Meet Sérgio dos Céus Nelson | Screenwriter, training actor, journalist and Host

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sérgio dos Céus Nelson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sérgio dos Céus, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I have always believed that the first step towards victory means accepting to face risks and frustrated expectations. In 2013 I founded the Association of Environmental and Human Rights Journalists. The process, from the conception of the idea, demanded more concentration from me, until I was able to assemble a team that allows the work to be done. We have been touring in parks and reserves and we have been organizing lectures, seminars. When I created my company (Elevate, Communications & Technologies) I accepted the risk of investing without being sure of the return. I spent money I didn’t have. I made savings and decided to isolate myself from the things that distracted me and made me spend money. So, I started channeling all the money I had into my project. It is in a process of growth, but I realized that from the sky only rain falls. If we want to win then we have to sweat. Nobody was born to fail. Failure is a choice of those who do not aim for success, while having the possibility to do more. For me, facing risks is proof of how thirsty we are to achieve success, our goals.

I think we spend our lives fearing the dark, but we forget that the storm often comes to wake us from sleep. I never expected godparents, people to help me go further, achieve my dreams. I never had the privilege of having people to clear the obstacles in my way. Since I reached adulthood, I realized that I myself am the architect of my dreams, so to achieve goals and dreams I need to stop making excuses and start trying harder. I have already invested money in several international attempts, in screenwriting competitions and paying for workshops, to improve my view of the world of cinema, in particular. It’s all about believing that each of us has a unique story, an opportunity to fill the empty pages of our book of life with stories that worth reading. Good narratives are not just made of smiles. The good narratives that we like to applaud comes from lost nights, risks taken, fears faced and above all the will to win.

Accepting risks has helped me to grow and see the world through the eyes of someone who believes there is still a lot to be achieved.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My first major contact with art was in 2011 when I was the protagonist of the play Passion of Christ, in the Catholic Church. I performed in the midst of more than 100 people. That was surreal. In 2014 I wrote my first screenplay and at the time I had the privilege of receiving criticism from a respected filmmaker in my country (Mozambique). Allow me to say that my desire for the world of the arts starts back in 1999, when I watched the film “Rambo”, by Sylvester Stallone. That film changed my life and it is the most impactful film for me to date, because I find in it the strength to remain firm and believing that one day, I will be able to achieve my biggest dream: to be a professional actor and be able to sell my scripts. From 2014 until today I have written different screenplays and I have more than 10 selections in international film competitions, highlighting the fact that I was a Finalist at the New York Cinematography Awards, Semi-finalist at the Los Angeles Cinematography Awards, semi-finalist at the Hollywood Casting and Film – Screenplay Competition, and others.

Last year I won a scholarship (Black Lives Matter) that allowed me to study film at the American Arts Film & TV Academy. I had fantastic and phenomenal teachers (Jess and Robert Ryde). They believed in me and gave me a voice. I will never forget. In 2021 I had the privilege of having my first agent, who guided me for a short time, meant a lot to me. In the same year I saw my story being told in a magazine (Urban Sentinel) in Maryland. For a young man from Mozambique, seeing his story in a US magazine seemed surreal. I have given interviews on radios, newspapers and televisions, inside and outside the country.

This year I created one of my best artistic projects: my show (Chats with Legends), which allowed me to chat, among other people, with a legend, Sir. Patrick KilPatrick, with more than 180 appearances in movies and TV series. Sir Patrick, who began his career in 1985, has performed alongside Steven Seagal, Van Damme, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Cruise, Dolph Lundgren, Michael J. White, Sam Eliot, DMX, Bill Cobbs, James Caan, Morris Chestnut, Danny Trejo, Ernie Hudson, Tom Selleck, Mark Harmon, Billy Banks, Collin Farrell, Neal McDonough, Eric Roberts, Stacy Keach, Malcolm McDowell, etc.

To get where I am now took a lot of concentration, investment and networking. It was necessary to believe that I am capable and that there is something bigger waiting for me. I am still in the process of fighting and I believe that very soon I will be able to reach my biggest goals. I recently stablished a partnership with Elrod TV Network, from Illinois, to broadcast my show on their platforms.
It was never easy. Many times, I was frustrated, traumatized by defeats and not knowing how to take the next step. The fight has its challenges and we will not always have soft defeats. Some defeats are very painful, but I had to believe that every wound will one day heal and from then on, I imprinted a new attitude, a new way of seeing the world and started to focus more on what I want to achieve and not on fears and obstacles.

Award Winning Journalist, I think I would like the world to realize that there are a lot of people struggling and that success doesn’t always depend on someone’s focus, but on the opportunities that arise. A lot of people fight day and night, but they don’t always have the same doors of success as others. I believe that everyone has their time to shine and if the time doesn’t come then you have to learn to live with the real, with what you have control over. But I would like to say to the young people of the world that everything is possible as long as there is a will to win.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve always been a safari fan. If a friend came looking for me, on a calm day, and ready to have fun and smile, I could invite him to a lodge, a resort, camping or fishing. I’ve always liked being in contact with nature and I like the idea of sometimes “ignoring” the world, and living life away from social media and social pressures. I’m a movie fanatic, so one of my biggest hobbies is going to the movies and seeing a premiere. I’ve been going out with friends to cultural centers, listening to good music, reciting some poetry and walking, feeling the lightness of the air on my skin.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mother (Anita Luis Vilanculo) has always been my biggest pillar and my biggest inspiration. She taught me to persevere and fight for the things I want. She made me realize, from an early age, that my life, my future will always be the result of my struggles. She’s a hero to me. She is my hero. She always fought for me to follow the right path and to be a better human being. So, it is to her that I want to dedicate this story.

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