned upside down by a bad decision that landed him in prison. His family abandoned him. But through the prison program, he found purpose, courage, and a reason to believe again. His transformation was so powerful, we knew instantly — this was the story we were meant to tell.
You can read more about Phineas’ journey here.
Why This Story Matters
Nova Esperança — New Hope became more than just our first official Project Vérité film. It became a reminder of why we do what we do — to tell stories of hope, courage, and transformation that can change how people see the world.
We believe stories have the power to heal, inspire, and move people toward action. You can read more about why we tell stories here and watch the finished film here.
For us, Phineas’ story was exactly that — a picture of what’s possible when someone chooses to step into a hard place to make a difference. This is why Project Vérité exists.
We hope you’ll follow our journey and see what comes next. In the meantime, you can find more updates on our Instagram.
Until then, be the light, lend a hand, and share a bit of hope with those around you.
🎥 For the Gear Nerds
Cameras: Sony FX6 + Sony FX30 (two-camera setup)
Lenses: Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 II, Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8, Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 (for that creamy bokeh)
Style: Mostly handheld for energy and movement
Editing: Adobe Premiere Pro
Colour: DaVinci Resolve
Post: Several rounds of internal revisions to craft the narrative, with careful colour grading to match tone and emotion
