Ovella
(Excerpt of a longer poem. Original language is Galician, translated into English by Harriet Cook.)

Slowly it takes on the shape of a hand
In the same way as a carpenter with a blunt knife carves
Slowly
the creases on the skin take shape
Slowly
Slowly you build something new
right on the edge
slowly you’re building those wounds that bleed
so that you have something to remember

translated by Harriet Cook

as mans vanse debuxando como quen talla na madeira
cun coitelo que non está afiado
así aos poucos
así van medrando os sucos na pel
así
vas debuxando unha arquitectura nova nas extremidades
a arquitectura das feridas que sandan pra que ti
teñas o que lembrar

Lara Dopazo

 

 

 

 

 

Process Notes
“Lara wanted to do a video poem of Ovella because this poetry book was special for her as it was the first time she got published as an individual author. She felt the poem needed something else to come alive. Lara wrote this book with words full of plasticity. The animal and human body have a very strong presence so it was very easy for Adriana to think of the poem in images. Instead of thinking of visual metaphors we wanted to film exactly what the book most talks about: a sheep and a body. When we went looking for sheep to film in Galicia, we found the most amazing ram. He  captivated us both. We filmed him and other sheep and when Adriana went to the editing room she did three different video poems. The version we both loved was the one where Farruco was the protagonist. He embodied the metaphor of life in itself.

Adriana and Lara have a very special connection not only because they are friends but their collaboration as poet and filmmaker goes way back to 2010 when Adriana did a short film based on Lara’s first poetry book, ‘Dende Illa Peixe’. Collaborating artistically is always an opportunity to keep on growing together as artists and friends.”

BIOS
The Filmmaker – Adriana Páramo
Born in Galicia (Spain). She studied Communications and did a MA in filmmaking at the London Film School, graduating as director with the short film Illa Pedra (based on a poetry book by Lara Dopazo). Nowadays, she combines her job as a producer in a communications agency with her personal projects such as videopoems.

The Poet – Lara Dopazo
Born in Galicia (Spain). She studies Journalism and a MA in International Cooperation. She worked in Mexico for UNICEF for two years. Nowadays she lives in Spain. She has published two poetry books, one of them turned into a film by Adriana Paramo. She also writes short stories and collaborates with different magazines.

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