DENISE FERNANDES
BIO
Denise Fernandes (1990) was born in Lisbon to Cape Verdean parents and
grew up in Switzerland. His latest short film, Nha Mila (2020), premiered at Locarno Film Festival, in the Pardi di Domani section. Nha Mila was a European Film Awards candidate and has been screened at over 40 international film festivals. It was nominated as Best National Short Film at the Sophia Awards 2021 and invited by MoMa and Lincoln Center in New York for the New Directors / New Films Festival. Hanami, filmed in Cape Verde, is her feature directorial debut.
FILMOGRAPHY
Una notte, 2011. Short fiction film.
Pan sin mermelada, 2012. Short fiction film.
Idyllium, 2013. Short fiction film.
Nha Mila. 2020. Short fiction film.
Hanami, 2024. Feature film.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
Growing up in Europe, I noticed that Cape Verde was often omitted from world maps and globes because of its small size. Growing up in Europe, I felt that I came from a country that didn’t exist outside the walls of my home. To make it visible, I made Cape Verde and its people the central theme of my first feature film. Hanami is born from the union of material and immaterial elements, stories, and experiences, which are universal in many Cape Verdeans’ lives. Often, those who leave dream of returning, and those who stay dream of leaving. Hanami’s connection to Japan wants to be as meaningful as playful. While the world we live in is defined by borders, in this film, they are ethereal.