Singapore

A dreamer with wings. I am a photographer and cinematographer from Brazil, working across many segments of the visual arts — feature films, documentaries, books, and fine art. Fifteen months ago, I was invited to join and direct a global travel TV show. Since then, I have traveled through more than twenty countries, discovering the world through a lens that continues to expand my sense of wonder.

One of the requirements to enter the show, beyond my photographic background, was the ability to pilot a drone. I had never flown one in my life. I left the meeting, devoured everything I could read, borrowed the show’s drone, and began practicing on my own — just one week before my first assignment in the Amazon. It was love at first flight.

This small machine opened a universe of possibilities. My academic experience in geography gave me a natural familiarity with aerial views, and my passion for cinema revealed how powerfully a drone could function as a dolly, a crane, or an entirely new way of painting with movement and light. It became a powerful tool to express my own way of seeing the world.

Last year, after a 35-day shoot through Asia, my crew and I ended the journey with a week in Singapore. Once immersed in that spectacular city — its urban design, futuristic buildings, and surreal modern aesthetic — I felt as if I had stepped into a science-fiction film. Balancing the show's tight schedule with my personal desire to capture my artistic vision is always difficult, but whenever I find a window of freedom, I take it.

For two days of intense filming, I split from the crew during that fleeting magic hour, when the light turns everything into poetry. With my friend Patricia Pedroso, the show’s executive producer, and a determined driver, we raced through the city searching for a safe and legal spot to fly. Anyone who has flown a drone over a major city knows the challenges — regulations, crowds, wind, visibility — all the factors that must align to achieve beauty with responsibility.

We found the perfect place just in time. As the colors deepened and the city illuminated itself, I launched the drone and felt as if I were floating above an alien civilization. For a moment, as I was also flying, I nearly lost my breath.

That experience became unforgettable — and this nomination makes it even more meaningful.