AND PRODUCER
Leonel Vieira is one of the most successful and internationally recognised Portuguese directors/producers. He has directed 5 series and 14 feature films, some of which are in the top 10 of the most watched Portuguese films in history and still holds the highest box office in Portuguese cinema with the film ‘O Pátio das Cantigas’ (2015).
As a producer, he has developed co-productions with production companies in Brazil, Spain, France and the United States. He has produced more than 30 titles and more than 200 advertising films for major brands.
Since 1998, he has been selected in more than 100 international festivals, winning more than 20 film and advertising awards. In Portugal, as a director, he won several awards from the ‘Clube dos Criativos’ (Portugal’s most important advertising awards).
His series ‘Conexão’, a co-production with Spain about drug trafficking in Galicia, was nominated for the FIPA d’OR (Biarritz, 2010) as Best TV Series.
The promotional video ‘Monção Deixa Marca’, which he created and directed for the region of Monção (Portugal), won Gold at the Japan World’s Tourism Film Festival, Silver at the US International Awards (LA, California) and Best Tourism Film at the CIFFT People’s Choice Award.
In 2023, he released ‘The Crime of Father Amaro’ (6×45’), a period series he directed for RTP, winner of Best TV Series and Best TV Pilot at the Buenos Aires International Film Festival – Web Series (2023). He also released the thriller ‘The Last Animal’, as producer and director, which he shot in Rio de Janeiro – nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Gramado Film Festival (Brazil, 2022).
In 2024 he released the miniseries ‘Sr. Rui’ (2×50’), a biopic about Portuguese coffee magnate Rui Nabeiro. Its premiere in Portugal led with 22% share on Free TV and was #1 in the Top 10 on Prime Video
In 2025, he directed and produced the film “O Pátio da Saudade” (The Courtyard of Memories). In just 4 days, it became the most watched Portuguese film of the year in cinemas, with its premiere also scheduled on RTP and Prime.
The series “O Grito” (The Scream), which he directed and produced, was recently released on HBO MAX (Portugal & Spain) and will soon be released on RTP. The series won Best TV Series at the Buenos Aires International Film Festival – Web Series (Argentina, 2025), and Leonel Vieira also won as Best Director.
O vídeo promocional “Monção Deixa Marca”, que criou e realizou para o Município de Monção, ganhou o Ouro no Japan World’s Tourism Film Festival, Prata nos US International Awards (LA, Califórnia) e Melhor Filme de Turismo Mundial no CIFFT People’s Choice Awards.
