Flavio Alves
Flávio Pimenta Alves is a Brazilian writer, screenwriter, and film director resident in America since 1998. His movies consistently feature elderly characters as protagonists. He is best known for the film The Garden Left Behind starring Michael Madsen, Ed Asner and Carlie Guevara.
Early years
Alves was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and served the Brazilian navy for several years before coming to America in 1997. He was granted political asylum in the United States in 1998 based on political opinion and sexual orientation after he wrote the book, Toque de Silêncio, describing his life as a gay man in the Brazilian navy. His request was granted because, according to Alves, he received death threats upon publishing his book. Although various human rights organizations, LGBT activists, and former São Paulo mayor Marta Suplicy supported his claim, it has also divided the Brazilian gay community. He attended Columbia University in New York City, where he earned an undergraduate degree in Political Science. In the early 2000s he worked as an assistant for then-Congressman Anthony Weiner and then-New York Senator Hillary Clinton.Career
In 2007, Alves left politics and enrolled at New York University to study film production. While there he wrote and directed, Even in My Dreams, which received the Technisphere Award from NYU for best student film, and was screened at a variety of film festivals around the world. The film was also the winner of the Golden Palm Award at the 2009 Mexico International Film Festival, and the Golden Ace Award at the 2009 Las Vegas International Film Festival. In June 2010, Flavio released his short film The Secret Friend, starring Viola Harris and Siobhan Fallon in the major roles.The film received multiple awards and nominations after its premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in 2010, where it was chosen as Best of the Fest. Alves also directed the award-winning short film, Tom in America, starring Academy Award nominees, Burt Young and Sally Kirkland, has been screened at over 140 film festivals worldwide, and was also featured on the cable network HereTV.
Flavio's most recent film, The Garden Left Behind, is his first feature-length project and stars Michael Madsen and Ed Asner. The film was well received in the media, and was widely praised for having a strong trans representation in front of and behind the camera, including the lead, Carlie Guevara. The Garden Left Behind premiered at SXSW Film Festival in 2019, where it won the Audience Award.
In 2018, Alves was selected by the Film Society of Lincoln Center to the Artist Academy. The program is designed to support the next generation of filmmakers from a variety of backgrounds as they develop their careers and build audiences within the film community.
Ebay Campaign
While in pre-production for his upcoming film, The Garden Left Behind, Alves and his team pioneered the use of eBay as a crowdfunding platform, where they raised more than $100,000. The unprecedented success experienced during this campaign revamped typical crowdfunding methods. The film became the first independent film to be funded substantially through donations and sales via eBay.Personal life
Flavio lives in Forest Hills, New York. In April 2010, Alves became a US citizen. As of 2013, he has been a member of the National Board of Review. In 2012, Grupo Gay da Bahia, the oldest LGBTQ advocacy association in Brazil, awarded Alves, among 21 other militants, an honorary title recognizing his sacrifices and contributions to the LGBTQ community.Filmography
Producer
- 2018: The Garden Left Behind
- 2014: Tom in America
- 2013: Only Solomon Lee
- 2012: Art Machine
- 2012: The Perfect Wedding
- 2011: Odysseus' Gambit
- 2011: Eve
- 2010: Case Closed
- 2010: The Position
- 2010: The Secret Friend, the film adaptation of the short story, O Amigo Secreto, by João Silvério Trevisan
- 2010: The Masterpiece
- 2010: The Empty Playground
- 2009: Os Restos do Dia
- 2009: Human Being
- 2009: We All Fall Down: The American Mortgage Crisis
- 2009: Os Teus Últimos Dias Como Criança
- 2008: Even in My Dreams
- 2008: Tom and Jeraldine
- 2008: Pasta
- 2007: SuperPower
- 2007: Good Dreams
- 2007: Cap XV:12
- 2006: The Kid
Director
- 2018: The Garden Left Behind
- 2014: Tom in America
- 2012: Angelo
- 2010: The Secret Friend
- 2008: Even in My Dreams
- 2007: Superpower
Awards & grants
- 2019 Audience Award - SXSW Film Festival
- 2018 Artist Academy fellow - Film Society of Lincoln Center
- 2017 Video and Digital Production Grants - Jerome Foundation
- 2017 IFP Lab fellow -
- 2016 NYSCA Grant - New York State Council on the Arts
- 2013 Student Grant - National Board of Review
- 2012 Jury Award - Long Island International Film Expo
- 2011 Jury Prize - Costa Rica International Film Festival
- 2011 Jury Award - Valley Film Festival
- 2011 Special Jury Award - Downbeach Film Festival
- 2011 Jury Award - Forster Film Festival
- 2011 Jury Award - Atlanta Underground Film Festival
- 2011 Jury Award - Jornada Internacional de Cinema da Bahial
- 2011 Audience Award - World Music and Independent Film Festival
- 2011 Audience Award - Hyart Film Festival
- 2011 Jury Award - Hardacre Film Festival
- 2011 Audience Award - Indianapolis International Film Festival
- 2011 Jury Award - Las Vegas International Film Festival
- 2011 Grand Jury Prize - Amsterdam Film Festival
- 2011 Jury Award - Cleveland International Film Festival
- 2011 Special Jury Award - Canada International Film Festival
- 2011 Jury Award - Griffon International Film Festival
- 2010 Cine Golden Eagle Award for Best Short Film - CINE
- 2010 Jury Award for Best Fiction Short - Rockport Film Festival
- 2010 Special Jury Award - Savannah Film Festival
- 2010 Best of the Fest - Palm Springs International Film Festival
- 2009 Golden Palm Award - Mexico International Film Festival
- 2009 Golden Ace Award - Las Vegas Film Festival
- 2008 Audience Award - Festival Internacional de Cinema de Itu
- 2008 Technisphere Award for Best Student Film - New York University