Cinema with Urgency

Cinema as a quest - immersive and visceral, challenging our imagination.

Cinema as a portal to another world.

A fiercely independent film company committed to artistic integrity and diversity, Maverick Motion works with distinctive voices - from emerging talent to Oscar® winners - and has created ground-breaking, critically acclaimed films in a synthesis of art forms.

DIRECTORS

ANDRE SEMENZA

FERNANDA LIPPI

Andre Semenza is an award-winning filmmaker, editor, sound designer, and dramaturg whose work spans narrative cinema, experimental film, physical theatre, and multimedia performance. His practice is characterized by a sustained engagement with cross-disciplinary forms, synthesizing elements of dance, poetry, and avant-garde theatre into a distinctive cinematic language. Andre's films have garnered international recognition for their formal innovation, including Ashes of God, regarded as the first theatrically released contemporary dance feature film, and Sea without Shore, a visually arresting meditation on memory and loss set in 19th-century Scandinavia. His experimental short Turning to Birds: All Gone, part of an ongoing climate-fiction series created with Fernanda Lippi, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, while the LGBTQ+ themed Lily of the Valley, produced and sound-designed by Andre accrued multiple festival awards. As founder of Maverick Motion and co-director of Zikzira Physical Theatre, Semenza has developed a body of work that interrogates the boundaries between movement and narrative, earning him a reputation as a filmmaker who consistently expands the possibilities of cinematic expression.

Fernanda Lippi is an award-winning choreographer, actor, and movement director, renowned for her interdisciplinary work spanning film, theatre, and site-specific performances. As the founder of Zikzira Physical Theatre and Zikzira Action Space, she has created critically acclaimed productions staged at prestigious venues worldwide, including the Barbican, Tate Modern, and Hebbel am Ufer (Berlin). A Trinity Laban alumna and ISPA fellowship recipient, Lippi has collaborated with luminaries like Pina Bausch and Wayne McGregor, and her choreography for feature films As Cinzas de Deus and Sea Without Shore —co-directed with André Semenza—pioneered the dance feature film genre. Her work extends to television (Sky Arts' Kama Sutra) and award-winning stage productions (Outro em Si,), while her recent collaborations with Andre, such as the AI-driven climate-fiction short film series Turning to Birds continue to push artistic boundaries. As a Meisner-trained actress Fernanda performed in Perfect Gift, a play devised and directed by Tom Radcliffe at Playhouse East; Fernanda also plays the lead role in Gary Grant’s LGBTQ+ short film Lily of the Valley , winner of 24 international film festival awards.

MAVERICK MOTION BRASIL

PEDRO OLIVOTTO

Pedro Olivotto is one of the most prominent figures in film exhibition, curation, and cultural promotion in Brazil. With a career defined by innovative projects and an unwavering dedication to cinema, he has established himself as a key advocate for both Brazilian and international film. His work in the audiovisual sector began in the 1980s with projects such as "Imagens Étnicas" (1980–1989) and "Imagens Cultura Étnica Amazônica" (1988–1992), which explored the intersection of cinema and cultural diversity. Over the following decades, Pedro became a leading curator and cultural manager, organizing film showcases and festivals that enriched Brazil’s cinematic landscape. Among his most notable initiatives are "Fotograma" (2001–2008) and "Cultura Escola" (2001–2008), which brought cinema to new audiences. In 2008, he founded and directed the 1st National School for Cinema Technicians, demonstrating his commitment to professionalizing the industry.As a curator, Pedro Olivotto was responsible for landmark film series, including the "Japanese Film Showcase" (2008), the "French Comedy Film Showcase" (2007), and the "Polish Film Showcase" (2005). He also served as a jury member for film selections at institutions such as ANCINE, BNDES, and Petrobras, and participated in discussions at major festivals, including the 40th Brasília Film Festival, where he debated "The Future of Cinema." His role as co-owner of cultural venues like Espaço Unibanco Dragão do Mar (Fortaleza) and Cinemas Liberdade solidified his legacy in film exhibition. Additionally, he directed initiatives such as "Cinema no Horizonte" (1994–1999), which held around 800 open-air screenings in public squares, making cinema more accessible. In recent years, Pedro has continued to shape Brazil’s cultural scene through curatorial projects like "Artistas D'um Brasil" (2017–2019) and "Amadeo Luciano Lorenzato" (2019–2020), as well as the exhibition "Arte Brasileira do Sertão" (2018). With a career dedicated to celebrating cinema and the arts, Pedro Olivotto remains a vital figure in Brazil’s audiovisual culture, bridging curation, management, and a deep appreciation for artistic diversity. Pedro represents Maverick Motion’s sister company, Maverick Motion Brasil Ltda.