Alê Abreu

Alê Abreu animated Brazil into the global spotlight with Boy and the World, a hand-drawn feature that earned an Academy Award nomination. Born March 6, 1971, in Brazil, he is a film director, screenwriter, character animator, film editor and producer. His first short film, Sírius, debuted at the 1993 Anima Mundi as the only Brazilian animation that year, winning Best Film Award at the Festival de Cine para Niños y Jovenes and screening at major international festivals including Hiroshima. His second short, Espantalho ("Scarecrow"), released in 1998, won 3rd Best Brazilian Animation at Anima Mundi and Best Art Direction Award at the Brazilian Film Festival of Miami. His debut feature, Garoto Cósmico, premiered at the 2007 Anima Mundi. Boy and the World, released in 2013 at the Ottawa International Animation Festival, became an international success, earning a nomination at the 88th Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature alongside wins at Annecy and the Annie Awards. As a screenwriter and director, Abreu works across multiple formats—short film, feature animation, and editorial roles—crafting narratives through visual composition and character design. Born under Pisces, his work channels the sign's imaginative, dreamlike sensibility; his life-path number 9 reflects a humanitarian focus on universal stories. Abreu's Brazilian origin grounds his films in distinctly South American visual traditions and storytelling.