Fernando Meirelles
Fernando Meirelles | |
---|---|
Born | Fernando Ferreira Meirelles 9 November 1955 São Paulo, Brazil |
Alma mater | University of São Paulo |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1982–present |
Spouse |
Cecilia Teivelis (m. 1983) |
Children | 2 |
Fernando Ferreira Meirelles (Portuguese:
In television, Meirelles directed and produced in Brazil the HBO original series Joint Venture. In 2024, he led directing work for the crime series Sugar and the historical miniseries The Sympathizer.
Early life
"A great tragedy for the family. For a long time, it was a taboo. No one mentioned it. I was four when it happened, but I still remember him."
Meirelles about his brother's death.[1]
Meirelles was born in
Fernando is the second youngest of four children. He saw his older brother, José Marcos, die in a car-bike accident when he was only 4 years old. His two sisters, Márcia and Silvinha, graduated in theater and psychology, respectively. Fernando grew up in
His first experience with cinema was with his father, who often directed
Career
He studied at the
While studying architecture at the University of queens mary, Meirelles became involved in experimental film-making. After several years in independent television, he became an advertisement film director. He is still one of the partners of O2 Filmes, the biggest Brazilian advertisement firm, which has produced City of God, Domésticas and Viva Voz.
Along with four friends (Paul Morelli, Marcelo Machado, Dário Vizeu and Bob Salatini), Meirelles began his career with experimental films. Eventually, they formed an independent production company Olhar Eletrônico. Subsequently, new friends joined the group: Renato Barbiere, Agilson Araujo, Toniko and Marcelo Tas. In 1982 the company aired TV programs on current affairs, as well as the children series Castelo Rá-Tim-Bum, with 180 episodes. In addition to obtaining high ratings, they also introduced a refreshing humorous informality in news reporting.
By the end of the 1980s, he became increasingly interested on the advertising market. In 1990, Meirelles and friends closed down Olhar Eletrônico, opening an advertising business, O2 Films. One decade was enough for him to become one of the most important and sought-after advertising producers.
In 1997, Meirelles read the book Paulo Lins's City of God. He decided to adapt it to film, which was done in 2002, and decided that the actors in it would be selected among the inhabitants of slums. In a final triage, from 400 children, they selected 200, with whom they worked for the shooting of the film. The filming was done with a professional crew. The film was a national and international success.
In 2004, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for City of God. Also, at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, the movie received four nominations: Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing.
With the recognition, he was offered a job in
In 2007, he began shooting Blindness, a film adaptation of Nobel-prize winner José Saramago's book, Ensaio Sobre a Cegueira. The film, which was released in 2008, was the opening film of the Cannes Film Festival.
He was one of the creative directors of the opening ceremony of the
In 2019, Meirelles directed and produced the HBO original series Joint Venture, in which marijuana has been legalized in Brazil. The series follows the story of a young drug trafficker from São Paulo who, after the legalization of marijuana in Brazil, decides to abandon his life on crime and sell his weed legally along with an inexperienced investor partner. In the same year, he directed the drama film The Two Popes for Netflix, starring Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce.
Personal life
Fernando Meirelles is a Catholic.[5]
Filmography
Film
Documentary shorts
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1983 | Marly Normal | Co-directed with Marcelo Machado. |
Brasília | ||
1986 | Olhar Eletrônico | Segment director |
Feature film
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1998 | Menino Maluquinho 2: A Aventura | Yes | No | No | Co-directed with Fabrizia Pinto |
2001 | Maids | Yes | Yes | No | Co-directed with Nando Olival |
2002 | City of God | Yes | No | No | Co-directed with Kátia Lund |
2005 | The Constant Gardener | Yes | No | No | |
2008 | Blindness | Yes | No | No | |
2009 | Som & Fúria: O Filme | Yes | Yes | Yes | Co-directed with Toniko Melo |
2011 | 360 | Yes | No | No | |
2019 | The Two Popes | Yes | No | No |
Short film
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1998 | E no Meio Passa Um Trem | Co-directed with Nando Olival |
2014 | A Musa | Segment of Rio, I Love You |
Television
Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1989 | Rá-Tim-Bum | Yes | No | Yes | Directed 31 episodes |
2013 | A Verdade de Cada Um[6] | No | Yes | No | |
2015 | Os Experientes[7] | Yes | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
Felizes para Sempre? | Yes | Yes | No | 5 episodes | |
2019 | Pico da Neblina | Yes | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
2024 | Sugar | Yes | Executive | No | 5 episodes |
The Sympathizer | Yes | No | No | Episode "Give Us Some Good Lines" |
Awards and nominations
References
- ^ "Fernando Meirelles - Biografia prematura" (PDF). imprensaoficial.com.br/. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
- ^ "Fernando Meirelles - Biografia prematura" (PDF). imprensaoficial.com.br/. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
- ^ "Fernando Meirelles - Biografia prematura" (PDF). imprensaoficial.com.br/. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
- ^ Glenny, Misha (6 August 2016). "Olympic opening ceremony was done on the cheap – but it was heartfelt and dazzling" – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ Kay, Jeremy (9 September 2019). "Fernando Meirelles talks Netflix awards hopeful 'The Two Popes'". Screen Daily. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
- ^ "Fernando Meirelles produz série para o Nat Geo | Revista de Cinema".
- ^ "Nova série de Fernando Meirelles na Globo terá elenco veterano". Portal de Notícias D24am - Amazonas. 28 February 2013.