Biography
Bruno Gascon is a Portuguese director and screenwriter passionate about real stories focused on strong subjects. After living and studying in SAE Amsterdam, where he moved after a family tragedy that made him channel all his emotions into writing and cinema studies, Gascon returned to Portugal and started working with national TV as Director on social and cultural documentaries. In 2014, after his return, he wrote and directed the short film "Boy" that won several awards, including the 2015 Rising Star Award at the Canada International Film Festival. In 2015, "Vazio", another short that he wrote and directed, was showcased at the Short Film Corner of the Cannes Film Festival, and afterward traveled the world to several other festivals. In 2018, he wrote and directed "Carga", his first feature film that has been in the top 5 of the most seen Portuguese movies of 2018. With good box office results in Portugal, good reviews, and sales in several countries the film has also been awarded in some international film festivals and also in Portugal. "Carga" is focused on human trafficking and the polish actress Michalina Olszanska is the main actress among some of the most known Portuguese actors. When he was directing "Carga" he was interested in the subject of missing children. That inspired him to speak with mothers from Portuguese missing children and to write "Shadow", a powerful story about motherhood, love, courage, and hope based on true facts. Due to Covid-19, the film premiere was delayed until 2021. "Shadow" has received two awards at the Barcelona Sant Jordi Festival 2021 and was selected for the Shanghai International Film Festival 2021, Ischia Film Festival 2021, and more festivals that will soon be announced. "Shadow" was distributed in Portugal with success by major NOS AUDIOVISUAIS and was theatrically released by the end of 2021. Wide, the film sales agent has already sold the film to several different territories. Bruno Gascon believes that storytellers have the responsibility to promote critical thinking that's why after "Shadow" he wrote, "Homeland", where he creates a dystopian world that functions as a metaphorical reflection on how freedom of expression is disappearing and about the danger of the rise of dictatorial and extremist regimes in the world. His third film, 'Homeland,' released in Portugal on October 2023 was also sold to several territories, won the main prize at a festival in Moldova and it's pre-selected to two Platino Awards. In addition to his cinema work, Gascon is the author of the only Portuguese project that won at Conecta Fiction in 2022 ('The Last Wolf,' a co-production of Caracol Studios and SPi), which received a development contract from RTVE and also won the ACCORD award and it is currently in the development phase. He has just completed the series 'Irreversible' for RTP (produced by Caracol Studios) announced by MIPTV 2024 as one of the 10 most anticipated new dramatic series of the year, it has been selected for the prestigious MIPDRAMA 2024 selection and is one of the candidates to win the "Coup de Coeur" award. Bruno is also the creator and director of the tv show "The outlaws" also for RTP (premiere date to be announced). The scriptwriter, director and showrunner is also currently developing new projects both on cinema and television, such as 'Jones,' also produced by Caracol Studios, currently in pre-production and has also been attached as director to "Past Waters" a series by João Tordo, an adaptation from the bestseller book of the same name and to the feature film "Far". Gascon's versatile talent and dedication to meaningful narratives solidify his position as a leading figure in Portuguese cinema and television.
