THE CURIOUS CASE OF CARLOS DA ROCHA
Carlos da Rocha knelt in the pew,
A councilman’s duties far out of view.
Inside the church, with candles aglow,
He felt out of place, his thoughts running slow.
His family sat close, murmuring prayer,
But Carlos felt nothing, just the weight of despair.
The priest’s voice droned, the incense thick,
The ritual stale, making Carlos sick.
Rosaries clicked, confession was near,
But Carlos’s mind was clouded with fear.
He’d done all he could for the city and kin,
Yet nothing he gave could absolve him within.
As the mass ended, and the crowd shuffled out,
Carlos lingered, his heart full of doubt.
Then, in the nave, a figure appeared—
A man in red, with a grin so weird.
“Carlos,” he said, his voice smooth and low,
“I’ve seen your struggle, I know your woe.”
-An Excerpt from the poem by Adilson De Oliveira, titled the 'Carlos and the Devil'.
The short film The Curious Case of Carlos Da Rocha was created for the RUNWAY GEN-48 short film competition, where participants were given 48 hours to produce a film using RUNWAY's software. The film follows Carlos da Rocha, a seasoned city councilman who has spent years serving both his city and family. Despite his accomplishments, Carlos finds himself overwhelmed by the growing weight of his responsibilities. During a church service, surrounded by murmured prayers and the glow of candles, he feels disconnected from his faith and family. As Carlos grapples with his inner turmoil, a mysterious figure appears—a man dressed in red—offering him a deal: freedom from his burdens in exchange for his soul. Though hesitant, Carlos agrees, disappearing from the life he once knew.
The film was produced using RUNWAY's Gen-3 alpha program, MidJourney, Adobe Premiere, and Speechify and Epidemic Sounds for the audio.