Joana de Bastos Rodrigues

Joana de Bastos Rodrigues was born in Lisbon, in 1984. That is one of her few certainties in life and the one that least defines her. During some years she acquainted herself with the best institutions (Soares dos Reis Artistic School, Theater and Film School of Lisbon, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of NOVA University of Lisbon, Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris III) until realizing that economical instability is transverse to all levels of knowledge, even the most recommendable. Since Joana couldn't stand too long standing at film shootings unless she was in a creative position, she soon understood that she wanted to direct. Joana made internships with the lighting team, at the wardrobe department and at film festivals - all of this the support of a director (plus a chair). The fact that she was born on the same day as the colossal writer Eça de Queirós is her biggest achievement and, deep inside, she blindly believes that such a coincidence can only foretell the publication of her poetry book. However, Portugal's charm lies upon it being difficult - the greatest lesson brought to her by Eça, the master of irony.