User:Saradosa/sandbox

Petra Costa (born 1983) is a Brazilian filmmaker and actress. Before directing Elena, Petra directed and produced the short film Undertow Eyes, a poetic depiction of aging and love, as seen through the perspective of her elderly Brazilian grandparents. In 2009, Undertow Eyes was the official selection of over a dozen international festivals and took top prizes at nine, including Best Short Film, Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival; Best Short Documentary, Cine Las Americas International Film Festival; and, the Special Jury Award at the Gramado Film Festival.

Like Undertow Eyes, Elena – her first feature-length film – is an intensely personal account of love and loss. Petra’s directorial intent is to take the minutia of private struggles and project their poetry onto the screen.

Petra’s cinematic interests are an extension of her education and artistic training. Petra completed her undergraduate studies Summa Cum Laude in Anthropology and Theater at Barnard College, Columbia University, NY; and, her Masters in Health, Community and Development at the London School of Economics, London. From the age of fifteen, she has been working professionally as an actress.