Profile
Leonardo Martinelli is a filmmaker based in Brazil. Leonardo's films often blend genres while exploring iconography and postcolonial structures, examining how these elements manifest in daily life, labor, and the relationship between the individual and the city. He experiments with different film forms, frequently incorporating aspects from choreography and musical cinema.
With the short “Fantasma Neon” (2021) he won the Golden Leopard for Best International Short Film at the Locarno Film Festival. His next short film, “Pássaro Memória” (2023), also premiered in the international competition of the Locarno FF. His films were selected in more than 400 festivals worldwide, including Toronto, San Sebastián, BFI London, Clermont-Ferrand, Zinebi, Palm Springs, Biarritz, Montreal and others. In Brazil, he has won multiple awards, such as at the Festival de Gramado and the Festival do Rio. A focus session featuring his complete filmography was a highlight at the 63rd Cartagena Film Festival, making him the youngest filmmaker in the festival's history to receive this recognition. He holds a Master's degree in Communication from PUC-Rio.
