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Petra Costa

Producer, Director, Writer, Actor, Editor, Additional CreditsBorn July 8, 1983 (41 years)
Petra Costa is a Brazilian filmmaker and actress. She first directed the short film Undertow Eyes (2009) which screened at the MoMA and was winner of best short film at Rio Film Festival, Cine Las Americas International Film Festival, London International Documentary Festival among others. She then directed the feature Elena (2012) which premiered at IDFA, followed by SXSW and HotDocs. Elena won many prizes such as best film at Havana Film Festival (2013), was nominated for Best Cinematography at the 2014 Cinema Eye Honors and was the most watched documentary in Brazil in 2013. In 2013 Petra was one of the 20 recipients of a grant given by CPH:DOX in Denmark. From this grant Petra and her Danish co-director Lea Glob developed a feature film, currently in postproduction, with the working title Olmo and the Seagull. The film is being produced by Zentropa, Som & Furia and Busca Vida Filmes. Petra completed her undergraduate studies Summa Cum Laude in Anthropology at Barnard College, Columbia University, New York. She did her Masters in Health, Community and Development at the London School of Economics, London. She has lived in Brazil for most of her life.

Known For

  • The Edge of Democracy
  • Elena
  • Olmo & the Seagull
  • Babenco: Tell Me When I Die
  • Undertow Eyes
  • Ecstasy
  • Beba

Filmography

2024
2021
Beba · as Executive Producer
2020
2019
Babenco: Tell Me When I Die · as Associate Producer
2019
2012
Elena · as Executive Producer
2009

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