Joana Machado Madeira wins two awards with STAR at the Portugal Indie Film Festival 2024
Joana Machado Madeira, one of the emerging voices of Portuguese cinema, was awarded twice at the Portugal Indie Film Festival 2024 for her short film STAR.
The film won in the categories of Best Short Film (Best Short Film – Portuguese Production) and Best First Work of Direction (Best First Time Director Short Film). The awards ceremony is scheduled for 10 December, during a ceremony in Cascais.
A cry against bullying and homophobia
STAR is a work that addresses bullying and homophobia in a raw and emotional way, bringing to light themes that Joana considers essential in her filmography. ” These are themes that tell me a lot. The suffering and pain of the victims echo all the time in my head and inspire me. My cinema is about this. That’s what I want to do. The woman’s voice is heard a little more today, but not enough yet. There is much to be done. I can only guarantee that I will be here to do my part,” said the filmmaker.
Joana underlines the impact she wants to have on the audience with her films: “I plan to continue using my art so that people can feel the punch in their stomachs. I want the aggressors to see the suffering on the other side, and hear my cry of revolt that was once a cry of pain. Only empathy makes the world better.”
Other work with social impact: Leva me
After “STAR“, Joana Machado Madeira directed, wrote and starred in “LEVA-ME“, a short film that addresses domestic violence. This film comes as a cry of warning against a scourge that affects thousands of women. It is never too late to remember that the International Day for the “Elimination of Violence against Women” is already on November 25.
Joana reinforces the importance of giving visibility to these issues: “The suffering of victims is something that never abandons me. These themes are my way of contributing to a more empathetic and just society.”
A trajectory marked by artistic versatility
Born in Covilhã, Joana Machado Madeira moved to Elvas in 1998, where she started her passion for theatre in the amateur group Arkus. In 2011, he moved to Lisbon to study Theatre, but quickly expanded his talent for television and literature.
He was a reporter on the TV show Você na TV! (TVI) , published the book A Marmelada Mata and participated in television projects such as Aqui Por Casa (RTP) and Valor da Vida (TVI). More recently, she was part of the cast of Queridos Papás and Um Filme do Caraças.
Growing recognition
Joana Machado Madeira continues to assert herself as a creative and committed voice in the struggle for social causes through art. The awards received by STAR and the impact of Leva Me reinforce the filmmaker’s commitment to using cinema as a tool for change and reflection.
Joana will be present at the ceremony of the Portugal Indie Film Festival, in Cascais, on December 10th, to receive the awards that recognize her talent and dedication.
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