Simão Cayatte

Simão Cayatte is a filmmaker from Lisbon with Portuguese and Finnish background. He studied theatre at Goldsmiths, University of London, and holds an MFA in Film from Columbia University, New York. His background in acting strongly informs his approach to filmmaking, having worked with directors including Carlos Marcet, Cristèle Meira and Werner Schroeter. His short films include A Viagem, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival’s Cinéfondation, and Menina, winner of the Portuguese Academy Award and selected by the César Academy for Les Nuits en Or. His feature debut, Vadio, was developed through Less is More in 2017, premiered at the Lisbon Film Festival, and screened at international festivals including Mostra de São Paulo and the Oslo Film Festival, going on to receive awards at several international festivals. He directed the television series Vanda, selected for Berlinale Series Selects, co-produced by Legendary Pictures, and distributed internationally by Canal+ and Lionsgate. His latest film, The Boatman, premieres at the Warsaw Film Festival in 2026. Alongside his filmmaking, Simão works internationally as a script consultant and mentor through film development labs including Less is More/Le Groupe Ouest.