BOSTON – Noah Duarte, 22, knew from a very young age that he wanted to make movies.
“I think it has a very big life affirming quality to it, even more so than real life,” said the Film/Video junior at Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt). “It’s able to teach people things, and I think that’s really awesome. Plus, it’s gorgeous to take people to new places and show other people’s stories.”
Originally from Acushnet, Mass., Duarte recently saw his short film “Supper” be chosen as an official selection for the Austin Lift-Off Film Festival 2021.
He is currently wrapping up production on the 17-minute film “Dilemma,” which is set in colonial New England in the 17th century.
“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s looking great and so far I’m very happy.”
He then plans to spend part of August in São Miguel, Azores, to film his senior thesis “The Lonely Doryman,” which he co-wrote with Ali Fernandes, a Film/Video senior at MassArt who is originally from Fall River.
Set during Portugal’s fascist regime in the 1960s, the short film will follow a man named Luis from Vila Franca do Campo who joins the White Fleet of Portuguese fishing vessels that fished for cod on Newfoundland’s Grand Banks. Venturing into the harsh waters alone, these fishermen would put their life on the line in a small dory as they baited hundreds of hooks on long lines.
In search of purpose and money, Luis eventually finds himself lost and alone on a deserted island in the Atlantic.
“It’s set against the backdrop of Portugal’s complex traditional values during Salazar’s regime,” explained Duarte, acknowledging that as a filmmaker he likes “to bring contemporary relevance to a historical subject matter, focusing heavily on detailed art direction and production design.”
“The project explores themes of queer identity, loneliness, and masculinity,” he added. “I love the kind of metaphor and similarity to what the doryman would do. It does seem very lonely, and it’s very much like a time to be introspective.”
Duarte said he and his crew feel very passionate about representing Portuguese heritage and queer identity on screen through this deeply personal and unique story.
“I really wanted to make something about my Portuguese heritage and queer identity,” said the grandson of immigrants hailing from São Miguel, who arrived in the United States in the 1960s.
Growing up gay in a Portuguese community was not always easy, he admitted.
“There is obviously that sense of deep rooted Catholicism that I’m sure every Portuguese family experiences. Whether it’s like extremely devout or subtle, it’s always in the back of everyone’s mind,” Duarte said. “I really liked the idea of setting this [film] during the fascist regime because it kind of just encapsulates all of those anxieties and prejudices of those traditional values.”
For some time, Duarte could not help but feel ashamed of being gay.
“And I lived in the 2000s,” he said. “So, I wanted to tell a story of someone from the 60s, when you couldn’t have even tried to explore that side of you. You felt so ostracized and lonely.”
Duarte plans to spend at least two weeks in the Azores in August to start production of “The Lonely Doryman.”
“We’re filming in Vila franca do Campo,” he said. “We have a cottage we got from Airbnb, and that’s going to be used as our main character’s house. And we’ll be filming on the Vila Franca islet.”
Duarte will travel to São Miguel with a small crew composed of Writer and Audio Recordist Ali Fernandes, Director of Photography Christian Kalcic and Production Assistant Eve Hartig. They expect to be working with six or seven actors from the Azores.
“When I met with the Azores Film Commission, the gentleman recommended this producer/actress who’s based in São Miguel, already in Ponta Delgada,” Duarte said. “I sent her the character breakdowns and the synopsis of the film, and people just started sending me self tapes. It was just amazing.”
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he predicts the crew will face a few more challenges.
“We’re making sure that we’re taking the right precautions, cause we obviously want to be safe,” said Duarte, adding that he was already told that he and his crew will have to be fully vaccinated to enter the Azores. “I’m very thankful that this is happening in August, as things are beginning to go back to normal.”
To help defray production costs, the crew has received a Donis A. Dondis Travel Grant in the amount of $5,000, but Duarte estimates that ideally $15,000 will be needed to complete the project.
“We will make this film no matter the budget,” he said. “However, the more funding we have, the better we will be able to tell this story.”
Duarte and his crew recently launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, welcoming generous support and backing for the movie. Those interested in funding the project, can visit https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-lonely-doryman
Duarte said the ultimate goal is to submit “The Lonely Doryman” to as many film festivals as possible.
“Hopefully, it’ll get in… and we’ll see where that takes us,” he said.
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OTHER CREW MEMBERS OF “THE LONELY DORYMAN”
Christian Kalcic: Director of Photography
A Film/ Video junior at MassArt, he is originally from Foxborough, Mass. Focusing on cinematography and lighting, he has been the Director of Photography for Noah Duarte’s “Supper” and “Dilemma.”
Ali Fernandes: Writer, Audio Recordist
A Film/ Video senior at MassArt, she is originally from Fall River, Mass. Her filmmaking and writing style mainly focuses on the psychology of family dynamics. She is the recipient of The Katheryn Coughlan Award for Outstanding Student in the Field of Literature, Writing or Film Criticism. She also co-wrote and co-directed “Dilemma” with Noah Duarte.
Eve Hartig: Production Assistant
A Film/ Video senior at MassArt, she is originally from Fairhaven, Mass. An experimental filmmaker and current Production Assistant for “Dilemma,” Hartig’s non-linear narrative film “Blanchard’s Sweet Shoppe” was chosen by faculty in March 2021 to be screened at Gus Van Sant’s visiting artist talk at MassArt.
