Karim Aïnouz and Marcelo Gomesice Pais
Karim Aïnouz is a Brazilian-Algerian director, screenwriter and visual artist known for films of great emotional intensity and strong visual expression. Born in Fortaleza, he gained international recognition with Madame Satã (2002), followed by The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão (2019), winner of the Un Certain Regard Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. His films Firebrand (2023) and Motel Destino (2024) were selected for the Official Competition at Cannes. His latest feature film, Rosebush Pruning, premiered at the 2026 Berlinale. His work frequently explores themes such as identity, desire, migration and marginality, combining sensuality, political awareness and a strong sense of place.
Marcelo Gomes is a Brazilian director and screenwriter and one of the leading figures in contemporary cinema from north-eastern Brazil. Born in Recife, he established his international reputation with Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures (2005), a road movie that premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival. His more recent works include Once Upon a Time Was I, Verônica (2012), The Man of the Crowd (2013, co-directed with Cao Guimarães), Joaquim (2017), Waiting for the Carnival (2019), Paloma (2022) and Portrait of a Certain Orient (2024). His films have been presented at some of the world’s most prestigious international film festivals, including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Toronto, Rotterdam and San Sebastián.
