Fernando Meirelles

Fernando Ferreira Meirelles (born November 9, 1955 in São Paulo, Brazil) is a Brazilian film director, producer and screenwriter.

He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director in 2004 for his work in the Brazilian film City of God, released in 2002 in Brazil and in 2003 in the U.S. by Miramax Films. He was also nominated for the Golden Globe Best Director award in 2005 for The Constant Gardener, film which garnered the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress to Rachel Weisz.

Fernando studied architecture at the university of São Paulo. At the same time he developed an interest in filmmaking. With a group of friends he started producing experimental videos. They won a huge number of awards in Brazilian film festivals. After that, the group formed a small independent company called Olhar Eletrônico.

After working in independent television during nine years, in the eighties Meirelles gravitated towards publicity and commercials. He also became the director of a very popular children’s television show.

In the early 90s, together with Paulo Morelli and Andrea Barata Ribeiro, he opened the O2 Filmes production company. His first feature, in 1998, was the family film Menino Maluquinho 2: A Aventura. His next feature, Domésticas (2001), exposed the invisible world of five Brazilian maids in São Paulo and their secret dreams and desires.

In 1997 he read the Brazilian best-seller Cidade de Deus/City of God, written by Paulo Lins, and decided to turn it into a movie despite an intimidating story that involves more than 350 characters. Once the screenplay, written by Bráulio Mantovani, was ready, Meirelles gathered a crew mixed with professional technicians and inexperienced actors chosen between the youngsters living in the favelas surrounding Rio de Janeiro.

The film was a huge success in Brazil and began to attract attention around the world after it screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2002. Cidade de Deus/City of God (2003) has won awards from film festivals and societies all over the world, as well as four 2004 Oscar nominations, including a Best Director for Fernando Meirelles.

Filmography

• Brasília (documentary short)  (1983)
• Marly Normal (documentary short)  (1983)
• Olhar Eletrônico (video documentary)  (1986)
• Rá-Tim-Bum (TV series)  (1989)
• A Comédia da Vida Privada (TV series)  (1997)
• E no meio passa um trem (short)  (1998)
• Menino Maluquinho 2: A Aventura  (1998)
• Brava Gente (TV series)  (2000)
• Domésticas  (2001)
• Cidade dos Homens (TV series)  (2002)
• Cidade de Deus (2002)
• The Constant Gardener  (2005)
• Blindness  (2008)
• Som e Fúria – O Filme  (2009)
• Sound & Fury (TV series)  (2009)
• 360  (2011)
• Brazukas (TV series)  (2011)

Awards

• 1991 São Paulo Association of Art Critics Awards: APCA Trophy Television: Best Children’s or Youth Program for “Rá-Tim-Bum” (1989).
• 1993 São Paulo Association of Art Critics Awards: APCA Trophy Television: Best Children’s or Youth Program for “Rá-Tim-Bum” (1989).
• 1999 Cuiabá Film and Video Festival: Coxiponé Award – Short Film – Best Director for E no meio passa um trem (1998).
• 1999 Gramado Film Festival: Golden Kikito Short Film Competiton 35mm – Best Director for E no meio passa um trem (1998); Short Film Competiton 35mm – Best Film for E no meio passa um trem (1998).
• 2000 Cartagena Film Festival: Honorable Mention of the Children’s Cinema Competition Jury for Menino Maluquinho 2: A Aventura (1998).
• 2001 Ajijic International Film Festival: Jury Award Best Independent Feature for Domésticas  (2001).
• 2001 Brazilia Festival of Brazilian Cinema: ANDI/Unicef Award – Honorable Mention for: “Brava Gente: Palace II (#1.7)” (2000); Canal Brasil Acquisition Award for “Brava Gente: Palace II (#1.7)” (2000).
• 2001 Cuiabá Film and Video Festival: Coxiponé Award – Domésticas  (2001); Best Screenplay for Domésticas  (2001).
• 2002 Algarve International Film Festival: Grand Prize of the City of Portimão for “Brava Gente: Palace II (#1.7)” (2000).
• 2002 Aspen Shortsfest: Jury Award - Drama – Best of Category for “Brava Gente: Palace II (#1.7)” (2000).
• 2002 Berlin International Film Festival: Panorama Award of the New York Film Academy for “Brava Gente: Palace II (#1.7)” (2000).
• 2002 Drama Short Film Festival: Special Distinction – International for “Brava Gente: Palace II (#1.7)” (2000).
• 2002 Havana Film Festival: Award of the Havana University for Cidade de Deus (2002); Cuban Press Association Award  for: Cidade de Deus (2002). FIPRESCI Prize  for: Cidade de Deus (2002);  Glauber Rocha Award for Cidade de Deus (2002); Grand Coral – First Prize for Cidade de Deus (2002); OCIC Award for Cidade de Deus (2002).
• 2002 Marrakech International Film Festival: Best Director for Cidade de Deus (2002).
• 2002 Melbourne International Film Festival: Grand Prix for “Brava Gente: Palace II (#1.7)” (2000); Outstanding Short Film Promoting Human Values for “Brava Gente: Palace II (#1.7)” (2000).
• 2002 Prêmio Qualidade, Brazil: Best Director (Melhor Diretor – Rio de Janeiro) for Cidade de Deus (2002); Best Director (Melhor Diretor – São Paulo) for Cidade de Deus (2002).
• 2002 Stockholm Film Festival: Best Short Film for “Brava Gente: Palace II (#1.7)” (2000).
• 2002 Toronto International Film Festival: Visions Award – Special Citation for Cidade de Deus (2002).
• 2002 Toulouse Latin America Film Festival: Grand Prix for Domésticas  (2001).
• 2003 Cartagena Film Festival: Golden India Catalina Best Director (Mejor Director) for Cidade de Deus (2002); Best Film (Mejor Película) for Cidade de Deus (2002).
• 2003 Cinema Brazil Grand Prize: Best Director (Melhor Diretor) for Cidade de Deus (2002).
• 2003 Cinemanila International Film Festival: Grand Jury Prize for Cidade de Deus (2002).
• 2003 Flickerfest International Short Film Festival: Best Film for Brava Gente: Palace II (#1.7) (2000).
• 2003 Guadalajara Mexican Film Festival: Audience Award Ibero-American Competition for Cidade de Deus (2002).
• 2003 Lima Latin American Film Festival: Elcine First Prize for Cidade de Deus (2002).
• 2003 São Paulo Association of Art Critics Awards: Grand Prize of the Critics Television (Televisão) for Cidade dos Homens (TV series)  (2002).
• 2003 ShoWest Convention, USA: ShoWest Award International Achievement in Filmmaking
• 2003 Uruguay International Film Festival: Special Jury Award for Cidade de Deus (2002).
• 2006 ALMA Awards: Outstanding Director of a Motion Picture for The Constant Gardener  (2005).
• 2006 Evening Standard British Film Awards: Best Film for The Constant Gardener  (2005).
• 2008 Sitges – Catalonian International Film Festival: Audience Award – Best Motion Picture for Blindness  (2008).
• 2010 São Paulo Association of Art Critics Awards: APCA Trophy Television: Best Miniseries for “Sound & Fury” (2009).
• 2012 Recife Cine PE Audiovisual Festival: Honorary Award

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