Rasied in France and the USA

Made first documentary film

First feature "A Grande Arte/Exposure"

With Daniela Thomas, co-director "Terra Estrangeira/Foreign Land"; also co-wrote script

Breakthrough feature, "Central Station/Central do Brasil"

With Daniela Thomas, co-wrote and co-directed the short "Midnight/Meia Noite"; exhibited at the Locarno Film Festival; Brazilian contribution to film series "2000 vue ..."

Reteamed with producer Arthur Cohn on "Behind the Sun"

Directed "The Motorcycle Diaries" based on the journals of Che Guevara, leader of the Cuban Revolution, which recounts the adventures that he had while crossing South America by motorcycle in the early 1950s; received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Director