Daniel Donato

Brazil
/FILM/

Daniel is a cinematographer and director. He did his film education in Brazil, and his master's degree in cinematography at the Film Academy in Amsterdam. The themes of body, migration, gender and queer identity are central to Daniel's work and research. These themes are reflected in his collaborative project with Agnes Geneva.

His latest film, "Hello my first love, over and out", premiered during the 39th edition of the Visions du Réel film festival. His work as a cinematographer has been screened at the Locarno Film Festival, Sheffield Doc/Fest, DOK Leipzig, Netherlands Film Festival, Helsinki International Film Festival and Uppsala International Short Film Festival, among others. Daniel is currently developing his first feature film. By rediscovering the memories and life experiences of its main character, they create new stories in a mix between fiction, musical and real life.

PRESENTING

“Discovering Agnes or Searching for Agnes”

In this exhibition, we enter a journey that started in 2015 when I first met Agnes at Lellebel, a drag queen bar in Amsterdam. I was fascinated by her and I instantly knew I wanted to be her friend. Our collaboration documents Agnes’ transition into a transgender woman, the evolution of our friendship, and the search for my style and language as a director.

Two factors are fundamental: having a ‘real’ character (focusing on a biographical characterization) and using a methodology that comes out of practice (research by making). From my character’s experiences, I create fictional situations inspired by real life. We play a game in which we fictionally rewrite parts of their history. Working within a space between fiction and life, we create a place where they can play different versions of themselves, relive critical situations, and create a different reality in which past events can be changed.


Stimulating and facilitating top talent with affordable living and working space, a budget, and a network – that is the goal of the 3Package Deal. This successful program of the Amsterdam Fund of the Arts (AFK) and Bureau Broedplaatsen in collaboration with renowned Amsterdam institutions is now regarded as the best practice in the field of talent development.



The Amsterdam Fund for the Arts (AFK) invests in the arts which enrich the experience of life in the city of Amsterdam. The AFK encourages the quality, dynamism and diversity of the arts in Amsterdam, and contributes to the city's strong and richly varied cultural climate. The fund is available to all disciplines within the cultural sector, for cultural organizations and artists. The AFK supports both experimentation and proven quality, established organizations and those that are relatively new, the professional arts and amateur arts - from every district of the city. As a metropolitan cultural fund, the AFK offers support to high-quality cultural activities, it functions as a booster for the arts within the city and is an investor in a sustainable future for the cultural sector.



Bureau Broedplaatsen is part of the municipality of Amsterdam. Its task is to realize more affordable studios and (residential) workspaces for artists and incubator groups. Bureau Broedplaatsen does this in collaboration with target group organisations, city districts, central services, corporations, real estate agents, developers, and banks.

We thank our partners, the renowned Amsterdam cultural institutions listed below who take part in the 15 coalitions that select the participating artists and provide them with guidance and a supportive network. They are of vital importance to the program.

Film and Interactive Media: Filmacademie / IDFA / EYE / Fashion: HTNK / OSCAM / AMFI Visual Art: FOAM / Rietveld Academie / De Appel Arts Centre / Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam / Kunstverein / Rijksakademie / Engaged Art: Veem House of Performance / De Balie / De Ateliers / Urban Realm: NDSM-Werf / Over het IJ Festival / Das Arts (AHK) / Theatre: Academie voor Theater en Dans/ Amerpodia / Theater Bellevue / Dance: ICK Artist Space / Frascati Theater / AHK / SNDO (AHK Dans) / Music: Conservatorium Amsterdam / Muziekgebouw aan het IJ / Melkweg / Cabaret: Academie voor Theater en Dans / De Kleine Komedie / Amsterdams Kleinkunst Festival / Interhistoricity: Oude Kerk / Museum van Loon / H401 / Reinwardt Academie / Publishing Performance: Werkplaats Typografie (ArtEz) / If I Can’t Dance / Sandberg Instituut – Critical Studies / Social Design: Waag / Hackers&Designers / Framer Framed / Self-taught: Likeminds / Theater Bellevue / Theater De Meervaart / Bio Art and Design: Waag / Mediamatic/ VU Amsterdam

Event credits:

Curated by Bogomir Doringer.
Event production by Rafael Kozdron.
Felix Meritis production by Rivka van der Berg.
Press contact: Charlie Thole (AFK.
Project leaders: Johanna Brils (AFK) and Naïma Bouchtaoui (Bureau Broedplaatsen).