BIO

My name is Maria Gisèle Royo Barrera. I was born in Caracas in 1983.

I studied an MFA in «Media Arts Production» at the City College of New York thanks to a Fulbright scholarship. I also graduated in Media Arts at the University of Seville, and did one year of Film Studies at the London College of Music and Media.

As Co-founder of Jur Jur Productions I have produced and directed several documentaries and TV shows since 2010, as well as online videos and campaigns.

I worked as an editor for Bloomberg News, Atresmedia and Doblediez TV and several independent documentaries.

I got the Film Rome Prize at the Spanish Royal Academy in Rome, in 2017-2018.

My first Fiction Feature Film, On the Go, co-written and co-directed with Julia de Castro, premiered at Cineasti del Presente at the 2023 Locarno Film Festival, and received a Special Mention from the Young Jury, since then it has been in around 50 more festivals and received national and international awards.

My Masters thesis documentary, Rediscovering Pape, was awarded a Student Academy Award (Oscars) and a College Television Award (Emmy) among other international prizes.

My mid-length documentary Education without borders, was premiered at the European Parliament, in a Public Hearing and in Geneva at the First Global Refugee Forum organized by UNHCR. It was my second work documenting the work of ETUCE.

I collaborate in other independent films, like as Art Director for the feature film H. that premiered in La Biennale di Venezia in 2015, was selected in Sundance 2015, Berlinale 2015, and nominated for an Independent Spirit award.

Or as Assistant Editor, Archival Research and additional Camera in The Silence of Others, winner of the Peace and Audience awards in Berlinale 2018, best documentary Goya award in 2019, among others.

I make video for performing arts and video installations. I made the videoart for La Isla, a contemporary opera that won Best Opera and Audience Awards at the YAMawards 2020.

Since 2020 I teach in the B.A. and M.A. Film programs at Catalyst Institute for Creative Arts and Technology, in Berlin.

PORTFOLIO

DIRECTION AND AUDIOVISUAL WORKS

[SEE + PROJECTS]

COLLABORATIONS

[SEE + PARTNERS]

[ FULL CV ]

AWARDS AND FESTIVALS


  • On the Go / Sección Oficial / Premio del Jurado / Cheris-Cheries (París, Francia) (2023)
  • On the Go / Punto de Encuentro / Mención especial Biznaga Arco Iris / SEMINCI (2023)
  • La Isla wins Best Opera and Audience Awards at the YAMawards (2020)
  • Roma Prize. (2017-18)
  • Selected for Propellor / Kickstart, Rotterdam Film Festival (Netherlands). (2017)
  • Sesión de Documentales en Fnac, Seville (Spain). (2016)
  • H. is selected for Sundance 2015, Berlinale 2015, Independent Spirit Award (2015)
  • notodofilmfest.com Selection (2014)
  • Student Academy Award (2010)
  • Emmy (College TV Award) (2010)
  • Citivisions Film Festival Award (2010)
  • CUFF Award (2010)
  • ExtremaDocs Award (2010)
  • Fernando Buesa Foundation Award (2010)
  • Festival de Huesca Selection (2010)
  • One World Festival. (Rumania) Selection (2010)
  • Bombshell Film Festival Award (2009)
  • Seville European Film Festival Selection (2009)
  • Camerimage Selection (2009)
  • Jidhlava East River Market Selection (2009)
  • International Women Film Festival Selection (2009)