Director
Fernando Meirelles
Born 9 November 1955 · São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Fernando Meirelles is a Brazilian director, producer and screenwriter from São Paulo. He broke through internationally with City of God, a kinetic portrait of life in Rio's favelas, and went on to direct English-language films and television. His work helped bring Brazilian cinema to a global audience.
Key films
City of God (2002)
His breakthrough: a fast, vivid favela crime saga that won worldwide acclaim and earned him an Oscar nomination.
The Constant Gardener (2005)
His first English-language feature, a political thriller that won Rachel Weisz an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Blindness (2008)
An adaptation of José Saramago's novel about a sudden epidemic of blindness, showing his move into allegorical drama.
The Two Popes (2019)
A Netflix drama pairing two pontiffs in conversation, and one of his most widely seen later films.
Key awards
- 2004: Academy Award nomination for Best Director (City of God)
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 29
- 1983Punk em São Paulo: Garotos do SubúrbioDirector
- 1983BrasíliaDirector
- 1983Marly NormalDirector
- 1986Olhar EletrônicoDirector
- 1998The Nutty Boy 2Director
- 1998E No Meio Passa Um TremDirector
- 2000Palace IIDirector
- 2001MaidsDirector
- 2002City of GodDirector
- 2003Cidade de Deus: Oficina dos Atores · as HimselfActor
- 2005The Constant GardenerDirector
- 2005Once Upon a Time There Was IracemaActor
- 2006Anatomy of a Global Thriller: Behind the Scenes of The Constant Gardener · as SelfActor
- 2008BlindnessDirector
- 2008Critic · as SelfActor
- 2010Sound & Fury: FilmDirector
- 2010AmanhecerDirector
- 2010ComercialActor
- 2011Brasil AnimadoActor
- 2011O Velho Guerreiro Não Morrerá - O Cangaceiro de Lima Barreto 50 Anos Depois · as SelfActor
- 2012360Director
- 2014Rio, I Love YouDirector
- 2015CosmosDirector
- 2016Rio 2016 Olympic Opening Ceremony: A New WorldDirector
- 2017VIVA - The opening Ceremony Documentary of Rio 2016 · as SelfActor
- 2019The Two PopesDirector
- 2019Passages: Travelling In and Out of Film Through Brazilian GeographyActor
- 2026Beast RaceDirector
- 2026Operação Lorca, o bailado · as HimselfActor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.