Daniel Soares (filmmaker)

Daniel Soares
Born
Germany
Occupations
  • Screenwriter
  • Filmmaker

Daniel Soares is a Portuguese screenwriter, filmmaker and photographer. He is best known for his acclaimed short films O Que Resta, awarded the Grand Prix at the Premiers Plans d’Angers Festival, and Bad for a Moment, which earned a Special Mention at Cannes Film Festival.[1][2]

Early life & background

Soares was born in Germany, though his family is Portuguese. He spent childhood summers with his grandparents in a small rural village in Portugal, an experience that influenced his later filmmaking.[3] Before starting his career as a director, he worked as a creative at various agencies.[4]

Career

Soares’s body of work spans several kinds of media: documentary, short fiction, music videos, and fashion films.[3] His previous work has screened at the International Center of Photography, and he has received several international creativity awards, including being named a Young Gun in 2017 by the Art Directors Club in New York, an honour recognizing leading creative talents under the age of 30.[1][5]

In 2018, Soares documentary film Forgotten screened at numerous festivals in North America, including Brooklyn Film Festival.[3][6] His first narrative short, O Que Resta, premiered at Clermont Ferrand Film Festival in 2022.[7] It screened at numerous festivals, including Telluride Film Festival and won the Grand Prix at the Premiers Plans d’Angers Festival and Best Portuguese Short Film at the IndieLisboa International Film Festival.[3]

In 2022, Soares participated in the Locarno Spring Academy, an initiative supporting emerging filmmakers, during which he developed his short film Please Make It Work. The film later had its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival.[8][9]

In 2024, his short film Bad for a Moment produced by O Som e a Fúria and Kid with a Bike, had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.[8][10] It screened in competition for the Short Film Palme d’Or and received a Special Mention from the jury.[11][12]

In 2025, Soares took part in the 11th edition of Ikusmira Berriak, using the residency to develop his debut feature, 900 Tons.[13][14] The year before, he had also participated in a screenwriting and project-development programme at Le Groupe Ouest, where he began earlier stages of work on the film.[15]

Filmography

Short films
Year Film Role Notes Ref.
2024 Bad For A Moment Director, Writer, Editor, Producer
2022 Please Make It Work Director, Writer, Editor, Cinematographer, Producer [16]
2021 O Que Resta Director, Writer
2018 Forgotten Director Documentary film
Feature films
Year Film Role Notes Ref.
TBD 900 Tons Director, Writer

References

  1. ^ a b "Filme "O que resta" de Daniel Soares premiado em França". SIC Notícias (in Portuguese). 2022-01-31. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
  2. ^ Lusa, Agência. "Curta-metragem de Daniel Soares com menção especial no Festival de Cannes". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-11-27.
  3. ^ a b c d "Onepointfour | Daniel Soares – O Que Resta (What Remains)". 1.4. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
  4. ^ "Young Guns 15 / Daniel Soares". www.oneclub.org. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
  5. ^ "Young Guns 15 - 2017 Design Awards for 30 and Under Creative Talent | The One Club". www.oneclub.org. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
  6. ^ "FORGOTTEN: AN ARTIST WITHOUT AUDIENCE by Daniel Soares @ Brooklyn Film Festival". Retrieved 2025-11-27.
  7. ^ ""O Que Resta", de Daniel Soares, em Clermont-Ferrand". RTP Cinemax (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-11-27.
  8. ^ a b "Daniel Soares na competição de curtas do Festival de Cannes com "Mau Por Um Momento"". RTP Cinemax (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-11-27.
  9. ^ "Locarno Film Festival · Daniel Soares". Locarno Film Festival.
  10. ^ Lavallée, Eric (2024-04-23). "2024 Cannes Film Festival: Samir Karahoda, André Hayato Saito & Daniel Soares Among Palme Short Hopefuls". IONCINEMA.com. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
  11. ^ Notícias. "Curta-metragem de Daniel Soares com menção especial no Festival de Cannes". 24 Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-11-27.
  12. ^ Peterson, Vanessa (2025-06-06). "Editor's Picks: Daniel Soares's Portrait of a Changing Lisbon". Frieze. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  13. ^ "REPORT: Ikusmira Berriak @ San Sebastián 2025". Cineuropa - the best of european cinema. 2025-09-29. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  14. ^ "Daniel Soares | Ikusmira Berriak". ikusmiraberriak.eu. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  15. ^ "Daniel Soares". Le Groupe Ouest.
  16. ^ "Please make it work". dokufest.com. Retrieved 2025-12-24.
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