‘The more we can demystify our confusion, the better’, says Giovanna Antonelli

Giovanna Antonelli is an actress, entrepreneur, influencer, mother, girlfriend and passionate woman. While filming “Beleza Fatal”, the next soap opera on (HBO) Max and traveling the country with motivational talks for female entrepreneurs, she is also promoting the film “Apaixonada”, which premieres this Thursday (7), in celebration of International Women’s Day. Woman.

Having self-esteem and a lot of self-love, according to her, are the paths that naturally lead anyone to give — real — love to others. “I’m a passion-driven person. I try to fall in love with one thing every day. If I don’t feel passionate, I can’t do anything,” she told F5.

This is what your protagonist, Beatriz, will discover she needs. At the height of her forties, her daughter goes to study abroad and she thinks she will experience a new relationship with her husband (Danton Mello) but, when he asks for a divorce, she finds herself alone. Total empty nest. Shortly afterwards, the death of a close family member also shook her. Another thump.

In the midst of so much chaos, Bia is supported by her friends, Dora (Polly Marinho) and Jeff (Pedroca Monteiro). When you least expect it, Pablo (Rodrigo Simas) becomes a romantic interest, but not for long. The important thing here is the relationship with her daughter, Júlia (Rayssa Bratillieri), and, mainly, with herself.

Giovanna says that she read the book “In Love at 40”, by Cris Souza Fontes, in one day, during the pandemic. As soon as she discovered the story, she realized it would make a great film. In addition to being an actress, she is also a producer and is part of a mostly female team, who, for the most part, identified with the character.

“This Bia is many women. There’s a little bit of her in each of us”, says director Natalia Warth, who points out how the character was portrayed in a real, disassembled way, with messy hair, light makeup and the effects of menopause. “I gave check in almost everything in the film: I just turned 40, my daughter 20. My family are my friends, I don’t care about boys”, said Polly.

Like many women in their 40s, Bia and Dora also go through moments when the vitality of their 20s is somewhat missed, but that’s okay. They live and learn to play. Sexologist Cátia Damasceno, who teaches intimate gymnastics courses on the internet, becomes a favorite of the characters in the film.

“Cátia is one of our wonderful people in this country. She does everything with humor so that even the most straight-faced woman can give in”, said Giovanna, who encourages the practice. “The more we can demystify our ‘pepeca’, the better. When would we be talking about this 15 years ago?”, says the actress.

“In Love” hits theaters this Thursday (7). “In most films, we always see a woman looking for love, or the love of her family, or her children. It’s very interesting to see her looking for it herself” added Antonelli.