Animation from Paraíba rescues legends from the Sertão and bets on preserving popular culture: ‘Essence of the interior’

Legends of the Sertão of Paraíba get an animated version The animation from Paraíba "Caçadors da Botija" bets on reviving Northeastern popular culture by transforming traditional legends of the Sertão into audiovisual narratives. Developed in a studio in João Pessoa, the project seeks to preserve stories passed down between generations, using animation as a tool to bring the public closer to characters and beliefs present in the imagination of the interior of Paraíba. ? Click here to follow the g1 PB channel on WhatsApp According to the creator and director of the production, Dennis Sabino, the inspiration came from stories heard as a child, especially those told by his grandmother in Itaporanga, in the Sertão of Paraíba. “Caçadors da Botija really captures this essence of the backlands, the countryside, that terror you felt when someone told a story about Velho do Saco, Pesadelo, Comadre Fulozinha or Rasga Mortalha”, he stated. The director explained that the idea was born from the desire to represent the city where he grew up and to preserve cultural heritage transmitted orally. "I remembered my grandmother's stories about the cylinder, about the hidden treasures. This shaped the project in my head. It was as if it already existed, because, in fact, it already existed within people", he explained. The production is developed by a team made up of approximately 70 professionals, including animators, illustrators, voice artists, art directors and other specialists responsible for the different stages of creation.

Popular legends inspire each episode Animation 'Caçadors de Botija' tells the story of Lina, who after having premonitory dreams, starts hunting cylinders together with her friends. Reproduction/Mold Studio Screenwriter Ana Paula Aguiar explains that the legend of the cylinder, well known in the Northeast, serves as the main axis of the narrative. In each episode, however, other popular stories are also incorporated into the animation universe. Among them are characters such as Velho do Saco, Pesadelo, Comadre Fulozinha and Rasga Mortalha. According to the screenwriter, many of these stories are part of the team's emotional memory. "In the interior of Paraíba, they say that, to beat the Nightmare, you need to take off his hat. This was a story that my grandmother told me and, when I shared it here in the studio, everyone said that she needed to be in the series", reported Ana Paula. Caçadores de Botija brings together legends from Paraíba in animation Reproduction/Mold Studio In addition to the legends, the team sought to reproduce elements characteristic of cities in the interior of the Northeast. The work involved research to define scenarios, architecture, vegetation and other visual aspects present throughout history. Art director Hitalo Duarte states that the objective was to build an environment that reflected regional identity. "We researched what the environments, houses and vegetation would be like. As the story takes place in the Northeast, we want to bring these characteristics from the interior cities", said Hitalo. For the creators, one of the main themes of the animation is the importance of preserving oral tradition and recognizing the role of older people in the transmission of popular culture. According to Ana Paula Aguiar, many of the stories present in the production reached the team through their grandparents. "We talk a lot about the importance of listening to our elders. It was my grandmother who told me the story of the Nightmare, it was Denis's grandmother who told the story of the cylinder. We really value this voice of the elders within the universe of Caçadores", he commented. The Paraíba animation production Caçadores da Botija revitalizes Sertão folklore by transforming traditional horror tales into modern visual narratives. Reproduction/Mold Studio Most watched videos on g1 Paraíba

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