Biography
Jose Miguel Ribeiro was born on January 18th, 1966, in Amadora; completed his degree in Fine Arts - Painting - at Escola Superior de Belas Artes de Lisboa and began his work as an illustrator in 1990; studied Animated Film Direction at Lazannec-Bretagne, Rennes, and at Filmografo, Porto, in 1993/1994; directed several short motion pictures, being O Ovo (The Egg) and O Banquete da Rainha (The Queen's Feast) two of the most significant. In 1999 he directed A Suspeita (The Suspect), which would give him the Cartoon D'Or 2000. In 2004, directed the animated stop motion series for children As Coisas la de Casa (The Things of my Home), in 26 episodes and the short motion film Abraco do Vento (The Wind's Embrace). In 2007 he worked as illustrator of the book O rapaz que aprendeu a voar (The boy who's learnt how to fly) by Alexandre Honrado, and founded the Production Company Sardinha em Lata, with Nuno Beato and Eva Yebenes. In April 2009 completed the stop-motion short film Passeio de Domingo (Sunday Promenade) and in June 2010 finished the short motion film Viagem a Cabo Verde (Journey to Cape Verde). In 2011 completed the pilot episode O Bala?o Lua (Moon Baloon), of Dodu, o Rapaz de Cartao series (Dodu, the Cardboard Boy) and started the TV special Papel de Natal (Christmas Wrapping Paper). In 2012 left the company Sardinha em Lata and created a new film production company in Montemor-o-Novo: Praca Filmes. In this same year directed the movie A Energia da Terra Chega para Todos (The Energy of the Earth is Enough for Everyone) for the Municipality of Almada, awarded at Cinanima and sellected for 2013 Annecy International Competition. In 2014 completed the production of the TV special Papel de Natal (Christmas Wrapping Paper) screening in 10 national theatres at Christmas season of that year. Presentely Jose Miguel Ribeiro is developing the project for the feature animation film Nayola, co-directed by Jorge Antonio.Virgilio Almeida adapted the screenplay from the original text A Caixa Preta (The Black Box) by Mia Couto and Eduardo Agualusa. In the last years he has been dividing his professional activity between animation cinema and illustration in the areas of training, production and creation.
