Saulo Nicolai 

Visual artist, photographer and filmmaker, born and raised in Morro do Fogueteiro, a favela that was once considered the most dangerous in Rio de Janeiro. He began his artistic journey as a child through Brazilian popular music, joining the group Samba pras Crianças. From music he moved on to photography, studying with photographers from various parts of the world, including Japan, France and England. As a teenager he participated in film workshops, directing his first short film at the age of 17, which received an honorable mention in its premiere at the European Student Film Festival in Switzerland. From then on he worked with filmmakers such as Maria Augusta Ramos, Eryk Rocha, Emilio Domingos and other names in national and international productions. His first big dive into photography, at the age of 18, led him to exhibit in galleries in New York, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. He is currently a member of the photography collective Favelagrafia, winner of two bronze lions in the design and entertainment categories at the 2017 Cannes Lion festival. His work seeks the poetic, subtle and impactful amidst portraits in critical tones of social issues that mainly involve reflections on the population living in favelas and outskirts.​​