Walter Salles facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Walter Salles
Salles at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024
Born	Walter Moreira Salles Júnior (1956-04-12) 12 April 1956 (age 69) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Alma mater	Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro University of Southern California
Occupation	Filmmaker, editor
Spouse(s)	Maria Klabin ​ (m. 2004)​
Children	2
Parent(s)	Walter Moreira Salles (father)
Relatives	João Moreira Salles (brother) Pedro Moreira Salles (brother)
Awards	Full list

Walter Moreira Salles Júnior (born on April 12, 1956) is a famous Brazilian filmmaker. He is known as one of the greatest Brazilian directors ever. Salles has won many important awards, including an Academy Award, prizes from the Cannes Film Festival and Venice Film Festival, and a Golden Globe.

He first became known around the world for his film Central Station (1998). This movie was nominated for two Academy Awards and won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA award. It also won the Golden Bear at the 48th Berlin International Film Festival. Later, he directed other well-known films like Behind the Sun (2001), The Motorcycle Diaries (2004), and On the Road (2012).

In 2024, his film I'm Still Here received two rare nominations at the 97th Academy Awards. It won the award for Best International Feature, making it the first Brazilian film to win an Oscar in any category. Walter Salles is also known as one of the richest filmmakers in the world.

Early Life and Education

Walter Moreira Salles Júnior was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on April 12, 1956. When he was young, he lived in both France and the United States. This was because his father, Walter Moreira Salles, was a diplomat.

When Walter was 15, he moved back to Brazil. He later studied at the University of Southern California's USC School of Cinematic Arts. This is a well-known school for filmmaking.

Walter Salles' Filmmaking Career

Walter Salles started his career by making documentaries. These are non-fiction films that show real events or people. He worked on documentaries for ten years. After that, he began making fictional movies.

His first important film was Terra Estrangeira (Foreign Land). It came out in Brazil in 1995. Film critics liked it a lot, and it was shown at over 40 film festivals worldwide.

International Success with Central Station

In 1998, Salles released Central Station. This movie became very popular around the world. It was nominated for two Academy Awards: one for Best Actress and another for Best Foreign Language Film. Salles won a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film for this movie. He was the first Brazilian to win a Golden Globe.

Other Notable Films

In 2001, Salles directed Abril Despedaçado (Behind the Sun). This film was based on a book by an Albanian writer. It was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globe Awards.

In 2003, a magazine called The Guardian named Salles one of the 40 best directors in the world. His biggest international hit was Diarios de Motocicleta (The Motorcycle Diaries). This 2004 film tells the story of a young Che Guevara. It was Salles's first movie not in his native Portuguese. It became very popular in Latin America and Europe.

Salles in 2005

In 2005, Salles made his first Hollywood film, Dark Water. This movie was a remake of a Japanese film. He also helped produce an Argentine film called Hermanas.

Salles also directed parts of other films. In 2006, he directed a segment in the French film Paris, je t'aime. This film was a collection of short stories set in Paris. In 2007, he made a short film for To Each His Own Cinema, a project celebrating the Cannes Film Festival.

In 2008, Salles co-directed Linha de Passe. This film is about four brothers from a poor family trying to achieve their dreams. It was nominated for the Palme d'Or award. In 2012, Salles directed On the Road, based on a famous book. This film was also nominated for the Palme d'Or.

Recent Work: I'm Still Here

Salles and Fernanda Torres promoting I'm Still Here at the 2024 BFI London Film Festival

In 2024, Salles released Ainda Estou Aqui (I'm Still Here). This film is based on a book and tells a story from the time of the military government in Brazil. The movie was nominated for the Golden Lion at the 81st Venice International Film Festival. It also won the Best Actress award for Fernanda Torres at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards. At the 97th Academy Awards, Salles accepted the Oscar for Best International Feature Film for I'm Still Here. This was a big moment for Brazilian cinema.

Personal Life

Walter Salles is a very successful filmmaker. He has spoken about how important democracy is for making movies. He believes that films like I'm Still Here are possible because of Brazil's democratic system.

Filmography

Feature Films

Short Films

Television Work

Documentaries

Year	Title	Subject	Notes
1987	Krajcberg: O Poeta Dos Vestígios	Frans Krajcberg
1988	Marisa Monte	Marisa Monte	Co-directed with Nelson Motta
1989	Chico, ou O País Da Delicadeza Perdida	Chico Buarque
1995	Antônio Carlos Jobim: An All-Star Tribute	Antônio Carlos Jobim
1999	Somos Todos Filhos Da Terra	Adão Dãxalebaradã	Co-directed with Kátia Lund, João Moreira Salles and Daniela Thomas
2002	Castanha E Caju Contra O Encouraçado Titanic		Co-directed with Daniela Thomas and George Moura.
2013	Venice 70: Future Reloaded	Venice Film Festival	Segment director
2014	Jia Zhangke, A Guy from Fenyang	Jia Zhangke

Awards and Honors

Walter Salles has received many awards for his films. In July 2022, the University of Reading gave him an honorary degree. This means they recognized his great achievements in filmmaking.

See also

In Spanish: Walter Salles para niños