The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), the organization behind the Oscars, has officially invited Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes to join its ranks in 2025, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to film.
This invitation was part of the Academy’s 2025 class, which welcomed 534 new members from around the world. Gomes, celebrated for his distinct cinematic voice and international acclaim, joins a growing number of non-American filmmakers recognized for their contribution to global cinema.
His inclusion underscores the Academy’s ongoing efforts to diversify its membership and embrace more international perspectives. With this honor, Gomes rose to prominence with films such as Tabu (2012) and Arabian Nights (2015), which earned critical praise at major festivals including Berlin and Cannes.
His latest film, Grand Tour (2024), won him the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival and was selected as Portugal’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2025 Academy Awards.
Known for blending realism with poetic and often political storytelling, Gomes has become one of the most influential figures in contemporary Portuguese cinema.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a prestigious professional honorary organization best known for annually presenting the Oscars, officially called the Academy Awards. Founded in 1927 in Los Angeles, the Academy has over 10,000 members across 17 branches representing different crafts within the film industry, including directors, writers, actors, cinematographers, and international filmmakers. The Academy plays a central role in shaping both the artistic and professional standards of global cinema.
PAJ/Staff
Film Awards
Miguel Gomes, one of Portugal’s most acclaimed contemporary filmmakers, has earned numerous international film awards over the course of his career, cementing his reputation as a visionary auteur. His breakthrough film Tabu (2012) won the Alfred Bauer Prize for artistic innovation and the FIPRESCI Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival, and went on to receive several other international and Portuguese honors.
His 2015 trilogy Arabian Nights premiered at Cannes to widespread acclaim, and The Desolate One, the second volume, was Portugal’s submission for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2016 Oscars.
Most recently, Gomes won the Best Director award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival for Grand Tour, a poetic and visually stunning exploration of love and colonial memory. The film also earned him the Silver Hugo for Best Director at the Chicago International Film Festival and was Portugal’s official submission for the 2025 Academy Awards.
These achievements reflect Gomes’s steady ascent as a leading voice in global cinema, known for blending realism, fantasy, and political commentary in original and daring ways. These honors reflect his evolving artistry, from festival darling to internationally acclaimed director, drawing recognition in Berlin, Cannes, Chicago, and strong support in Portugal.
