director & screenwriter
Gabriel Motta is a Brazilian film director and screenwriter whose work has screened and won awards at major international festivals.
His latest short film, The Veil (2025), had its world premiere at the TIFF – Toronto International Film Festival and continues its festival run in 2026 in FICG Guadalajara and Rio de Janeiro Intl Short FIlm Festival.
His previous short, Pastrana (2023), co-directed with Melissa Brogni, became one of the most acclaimed Brazilian shorts of 2023-2025, winning Best Film at the Festival de Brasília do Cinema Brasileiro and the Festival de Cinema de Gramado, as well as Best Latin American Short Film at BAFICI. The film was also selected for the official program of the Tribeca Film Festival.
His earlier works include The Embrace (2022), screened at festivals such as FEST – New Directors, New Films, the Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival, and Two Men by the Sea (2020), which screened at festivals including Frameline San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival and NewFest New York.
Gabriel is now developing The Veil as his feature debut. The project was recently selected to the 24th The Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), where it won the Fantastic 7 Award, a joint initiative of Marché du Film and Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, which takes place during the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
Filmography
The Veil (2025, short)
- 50th Toronto International Film Festival – TIFF (World premiere)
- 41th Guadalajara International Film Festival – FICG (Mexico)
- 32nd San Luis Obispo International Film Festival (USA)
- 35th Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival – Festival Curta Cinema (Brazil)
- 32th FantBilbao (Spain)
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)
- 20th Shorts Mexico – Iberoamerican Competition
- 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)