Documentary by Ana Flávia Miziara
Traduction: Lala Mesquita
Pictures: Maria Sampaio

"Windows is a script by Ana Flavia Miziara, based on the best seller of a Brazilian author named MABEL Velloso. IT talks about a Young lady’s memories who goes back to her home town after 25 years of absence."

The intentions of the script is to pretend that the personage "Mabel" is visiting her house just for a while visiting her city.

At dawn, a little bit before sunrise

The snapshot câmera gives the close up, and from outside you could see the old two-story house. window.

The soundtrack of "Sobrados" with the sound of the guitar only.

Mabel goes on opening both sides of the window-a sad vision.

The window swings open, and empty room with just some objects (that will be described along) with the personage’s voice in off.

There is no one on the streets.

Mabel’s vision; from the antique and empty Square you can see from far away a distinguished church.

And the snapshot câmera passes by the many two-story houses.

Mabel’s voice in off. "Our Heavenly Lady of Purification, on that suffered night I didn’t ask for your help. The radio and the TV announce and show a great and terrible flood in the city of Santo Amaro. They Said it was some kind of torrent and fierce water coming from anywhere.

"And inside of myself... also a kind of fierce water...

(Mabel’s vision looking at the radio) "everything going deep down and away with the flood... pain...(She looks at the TV set) ... a loss...

"I looked at the Heavenly Lady’s picture hanging on the dirty wall. The picture, itself showing the Heavenly Lady’s clean and shining picture, surrounded by clouds."

"I thought of my may people from Santo Amaro and now everything has gotten lost.

(The sad vision of the crowded street with its people passing by.

"Heavenly Mother (and the vision comes back from the empty streets) .....

and calling like a child. For God’s sake ... when will the help come to this city?

"Reading and remembering that life goes on...(the vision of some notes stuck on the roll top desk and the turned on TV.

Mabel walks to the kitchen.

The sang sound track rises - "Sobrados"

(Kitchen’s vision) The sink full of dishes, and greasy pots and pans.

Mabel tries to open the faucet but there is very little water.

(On the wide open) She begins to wash the dishes- her thin hands deepen into the greasy water.

On the TV (fades out on the trail) news about Santo Amaro. "The Subaé River, the quiet river played a trick on everyone.

Lots of water is around Santo Amaro.(Close up on the faucet) and there is no water on the faucet."

Mabel returns and rests her arms on the window. (The general vision of the empty streets)

Very few people walking on the streets pretending going to work.

(Fusion) Mabel remembers the Mass and the nine days of Saint Walk and its festivals.(The vision of the crowded church in glee and everybody sitting.

Mabel, sitting on the back bench, looking forward.

(The sister’s voice in off) (fusion of Mabel’s image as a child.) The sister used to say; "Don’t look back. What matters is what is ahead."

Close up on the girl, one teen look back) Mabel’s voice in off; "What was back there?"

Fusion- close up on actual Mabel) (Voice in off) "What about my life? I’m always wanting to look back..."

(The church’s vision- everybody gets up)

The song "Ladainha de Santo Amaro" comes up instrumental.

(Mabel’s vision standing) (Her voice in off) "I was born on Ash Wednesday the over day. I was Born crying strongly and so I grew up. Nowadays my crying is weak."

(Fusion) Mabel remembers her childhood.

A huge house- in each bedroom, a window – back yard.

(The snapshot câmera passes by the empty house.

Mabel’s as vision as a child looking through the window.

(Fusion of remembers) A full house and children.

(Vision of children playing) a clean back yard, cement bench, and a mango tree shade with its fruits. Shades and fruits...; (the smell of wet dirt and green leaves).

(Close up on Mabel and few of siblings pretending and acting while others playing too top train on the cement benches.

Back then among the children, many years ago, there was a play just like that;

- Excuse-me, Miss.
- Come in Doctor.,
- It’s such a beautiful afternoon!
- Take your hat off please.


(Voice in off) "All my life I’ve looked for mango trees but they took away the shades and the sweet fruits from my way..."

(Vision of a shade that comes close to Mabel, playing with the toy and go stepping on it.)

"Why are there always mean people destroying our toys?"
(Fusion- an image between the gate and the Huge House

A shadow of a man appears. Against the light.

(Voice in off) "The best of me entered through the gate which was always open of my yesterday. Through it my first love entered, went up the stairs, ran all over the house met each corner and got tangled inside me and my toy-love broke so rapidly."

Mabel looks forwards again.
(Fusion of Mabel going back to the window )

She turns back and looks at a wedding photograph on the wall... (Voice in off...)

"This picture frames our faces... but do not tie our features..."

Close up on a picture that appears and disappears, changing the image of the wedding to the family’s picture. This picture is on the piano.

(Fusion on the colors yellow to White, from old to the new)

Mabel looks at the piano, opens it up and plays the note.

Mabel’s vision looking at the house stair away.

Voices are heard. It’s her siblings calling her; Come up Mabel! Come up and play the piano with us!

(Voice in off) The piano room was so close... but unreachable...

The notes were tied up and fingers because of my fear I couldn’t play.

Mabel’s vision with shaky hands trying to play the piano in vain.

A long and soft whistle can be heard.

Mabel walks back to the window –(Voice in off) "It’s always been too difficult.

Losing has always been very hard.

They taught me how to walk, how to write, how to read, how to count... But nobody taught me how to lose. I’ve lost many times.

They left me for life and death. For death I cried but I accepted and for life was always difficult

(Mabel’s vision on the crowded street) Voice in off. "Although there are so many people on the streets they seem to be empty"

Mabel closes the window.

(Fusion) Mabel going out the door and walking through the street observing the two-story houses windows.

The wondering of the windows.

Fade in the soundtrack "Sobrados".

The final act- in off- "When I was a child I used to count the windows and shared with my relatives and gave a window to each person and still there were some left over. I didn’t know what to do with the left over windows or with the people who were missing.

They were the attic’s windows which were left from one side to the other. People were missing inside of me. Why so many windows?

Looking from the outside they were all the same. Beautiful. Painted with oil paint.

Opened the windows lead me into my past...that turned out to be my present.

The porch is empty, there are no toys. Closed the windows. An empty house and now there are too many windows left over.

I no longer know how to play pretending been a mother. I am my own mother and a teacher.

I already have a grandson who asks me not to cry and says: The street is a home’s mom, and the home is the window’s mom. My daughters slam the door and leave... my daughters, the window’s of tomorrow. My grandchildren, the windows afterwards.

The soundtrack " Sobrados" rises.