Mariana Duarte

I am a Brazilian filmmaker and academic based in Scotland with a particular interest in intercultural cinema. I directed Newcomers (2013), and my latest short, Headland (2024), was commissioned by (...) the Scottish Documentary Institute’s Bridging the Gap programme. A Berlinale Talents alumna, my work has been screened at international festivals, including Big Sky (Best Mini-Doc winner), Edinburgh, Curta Kinoforum, Tiradentes, and Rio de Janeiro Int'l Film Festival. Previously a video editor at TV Globo for over four years, I later graduated from the Kino Eyes Erasmus Film Masters. I am currently pursuing a PhD by Practice in Film at Edinburgh College of Art, researching new imaginaries of borders in contemporary cinema through creative non-fiction. My most recent publication, A Camera in the Water: Reframing the Migrant Image in Documentary Film, was featured in Screen Journal. Collaboration is at the heart of my creative process. Whether I am on set, in the editing room, teaching, or conducting research, I aim to create an inclusive and open environment that encourages experimentation and shared storytelling. My work is influenced by the diverse intercultural experiences I have gained throughout my career. Having lived and worked in Brazil, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, and Estonia, I am currently based in Scotland.