director & screenwriter
Gabriel Motta is a Brazilian film director. His horror short film The Veil (2025) will have its World Premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival.
His previous short Pastrana (2023), co-directed with Melissa Brogni, became one of the most acclaimed Brazilian short films of 2023/24, winning Best Film at both the 56th Brasília Film Festival and the 52nd Gramado Film Festival, two of the country’s most prestigious events. Internationally, it won Best Latin American Film at the BAFICI – Buenos Aires Independent Film Festival and Best Adventure Film at Mountainfilm Telluride (USA). The short was also the only Brazilian film selected for the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival.
His earlier work includes The Embrace (2022), which screened at over 20 festivals worldwide, such as FEST – New Directors/New Films (Portugal), Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival (France), Lund Fantastic Film Festival (Sweden), and Fantaspoa (Brazil), and Two Men by the Sea (2020), shown at San Francisco Frameline, NewFest New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival, and Festival MixBrasil.
In addition to his work in film, Gabriel directed the TV mini-series Via Pública (2021), aired on Brazilian cable television, and Reforma Planetária (2025).
Filmography
The Veil (2025, short)
- 50th Toronto International Film Festival – TIFF (World premiere)
Pastrana (2023, short film)
- 56th Brasília Brazilian Cinema Festival (World premiere – Awards for Best Short Film by the Official Jury, Best Editing, Canal Brasil Award for Best Short Film)
- 23rd Tribeca Film Festival (North American premiere, USA – Academy Award Qualifier Festival)
- 25th BAFICI (International premiere – Best Latin American Short Film by the Films to Festivals jury)
- 52nd Gramado Film Festival (Best short-film, Best short-film by the Critics Jury, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Production)
- 35th Festival Kinoforum São Paulo Internacional Short Film Festival – Kinoforum (Best Film – New Horizons)
- Mountainfilm Festival Telluride 2025 (Best Adventure Short Film)
- 33rd Curta Cinema – Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival (Competitive Short Film Showcase – Academy Award Qualifier Festival)
- 17th Los Angeles Brazilian Film Festival (USA, Official Selection)
- 25th Calgary International Film Festival (International Competition)
- 15th BCN Sports Film Festival (International Competition)
- 47th Guarnicê Film Festival (Youth Showcase)
- ACCIRS Critics Association Award – Best Short Film of 2024
- 16° Festival Internacional da Fronteira (Best directing, Best Film by the Audience)
- FRAPA (Official Selection)
- 4th BIS – Bienal Internacional do Cinema Sonoro (Best Original Music, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing)
The Embrace (2022, short film)
- 16th FEST – New Directors, New Films (Portugal, Echoes Section)
- 50th Gramado Film Festival (Best Photography Award, Gaúcha Short Film Competition)
- 29th Lund Fantastic Film Festival (Sweden, International Short Film Competition)
15th Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival (France, International Short Film Competition) - 10th Dracula International Film Festival (Romania, “Little Dracula Award” for Best International Short Film)
- Friss Hús Budapest Int’l Short-Film Festival (Hungary, Midnight Section)
- 7th Morce-GO Goiás Horror Film Festival (Best Direction & Best Performance Awards)
- International Horror Film and Arts Festival of Rio de Janeiro (National Selection)
- Bananeiras Film Festival (Best Photography Award)
- 4th Fecsta – Santa Teresa Film Festival (Honorable Mention)
- 4th Nieve Roja In’ll Film Festival (Argentina, Official Selection)
- Espanto Film Festival – Official Selection (Mexico)
- Penitente Film Festival (Colombia, Official Selection)
- 15th Morbido Film Festival (Mexico, International Selection)
- 16th Curta Taquary (Best Costume Design & Best Photography Awards)
- 19th Fantaspoa Int’l Film Festival
Via Pública (2020, 4-episode mini-series)
- Licensed to Prime Box Brazil channel
- Mix Brasil 2020 Festival (Official Selection
Two Men by the Sea (2020, short film)
- 45th Frameline San Francisco LGBTQ+ Film Festival (USA, Official Selection)
- 33rd Newfest New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival (USA, Official Selection)
- 48th Gramado Film Festival (Competitive Showcase of Gaúcho Shorts)
- 28th Mix Brasil Festival (Official Selection | Inconciliáveis)
- 8th Cineserra (Best Film)
- Way Out West (USA, Official Selection)
- 12th LGBT Film Festival (Poland, Official Selection)
- 14th Curta Taquary (Best Actor Award, Diversity Showcase)
- 7th DIGO International Film Festival of Sexual and Gender Diversity in Goiás (Audience Award for Best Film – International Showcase)
- Santo Domingo OutFest (Dominican Republic, Official Selection)
- 2nd Giornate di Cinema Queer (Italy, International Short Film Competition)
- QueerX (USA, Official Selection)
- 18th Curta Santos (Olhar Brasilis Showcase)
- 3rd Recifest (National Selection)
- 20th Curta o Curta (Honorable Mention)
- 14th Cine Esquema Novo – Brazilian Audiovisual Art
- 3rd Santa Cruz Cinema Festival (Official Selection)
- Diálogo de Cinema Festival (Cercanias Showcase)
Budapest_v4_FINAL2 (2019, short film)
- 42nd Guarnicê Film Festival (National Competition)
- 17th Bogoshorts (Colombia, Collections Competition)
- 47th Gramado Film Festival (Gaucha Showcase)
- 29th Curta Cinema Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival (In Transit Selection)
- 19th International Film Schools Festival (Uruguay, Official Selection)
- Cine MIS Festival – São Paulo Sound and Image Museum (Official Selection)
- 2nd Santa Cruz Cinema Festival (National Competition)
- Film Fest Zell (Austria) (Cinecitta Selection)
- 5th Três Passos Film Festival (National Competition)