Comenzó su carrera cinematográfica como asistente de producción, directora de producción y productora ejecutiva en diversos videos y cortometrajes. En 1986 realiza su primer cortometraje, un documental cuya dirección compartió con Francisco Cesar Filho. A partir de entonces pasa a trabajar como asistente de dirección de filmes publicitarios de los cuales realiza casi un centenar, exhibidos en Brasil y en Europa.También se desempeña como guionista en un cortometraje documental que realiza con Jean-Claude Bernardet sobre la vanguardia artística brasileña.
En 1996, debuta en la dirección con el filme Un cielo de estrellas, una cinta multipremiada en diversos Festivales de América Latina, a la que le sigue el filme A través de la ventana, del 2000. Antônia (2006) fue seleccionada por Toronto y sirvió de inspiración a una exitosa serie de TV. Hoje (2011) fue premiada en el festival de Brasilia.
Sobre el estilo que desarrolla, afirman los investigadores Joel del Río y María Caridad Cumaná en su libro Latitudes del margen, el cine latinoamericano ante el tercer milenio, "La mujer aprisionada en una red de violencias físicas, sicológicas y sexuales, combinadas con prejuicios, marginalismo y limitaciones morales o materiales, representa la brasileña Tata Amaral en las desesperadas Un cielo de estrellas (1996) y A través de la ventana (2000), la primera sobre una joven que aspira a liberarse de tales opresiones, en tragedia contada con trepidantes ritmo y fotografía, deudores de la publicidad televisiva y sobre todo de los reality shows. La segunda, truculenta y semincestuosa crónica del desaforado amor maternal, visto en su costado menos favorecedor. Desde el thriller urbano o a partir del melodrama cargado de aciagos tintes, Tata Amaral demostró nervio y tacto para describir dos variantes de la feminidad, (la joven víctima de la posesividad y la intimidación, y la mujer mayor, en apariencia dueña de su destino pero igualmente poseída por el afán de control) en un tipo de cine muy moderno, atento a considerar la crudeza de las situaciones, el eficaz manejo del suspense y el trepidante sentido del ritmo".
Tata Amaral ( 1960-) was born in São Paulo, Brazil. She began his film career as assistant producer, production director and executive producer of different videos and short films. In 1986 directed her first short film, a documentary co directed with Francisco Cesar Filho. From this moment on she began to work as assistant director of commercials, of which she directed almost a hundred, shown in Brazil and Europe. She also worked as screenwriter of a documentary short film directed with Jean-Claude Bernardet abou the Brazilian artistic avant-garde. Tata has directed more than ten short films, including the prestigious Viver a Vida (1991).
She is one of the most awarded Brazilian filmmakers. Her first feature film, Um Céu de Estrelas (1996), was elected by critics as one of the three most important national films in the 90's, and won 18 awards in Brazil, United States, Italy, Cuba and France, including Best Film at the Boston and Trieste film festivals. Através da Janela (2000), her next movie, won ten different awards in Brazil and abroad.
Antonia, closing the trilogy, was developed over a five year period in a research process that resulted in the short films Juke Box (2002) and Vila Ipojuca (2003) and the documentary VinteDez (2001), all revolving around the life of the youngsters on the outskirts of São Paulo.
About the style of this filmmaker the Cuban researchers Joel del Río and María Caridad Cumaná have stated in their book Latitudes del margen, el cine latinoamericano ante el tercer milenio: "women trapped on a net of physical, psychological and sexual violence that join prejudices, marginalization and moral or material limitations, are represented by the Brazilian Tata Amaral in the desperate films Um Céu de Estrelas (1996) and Através da Janela (2000). The first one about a young woman that hopes to get free from oppressions, a furiously pace tragedy with a photography influenced by television commercials and the reality shows. The second film is a gruesome and semi incestuous chronicle of the passionate maternal love, seen through its less favorable angle. Using the urban thriller or based on the melodrama, which are reinforced with tragic hues, Tata Amaral showed control and skill to describe two variants of femininity (the young victim of possessiveness and intimidation, and the old woman, apparently owner of her destiny, but also driven by her eagerness of control) in a very modern kind of cinema, prompt to considered the crude facts of the situations and with a sense of furious pace.”
“Nuestro objetivo final es nada menos que lograr la integración del cine latinoamericano.
Así de simple, y así de desmesurado”.
