Murilo Salles is a Brazilian film director, screenwriter, and producer. Born in São Paulo in 1953, he grew up in Rio de Janeiro. He studied filmmaking at the University of Southern California, graduating in 1975.
He began his career in the film industry as an assistant director for several features, including the 1979 Brazilian classic “Tieta do Agreste”. He then went on to do some work in television, including directing episodes of the popular Brazilian soap opera “A Grande Família”.
In 1988, Salles wrote and directed his first feature film, “O Anjo do Pecado”. It was a critical and commercial success, and was nominated for several awards. He followed this up with “Vazio” (1991), “Xuxa e os Duendes” (2001), and “A Casa das Sete Mulheres” (2002).
In 2004, Salles directed “Muito Prazer”, a romantic comedy that was hugely successful in Brazil. Through the years, Salles has directed a number of critically acclaimed feature films, including “Tropa de Elite” (2007) and “Eu Tu Eles” (2000).
His most recent feature film, “A Vida Invisível” (2019), was selected to compete in the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. It was the first Brazilian film to be selected for the main competition in 28 years, and went on to win the Jury Prize.
Salles is also a well known producer, having produced several of his own feature films as well as those of other directors. He is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Cinema and was awarded the Order of Merit of Rio de Janeiro in 2008.
Murilo Salles is a renowned figure in Brazilian cinema, having achieved both critical and commercial success with his films. His work is characterized by its realism and humanity, and he continues to be one of the most important figures in Brazilian cinema today.
