---
name: "Walter Salles"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/walter-salles"
fi1m_id: "walter-salles"
imdb_id: "nm0758574"
tmdb_id: 8574
wikidata_id: "Q458696"
roles: ["Director","Producer"]
born: "12 April 1956"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 81
average_as: "director"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-20T08:41:15.164636+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Walter Salles

## Identity

Walter Salles

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/walter-salles
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** walter-salles
- **IMDb ID:** nm0758574
- **TMDB ID:** 8574
- **Wikidata ID:** Q458696
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Salles, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q458696, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0758574/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8574

Director and producer. Born 12 April 1956 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

## Details

- **Work:** Director, Producer
- **Born:** 12 April 1956, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- **Active:** 1998–present
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 5: 3 directing, 1 producing, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Fernanda Montenegro](https://film.one/person/fernanda-montenegro.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 81, as director, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 85 (1), 2000s 82 (2), 2020s 82 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 81 to 78 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 3, History 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $100m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Salles, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q458696, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0758574/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8574

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*I'm Still Here*](https://film.one/film/im-still-here.md) (80)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Motorcycle Diaries*](https://film.one/film/the-motorcycle-diaries.md) (77)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Walter Salles

> Walter Salles is a director we trust with difficult people, especially when they have to travel together. *Central Station* earns our affection through its actors, even when the writing reassures us too readily.

In *Central Station* (1998), Dora and Josué have little interest in making themselves agreeable to each other. She is a cynical letter-writer; he is a child looking for his father. Walter Salles lets their mutual suspicion last long enough to make the familiar prospect of growing affection worth watching. We were moved by their reluctant companionship because he allowed both of them to remain awkward, rather than asking us to like them immediately.

Salles’s documentary beginnings help explain this attention to behaviour. He made *Foreign Land* (1995) with Daniela Thomas, returning to that collaboration for *Linha de Passe* (2008). Between those films, *Central Station* brought international recognition, while *The Motorcycle Diaries* (2004) continued his interest in journeys that change the traveller. That interest also took him to the Kerouac adaptation *On the Road* (2012).

His handling of actors is clearest in *Central Station*, where Fernanda Montenegro refuses to soften Dora’s bad temper. Vinícius de Oliveira gives Josué enough hardness to stop the relationship becoming a lesson in kindness for an adult. Salles takes that resistance seriously and allows the child to be difficult company. The performers have something to work against in each other, and neither needs to become charming for the scenes to hold our attention.

The weakness is in how readily the film lets us anticipate Dora’s change. Salles shares the screenplay credit with João Emanuel Carneiro and Marcos Bernstein, and the writing sometimes reassures us before we have had time to decide what we think of her. Montenegro keeps the uncertainty alive longer than the script does. We would have liked Salles to trust that performance a little more.

His English-language work includes the less distinctive *Dark Water* (2005). *I’m Still Here* (2024) offers further evidence of his skill with performers of different generations, and gives us a reason to keep following him beyond the road dramas. For a first encounter, choose *Central Station* and give Dora time to be disagreeable.

## Biography

Walter Salles is a Brazilian film director and screenwriter. He was born on 12 April 1956 in Rio de Janeiro.

Salles directed and wrote the story for *Central Station* (1998), which won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. His other films include *Behind the Sun* (2001), *The Motorcycle Diaries* (2004), *Dark Water* (2005) and *On the Road* (2012).

*I'm Still Here* (2024), which he directed, won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, the first Brazilian film to win an Oscar in any category.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (5)

### Directed (3) — the average rests on these

- *I'm Still Here* (2024), Fi1m 80, Producer, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/im-still-here.md)
- *The Motorcycle Diaries* (2004), Fi1m 77, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/the-motorcycle-diaries.md)
- *Central Station* (1998), Fi1m 85, Director, Producer, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/central-station.md)

### Produced (1)

- *City of God* (2002), Fi1m 86, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/city-of-god.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *The Secret Agent* (2025), Fi1m 84, Thanks — [page](https://film.one/film/the-secret-agent.md)

## Complete filmography (58)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Cyclone* (2025), Co-Producer
- *The Secret Agent* (2025), Thanks — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-secret-agent.md)
- *Manas* (2025), Associate Producer
- *I'm Still Here* (2024), Director, Producer — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/im-still-here.md)
- *New World* (2024), Associate Producer
- *Noah's Ark* (2024), Producer
- *The Movie Teller* (2023), Screenplay
- *Mariner of the Mountains* (2023), Producer
- *Narcissus Off Duty* (2020), Producer
- *Burning Night* (2020), Producer
- *Homing* (2019), Producer
- *The Freitas Brothers* (2019), series, Creator
- *Unremember* (2019), Producer
- *Vozes de Paracatu e Bento* (2018), Director
- *When the Earth Trembles* (2017), Director, Producer
- *Where Has Time Gone?* (2017), Director, Writer
- *Aquarius* (2016), Co-Producer
- *Jia Zhangke, A Guy from Fenyang* (2016), Director, Writer
- *From Afar* (2015), Thanks
- *Venice 70: Future Reloaded* (2013), Director, Editor
- *Habi, The Foreigner* (2013), Producer
- *On the Road* (2012), Director
- *Construção* (2011), Associate Producer
- *The Two Deaths of Quincas Wateryell* (2010), Producer
- *Eye of the Storm* (2009), Producer
- *Stories on Human Rights* (2008), Director
- *Linha de Passe* (2008), Screenplay, Director, Producer
- *Café de los maestros* (2008), Producer
- *Lion's Den* (2008), Co-Producer
- *To Each His Own Cinema* (2007), Director
- *8,944 km from Cannes* (2007), Director
- *Love for Sale* (2006), Producer
- *Born and Bred* (2006), Co-Producer
- *Paris Je T'aime* (2006), Director, Writer
- *Lower City* (2005), Producer
- *Dark Water* (2005), Director
- *Hermanas* (2005), Associate Producer
- *The Motorcycle Diaries* (2004), Director — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/the-motorcycle-diaries.md)
- *Madame Satã* (2002), Producer
- *El bonaerense* (2002), Thanks
- *City of God* (2002), Producer — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/city-of-god.md)
- *Castanha e Caju Contra o Encouraçado Titanic* (2002), Director
- *Behind the Sun* (2001), Director, Screenplay
- *A Linguagem do Cinema* (2001), Actor
- *Adão ou Somos Todos Filhos da Terra* (1999), Director, Editor
- *Midnight* (1998), Director, Writer
- *Central Station* (1998), Director, Screenplay, Producer — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/central-station.md)
- *Foreign Land* (1996), Director, Editor, Writer
- *Socorro Nobre* (1995), Director, Editor, Writer
- *Antonio Carlos Jobim: An All-Star Tribute* (1995), Director
- *Visão do Paraíso* (1995), General Manager
- *João & Antônio* (1992), Director
- *Circuladô* (1992), Director
- *High Art* (1991), Director
- *Marisa Monte: MM ao Vivo* (1989), Director
- *Chico, or the Country of the Lost Delicacy* (1989), Director
- *China, o Império do Centro* (1987), Editor
- *Krajcberg - O Poeta dos Vestígios* (1987), Director, Producer

## Gallery

- ![Walter Salles](https://film.one/media/person/87927/gallery-29c1e3858731.jpg) Walter Salles — Adam Chitayat, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Walter_Salles_in_2024.jpg/1280px-Walter_Salles_in_2024.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![20.05.2025 - Presidente da República, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, durante a cerimônia de Entrega da Ordem do Mérito Cultural, no Palácio Gustavo Capanema. Rio de](https://film.one/media/person/87927/gallery-84f3e5db1bdb.jpg) 20.05.2025 - Presidente da República, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, durante a cerimônia de Entrega da Ordem do Mérito Cultural, no Palácio Gustavo Capanema. Rio de — Lula Oficial, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/20.05.2025_-_Cerim%C3%B4nia_de_Entrega_da_Ordem_do_M%C3%A9rito_Cultural_%2854533170157%29.jpg/1280px-20.05.2025_-_Cerim%C3%B4nia_de_Entrega_da_Ordem_do_M%C3%A9rito_Cultural_%2854533170157%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![20.05.2025 - O Cineasta, Walter Salles e o Presidente da República, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, durante a cerimônia de Entrega da Ordem do Mérito Cultural, no Pa](https://film.one/media/person/87927/gallery-9c2af178f8c5.jpg) 20.05.2025 - O Cineasta, Walter Salles e o Presidente da República, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, durante a cerimônia de Entrega da Ordem do Mérito Cultural, no Pa — Lula Oficial, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/20.05.2025_-_Cerim%C3%B4nia_de_Entrega_da_Ordem_do_M%C3%A9rito_Cultural_%2854533170197%29.jpg/1280px-20.05.2025_-_Cerim%C3%B4nia_de_Entrega_da_Ordem_do_M%C3%A9rito_Cultural_%2854533170197%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![20.05.2025 - A Atriz, Fernanda Torres e o Presidente da República, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva e a durante a cerimônia de Entrega da Ordem do Mérito Cultural, no ](https://film.one/media/person/87927/gallery-aaea67f43031.jpg) 20.05.2025 - A Atriz, Fernanda Torres e o Presidente da República, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva e a durante a cerimônia de Entrega da Ordem do Mérito Cultural, no  — Lula Oficial, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/20.05.2025_-_Cerim%C3%B4nia_de_Entrega_da_Ordem_do_M%C3%A9rito_Cultural_%2854533334792%29.jpg/1280px-20.05.2025_-_Cerim%C3%B4nia_de_Entrega_da_Ordem_do_M%C3%A9rito_Cultural_%2854533334792%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Walter Salles](https://film.one/media/person/87927/gallery-656cf247e726.jpg) Walter Salles — Image via TMDB
- ![Walter Salles](https://film.one/media/person/87927/gallery-fc57d1999954.jpg) Walter Salles — Image via TMDB
- ![Walter Salles](https://film.one/media/person/87927/gallery-e435809ed7a4.jpg) Walter Salles — Image via TMDB
- ![20.05.2025 - Presidente da República, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, durante a cerimônia de Entrega da Ordem do Mérito Cultural, no Palácio Gustavo Capanema. Na fot](https://film.one/media/person/87927/gallery-f8cd4b8057c7.jpg) 20.05.2025 - Presidente da República, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, durante a cerimônia de Entrega da Ordem do Mérito Cultural, no Palácio Gustavo Capanema. Na fot — Lula Oficial, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/20.05.2025_-_Cerim%C3%B4nia_de_Entrega_da_Ordem_do_M%C3%A9rito_Cultural_%2854533334847%29.jpg/1280px-20.05.2025_-_Cerim%C3%B4nia_de_Entrega_da_Ordem_do_M%C3%A9rito_Cultural_%2854533334847%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![20.05.2025 - Presidente da República, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, durante a cerimônia de Entrega da Ordem do Mérito Cultural, no Palácio Gustavo Capanema. Rio de](https://film.one/media/person/87927/gallery-3086c63fb971.jpg) 20.05.2025 - Presidente da República, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, durante a cerimônia de Entrega da Ordem do Mérito Cultural, no Palácio Gustavo Capanema. Rio de — Lula Oficial, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/20.05.2025_-_Cerim%C3%B4nia_de_Entrega_da_Ordem_do_M%C3%A9rito_Cultural_%2854533335012%29.jpg/1280px-20.05.2025_-_Cerim%C3%B4nia_de_Entrega_da_Ordem_do_M%C3%A9rito_Cultural_%2854533335012%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Other awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- European Film Award for Best Non-European Film 2004: European Film Award for Best Non-European Film (nominated), for *The Motorcycle Diaries*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/walter-salles