Petra Costa
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.
The Edge of Democracy
as SelfA cautionary tale for these times of democracy in crisis—the personal and political fuse to...
Movie pageElena
as SelfPetra heads to New York in search of her older sister after a long time of being separated. They...
Movie pageNobody's Watching
as PetraNico is a famous actor in Argentina, but in New York, nobody takes notice. He needs to juggle...
Movie pageLife in Gray
as HerselfA faux documentary about the ongoing social, political and economical crisis in Brazil, where...
Movie pageThe Edge of Theocracy
as Petra CostaJesus life and work goes through rumors, conspiracies, injuries, friendship and fanaticism. An...
Movie pageApocalypse in the Tropics
as SelfWhen does a democracy end and a theocracy begin? In Apocalypse in the Tropics, Petra Costa...
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