Rafael Lobo

Known for

Directing

Born

January 13, 1985

Birthplace

Brasília

Rafael Lobo is a filmmaker, editor, and producer with a degree in Audiovisual Studies and a Master's in Communication from the University of Brasília (UnB), where his dissertation explored the intersections between philosophy and horror through the concept of a “Horror Worldview,” focusing on the work of David Cronenberg. He began his career with the award-winning short film Confinado (2010), and in 2011 co-founded Espaço Laje, an artistic collective in Brasília. In 2013, he directed Palhaços Tristes, further consolidating his relationship with horror cinema. Lobo continued to approach the genre through a philosophical lens in Bartleby (2016), inspired by the work of Herman Melville. At the same time, he co-directed the documentary Luis Humberto: O Olhar Possível with Mariana Costa, exploring the life and legacy of photographer Luis Humberto through themes of memory and image-making. More recently, Lobo directed the short film Xarpi (2024), which blends fantasy, horror, and Brasília’s pixação culture, premiering at festivals and receiving multiple awards. His first feature film, Mapas, co-written with Lucas Gehre, is set to premiere at the 30th Cine PE. The film revisits historical and urban memories of Brasília, including the submersion of Vila Amaury beneath Lake Paranoá, through a horror-inflected perspective that interrogates the city’s modernist identity. As an editor, Lobo worked on the feature films O Espaço Infinito (2023) and Repartição do Tempo (2016), winning the Best Editing award for the latter at the 49th Festival de Brasília do Cinema Brasileiro. A partner at Levante Filmes, he continues to develop projects that merge horror, philosophy, memory, and Brazilian cultural identity across film and transmedia formats.