Anna Penido

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Anna Penido is a filmmaker and activist who has been devoting her life to provoke a positive change in social justice and environmental care. Her UCLA MFA film thesis "When Kids Fly Kites" a comedy of street kids befriending a rich girl conquered the heart of Brazil's top TV children communicator Xuxa Meneghel who starred in Anna's first feature "Super Xuxa contra Baixo Astral". This musical fantasy about a heroine's battle to defend nature and remind children of the power of positive thinking attracted 2,8 million people in Brazil and was distributed by Columbia Tri Star in all Latin America. It was the 3rd largest box office of the year more popular than Robocop. Anna got a Gold Record for composing the soundtrack together with Massadas & Sullivan. The film travelled to festivals in Portugal, France and Canada. Anna's company Crystal Vision Production was the official production company to cover the Global Forum in Rio de Janeiro, during the ECO-92/ UNCED (United Nations Conference for the Environment & Development) capturing historical statements from Al Gore, the Dalai Lama, Maurice Strong, Jane Fonda, Bella Abzug, indigenous and world leaders who pioneered the journey to reduce global warming. She produced the clip "Planet Water" with Guilherme Arantes' famous hit to attract attention to the preciousness of water resources. Anna shifted to documentaries to advocate for social justice with "Slave Ship", depicting the rescue of dignity in youth through their artistic potential (aired in Globo Fantastico) and listed in the New Yorker's "Critics Choice". Next film was "Filhas de Zumbi" (Daughters of Zumbi) a hopeful look at street girls with poetry by Elisa Lucinda was selected to represent Brazil at the INPUT (International Public Television Conference) in Nantes, France. Voted by 32 Goethe Institute directors as one of the 12 best among 240 world screenings it toured Germany and won Best Film Jury Award at the Curitiba Film Festival in 1996. From 2003-2005 she converged national TV & media attention to «Mulher em Ação» (Woman in Action) a Communication Campaign and Cultural Events with Forums, Music Shows, PSA's and Videos to generate leadership among women from 40 favellas in Rio and decrease urban violence. Actors Rodrigo Santoro, Leticia Spillar, Cassia Kiss, Isabel Fillardis and Zeze Motta starred on 30" spots she wrote/directed/produced. This ignited alliances with government, private sector, universities and non-profits to brainstorm sustainable solutions to reduce urban violence. Anna's long time frendship with indigenous tribes of Brazil and permission from shaman Sapaim Kamaiura to tape his medicinal plant knowledge led her to create her second feature film "Amazons Awake" (Despertar das Amazonas). The film is a call to break out of fear and step in to protect nature. The plight of 5 modern-day heroins who fight to keep the forests of Brazil alive interweave with the Yamarikuman, an ancient and sacred ritual performed by indigenous women that recall the legend of the Amazon Women Warriors and the urgency to care for nature and community. Marina Silva, Brazil's environmental presidential candidate during the 2010 and 2014 elections is one of the women portrayed. The soundtrack has original music by Junno Homrich (Emerald Forest) and Antonio Carlos Jobim "I Know that I will Love You". The film co-producer is Christina Carvalho Pinto, president of Fulljazz Communications Group and founder of mercadoetico.com. Anna hopes to launch the film with a music clip with celebrities and stars singing "I Know That I will Love You" to engage every citizen in a popular action to revert deforestation.