LISTEN 2021: CASE STUDY
A family navigating institutional pressure and emotional fracture. The costumes reflect instability, resilience, and quiet dignity under scrutiny.
CASE STUDYCO-COSTUME DESIGNER
LISTEN 2021The costumes reflect instability, resilience, and quiet dignity under scrutiny.
My starting point was the tension between intimacy and exposure. The family exists in a fragile private world that is constantly observed and judged by external systems.
Costume needed to feel lived-in and real. I wanted to avoid stylisation and subtly reflect the emotional pressure they were under.
The colour palette should stay grounded, with moments of visual rupture, highlighting the unpredictability of life itself.
CONCEPT
All these images have copyrights. They do not belong to me. They are being used for the sole purpose of illustrating the mood of the costume design later created for the film.
Visual references explored texture, restraint, and emotional neutrality. Muted tones, worn fabrics, and domestic realism were key anchors.
MOODBOARD
BELLA
Her wardrobe reflects emotional endurance.
Soft, worn knits and layered textures create a sense of protection, while slightly off tones avoid warmth — suggesting distance and fatigue.
JOTA
His wardrobe reflects quiet erosion.
Practical layers and weathered fabrics suggest routine and responsibility, while muted, earthy tones blend him into his surroundings — implying a man who has gradually withdrawn rather than resisted.
LU & DIEGO
CHARACTERS
Their wardrobe reflects adaptation in progress.
Simple, functional pieces prioritise movement and ease, while subtle inconsistencies in colour and fit hint at individuality still forming — caught between dependence and self-definition.
FAMILY & INSTITUTION
The family’s palette remains soft, worn, and human.
The institution introduces structure, uniformity, and emotional distance.
This contrast reinforces the central conflict without needing exposition.
AWARDSlisten2020VENICE FILM FESTIVAL: Sorriso Diverso Award - Best Foreign Film
VENICE FILM FESTIVAL: Luigi de Laurentiis Award - Best Debut Film
VENICE FILM FESTIVAL: Bisato D’Oro Award - Best Film
VENICE FILM FESTIVAL: Arca CinemaGiovani Award - Best Film
VENICE FILM FESTIVAL: Venice Horizons Award - Special Jury Prize
RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL: Best Performance - Lúcia Moniz
PORTUGUESE SOPHIA AWARDS: Best Film - Rodrigo Areias
PORTUGUESE SOPHIA AWARDS: Best Director - Ana Rocha de Sousa
PORTUGUESE SOPHIA AWARDS: Best Actress - Lúcia Moniz
PORTUGUESE SOPHIA AWARDS: Best Supporting Actress - Maisie Sly
PORTUGUESE SOPHIA AWARDS: Best Original Screenplay
CREDITSlistenDIRECTOR: Ana Rocha de Sousa
WRITERS: Paula Vaccaro, Aaron Brookner, Ana Rocha de Sousa
PRODUCERS: Paula Vaccaro, Aaron Brookner, Rodrigo Areias
CAST: Lúcia Moniz, Ruben Garcia, James Felner, Maisie Sly
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Hatti Beanland
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Belle Mundi
HAIR & MAKE UP DESIGN: Sara Menitra
SOUND: Pedro Marinho
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Bando Á Parte (PT), Pinball (UK)
DISTRIBUTION: Magnolia Pictures