Edilberto Restino (Restini), DRT – USP – ABFS – BAFTA

Sociologist | Award-Winning Film Director, Actor, and Author

Edilberto Restino is a multi award-winning film director, actor, and sociologist, recognized for his visionary storytelling and social engagement. With 27 international awards, Restino is among the most celebrated directors in both the United Kingdom and Brazil.

A committed vegan since the age of 18, Restino is a passionate advocate for equality and the rights of all sentient beings — themes that deeply influence his films and literary works. At a time when vegetarianism and veganism were virtually unknown in Brazil, he faced skepticism even in the boxing ring, where his coach once warned he would “die in the ring without animal protein.”

As a sociologist, Restino served for 13 years as Director of Communication for the environmental organization Projeto Planeta Verde in São Paulo, and for five years as Vice President of SOS Fauna Brazil, an NGO combating wildlife trafficking and poaching in Brazilian forests. His impactful environmental and social work led to invitations to run for both State Deputy of São Paulo and Member of Parliament in São Paulo city.

In 2009–2010, Restino directed Beijo de Morena (A Brunette Kiss), marking his first collaboration with BAFTA-winning cinematographer Tony Imi, Oscar-winning composer Stephen Warbeck, and producers Rupesh Paresh and Paul E. Brooker. The film garnered widespread acclaim, earning awards including:

• Best Director – Rob Knox Film Festival (2011)

• Best Visual Award – Limelight Film Awards, London (2010)

• Grand Prix, Best Set Design, and Best Performance – EOTP International Film Festival (2011/12)

That same year, Restino and Tony Imi collaborated again on Bridge Over Blue, which won Best Director and Best Actress (Bridie Latona) at the Rob Knox Film Festival.

Restino also served as Director of Photography for the feature film The Scandalous Four, which won two awards at both the California International Film Festival (2011) and the London Independent Film Festival (2011), later being acquired by Netflix.

In 2008, Restino wrote, produced, directed, and shot Red Letter in the UK — a teaser for his feature project Timeless Eye, currently in production in Brazil. Red Letter became the first short film from Brighton Film Studios selected by the British Society of Cinematographers (BSC) to premiere at Pinewood Studios’ “New Cinematographers Night.” The film went on to inspire three American productions and has since earned 19 awards across the UK and USA, including:

• Best Director (three times)

• Best Visual/Cinematography (three times)

• Best Short Film (nine times)

Before his international film career, Restino began as a photographer and actor in theatre and television, later expanding into choreography — where he developed the innovative “Tango Puzzle” method for actors. He also founded and managed both an advertising agency and a casting agency in Brazil for six years, while directing plays and authoring five books.

In the UK, Restino devoted four years to working with adults with learning disabilities in charitable organizations — a two-year sabbatical that evolved into a life-changing experience. In 2018, he joined a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery, volunteering for two years while deepening his practice of meditation and mindfulness.

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Personal Quotes

• “Art is not just a reflection of life — it’s a responsibility to make life more conscious.”

• “Cinema is the bridge between emotion and awareness.”

• “You don’t need to harm others to create beauty — in art or in life.”

• “The camera doesn’t just capture light; it reveals truth.”

• “Veganism taught me that compassion is not a philosophy — it’s a daily practice.”