BIOGRAPHY

Miguel Silveira is a Brazilian-American Screenwriter/Director and Assistant Professor in the School of Communication at Loyola University Chicago. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Miguel studied filmmaking at Columbia College Chicago and later received an M.F.A. in Directing from Columbia University in New York City. He has taught at the International School of Film and Television (EICTV) in Cuba, Columbia College Chicago, Columbia University, School of Creative and Performing Arts, and from his award-winning short films Namibia Brazil, Rooftop Wars, and Devil’s Work to his recent features American Thief (2020) and The Last Election and Other Love Stories (2021), Miguel’s work celebrates topics related to human dignity and development. His projects have received support from the Sloan Foundation, The Director's Guild of America, Cine Qua Non Storylines Lab, the Jerome Foundation, and IFP/The Gotham. 

NARRATIVE WORK

FEATURE FILMS

THE LAST ELECTION AND OTHER LOVE STORIES

Amateur podcaster Khadim Diop sets out to interview strangers on the streets of Times Square for 24 hours on Election Day 2020 and explores the varied beliefs that divide the nation. The Last Election & Other Love Stories is a Documentary, a Podcast, and a Flash Ethnography.

Official Selection of: Warsaw International Film Festival (Poland), Durban International Film Festival (South Africa), Urbanworld, Maine International Film Festival.

SHORT FILMS

Devil's Work

A troubled 14-year-old boy grows increasingly isolated as he obsesses over the circumstances surrounding his father's death. His descent puts him on a dismal and potentially violent course that will lead to major truths and even greater questions.

Proud recipient of The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Short Film Production Grant 2013. 

Proud Winner of the 2014 DGA Student Film Award for Best Latino Student Director.

Semi-Finalist for the 2015 Student Academy Awards. 

Best of Fest Winner of The Tyre International Short Film Festival 2015 (Lebanon). 

Best Short Film Winner of the Rio de Janeiro International Uranium Film Festival 2016 (Brazil). 

Official Selection of The L.A. International Film Festival 2015 (USA)

Official Selection of The New Orleans International Film Festival 2015 (USA) 

Official Selection of The Woodstock Film Festival 2015 (USA)

Official Selection of The Athens Film and Video Festival 2015 (Greece)

Official Selection of The Monterrey International Film Festival 2015 (Mexico)

Official Selection of The 2016 G.I. Film Festival 2016 (USA)

Official Selection of The Berlin International Uranium Film Festival 2016 (Germany). 

Rooftop Wars 

A group of children steal away from their neighborhood street parade to wage a war on a rooftop.

Proud recipient of the IFP Chicago Production Fund Award 2008. 

Winner of Best Film at the San Antonio, Texas CineFestival 2010 (USA).

Official Selection of The HBO Latino New York Film Festival 2010 (USA) 

Official Selection of The Nashville Film Festival 2009 (USA).

Official Selection of The Austin Film Festival 2009 (USA)

Official Selection of Athens Film Festival 2009 (USA)

Official Selection of The Curtas Vila do Conde International Film Festival 2010 (Portugal)  

Official Selection of the Chicago International Latino Film Festival 2009 (USA)

Official Selection of the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival 2009 (USA)

Official Selection of the Capital City Film Festival 2010 (USA)

Official Selection of the Waterfront Film Festival 2010 (USA)

NAMIBIA, BRASIL

Miguel Silveira's Columbia College Chicago Undergraduate Thesis Film, Namibia, Brasil, is an award winning short film that screened at more than 35 film festivals including: The Cannes Film Festival 2007 (France), Odense Film Festival 2006 (Denmark), Chicago International Film Festival 2006 (USA), Chicago Children's Film Festival 2006 (USA), BAM Kids Film Festival 2006 (USA), Encounters Film Festival 2006 (UK), Cambridge Film Festival 2006 (UK), Nashville Film Festival 2006 (USA), Hollyshorts Film Festival 2006 (USA), Cinequest 2006 (USA), Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2007 (USA)

Winner of Best Cinematography at the Euroshorts Film Festival 2006 (Poland), Winner of Best Film at the Waterfront Film Festival 2006 (USA), Winner of Best Film at the Columbia College Big Screen Film Festival 2006 (USA), and Winner of Best Film at the Moondance Film Festival 2006 (USA). 

Namibia, Brasil was acquired for broadcast by ZDF and ARTE and distributed in French and German territories. 

DOCUMENTARY WORK

Rebel Music: Venezuela

The Venezuelan chapter of MTV’s documentary series “Rebel Music”.

I Am a Visitor in your world

For years, a young woman keeps a 'cancer diary'. Her profound insights on life turns her ongoing pain into poetry… A feature length documentary.

Official Selection of the Woodstock Film Festival 2013. (USA)

Winner of Best Feature Documentary at the Athens International Film + Video Festival 2014. (USA)

Official Selection of the Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival 2015. (Greece)

ManBird

A poetic documentary about the folkloric "Pigeon Man" of Chicago's Lincoln Square.

Official selection of The Chicago International Film Festival 2010. (USA) 

FILM EDUCATION