Cleo Diára has been selected for a prestigious European program the same year she won the Best Actress award in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival for her role in “O Riso e a Faca” by Pedro Pinho.
The “Shooting Stars” is an initiative that annually promotes the work of ten European cinema actors and actresses, connecting them with industry professionals.
The committee that chose the new talents for 2026 regards “O Riso e a Faca” as Cleo Diára’s international success moment, praising her as a “fierce and feminine” actress with “impressive authenticity,” according to a press release.
Cleo Diára was born in Cape Verde and grew up in Portugal. After receiving her award in May at Cannes, she remarked to public radio Antena 1 that she is “an immigrant in Portugal at a time when immigrants are not welcome.”
A graduate of the Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema, Cleo Diára is a film, television, and theater actress, having debuted over a decade ago. She worked with directors like Mário Coelho, Mónica Calle, and Rogério de Carvalho.
She co-founded the collective Aurora Negra with Isabél Zuaa and Nádia Yracema, creating performances like “Aurora Negra” (2020), “Cosmos” (2022), and “Missão da Missão” (2023).
Before “O Riso e a Faca,” Cleo Diára appeared in productions such as “Diamantino” (2018) by Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel Schmidt, and “Verão Danado” (2017) and “Entroncamento” (2024), both by Pedro Cabeleira. The Portuguese series “Lisbon Noir,” in which she also participates, is yet to premiere.
“Shooting Stars” is organized by the European Film Promotion with support from the European Union’s Creative Europe program and will take place during the 76th Berlin International Film Festival from February 12 to 22.
In past years, “Shooting Stars” introduced talents such as Vicente Wallenstein (2025), Alba Baptista (2021), Afonso Pimentel (2007), Nuno Lopes (2006), Ângelo Torres (2004), Diogo Infante, Ana Moreira (1999), and Beatriz Batarda (1998).
