Vinicius Sassine is a Brazilian director and screenwriter. He is best known for his highly acclaimed films such as ‘The Way He Looks’ (2010), ‘The Second Mother’ (2015) and ‘Nise: The Heart of Madness’ (2015).
Born in 1982 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sassine grew up surrounded by the art and culture of his city. He studied literature and communication at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, where he worked as an assistant director in several student short films.
After his studies, Sassine began to focus on his own projects. His first feature-length film, ‘The Way He Looks’ (2010), tells the story of Leo, a blind teenager who falls in love with Gabriel, a classmate. The film won several awards at various festivals including the Berlin International Film Festival, the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival, and the Goya Awards.
In 2015, Sassine directed two feature-length films: ‘The Second Mother’, which follows the story of a live-in housekeeper in São Paulo, and ‘Nise: The Heart of Madness’, which is based on the life of psychiatrist Nise da Silveira. Both films were critically acclaimed and were invited to the Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals.
In 2019, Sassine released his latest film ‘The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão’, which follows two sisters who are separated by their father’s decision to send one of them abroad. The film was selected to compete in the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Un Certain Regard Award.
In addition to his film career, Sassine is also a professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, where he teaches film direction. He is also an active advocate for LGBTQ rights in Brazil.
Throughout his career, Sassine has been praised for his ability to explore complex social issues with subtlety and sensitivity. His films have earned him numerous awards and nominations, cementing his status as one of the most important directors in Brazilian cinema today.
