Walter Salles

Walter Salles gained international recognition with his 1998 film, Central Station, which earned two Academy Award nominations for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actress for Fernanda Montenegro. The critically acclaimed film also secured a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for Best Foreign Language Film in 1999, along with the prestigious Golden Bear at the 48th Berlin International Film Festival in 1998. This pivotal success followed a decade-long career focused on non-fiction documentaries and his earlier fictional narrative, Foreign Land (1995), after completing his studies at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. Salles continued to build on his international acclaim with a series of diverse and impactful projects.

In 2008, Salles co-directed Linha de Passe with Daniela Thomas, which earned a nomination for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Four years later, he returned to Cannes with another Palme d’Or nomination for his 2012 adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s iconic novel, On the Road, showcasing his continued prowess in literary adaptations. His contributions to cinema were further acknowledged in 2022 when the University of Reading awarded him an honorary Doctor of Letters. Most recently, Salles’ critically praised film I’m Still Here (2024) achieved rare double nominations at the 97th Academy Awards in 2025 for Best Picture and Best International Feature.

The film went on to win the Oscar for Best International Feature Film, with its star, Fernanda Torres, also making history by winning a Golden Globe for Best Actress in 2025, a first for a Brazilian actress.