For 25 years Anna has been inspiring audiences, family and friends to open the gateway to their own potential. Her films and ground-breaking events have transformed the lives of children, women and communities bringing self-empowerment, public attention and progress towards a happier life.
Born in Rio de Janeiro she discovered at early age that her imagination and storytelling abilities were useful to soothe her siblings when the world was shaking. A constant traveler between her parents’ cultures (Brazil and the US), the girl with thick glasses felt compelled to communicate hope where hope had ceased to exist.
She wrote stories, drew comic characters, danced and painted visions of a new world, graduated in Architecture and worked as an Educator through Art, until a clear message arrived through a dream: she was to be a filmmaker!
Super Xuxa against Bad Vibes
She moved to Los Angeles, got a Masters in Film from UCLA together with an invitation to visit Spielberg’s Amblin Production who spotted her thesis When Kids Fly Kites. As no immediate job was offered Anna felt compelled to return to Brazil and write / direct a feature film to inspire kids on how to surpass gloomy events and hold on to inner light.
The chosen star was the media phenomena Xuxa Meneghel and “Super Xuxa against Bad Vibes” became the 3rd largest box office success of 1988 (beating Robocop) with 2.8 million movie goers in Brazil and distribution by Columbia Tri-Star in all Latin America.
Anna wrote the lyrics for the musical fantasy and the soundtrack received a gold record.
On the set of Super Xuxa against Bad Vibes
Her interest in documentaries rose during the United Nations Environmental Conference in Rio in 1992, when her company Crystal Vision produced the music clip “Planeta Agua” and daily reports about the Global Forum, capturing historical moments of Al Gore, the Dalai Lama and leaders who first warned about global warming and urged for an eco-economy. Anna transformed the lives of youth-at-risk with “Slave Ship” and the awarded “Daughters of Zumbi”, voted by the Goethe Institute as one of the strongest voice of INPUT (International Public Television Conference) today used as a tool to raise the self-esteem of kids.
"Mulher em Ação” (Woman in Action)
In her quest to reduce violence in Rio, Anna founded the “Mulher em Ação” (Woman in Action) movement generating 3 years of education/ forum/ shows/ videos & PSAs starred by famous actors including Rodrigo Santoro, Leticia Spiller, Cassia Kiss, Marcelo Serrado and others.
Women from Rio’s favelas were empowered into leadership, and a myriad of supporters embarked in Anna’s vision including the Minister Nilcea Feire, PUC University, Firjan, journalists, opinion-makers and Globo TV.
"Amazons Awake" (Despertar das Amazonas)
Her most recent film "Amazons Awake" (Despertar das Amazonas) will launch a campaign to protect the medicinal plants of the endangered Brazilian flora which are under scientific study and can heal millions from cancer, malaria and many illnesses. Anna was invited by Deepak Chopra to lead the workshop “Awakening Energy through Brazilian Orishas” at the Alliance for a New Humanity Forum together with dancer Lucia Cordeiro Anna’s passion for the rainforest led her to write a non-profit project - the Sustainable Food Basket – to provoke a change in eating habits so that Brazilian biodiversity can be protected. Read more here >>.
The project competed for the Bie-Cosmos Prize and was in exhibit at the Milan Food Expo 2015 in Italy. After years of coaching family and friends with precious tips to restore health and happiness Anna received incentive from Audrey Wells, her best friend from UCLA (writer/director of “Under the Tuscan Sun”) to make accessible the secrets to her joyful energy through a book, and that’s how “Brazilian Secrets for a Joyful Life” was born.
Now readers all over the globe can carry the best of Brazil’s wisdom and lifestyle into their homes.
The book’s tips are unfolding into webinars and unique workshops so joy can become a daily habit in your life.
Anna lives in Los Angeles close to her two very special sons that she is very proud of.
