Mickey Fonseca

{{short description|Mozambican director and producer}} {{Cleanup|reason=sources do not support claims|date=October 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = Mickey Fonseca | other_names = | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = | birth_name = Mickey Fonseca | birth_place = Maputo, Mozambique | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates =  | alma_mater = | education = | height = | years_active = 2005–present | known_for = | spouse = | children = | awards = | father = | mother = | relatives = | signature = | website = | footnotes = | occupation = Filmakeer, writer, producer }}

'''Mickey Fonseca''', is a Mozambican filmmaker, writer and producer.<ref name="bio">{{Cite web |title=Mickey Fonseca bio |url=https://shortcutznetwork.com/mickey-fonseca/ |access-date=2021-10-13 |language=en-US}}</ref> He is best known for directing the 2009 short film ''Mahla'' and 2019 crime thriller film ''Resgate''. He is the founder of film production company Mahla Filmes.<ref name="Redemption">{{Cite web |date=2019-09-15 |title=Mickey Fonseca - Redemption |url=https://www.filmfestzell.at/de/film/mickey-fonseca-redemption/ |access-date=2021-10-13 |website=Film Fest Zell |language=de-DE}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=October 2021}}

==Personal life== Fonseca was born and raised in Maputo, Mozambique.<ref name="Redemption" /> At the age of 12, his passion towards cinema grew where he wrote letters to renowned filmmaker Steven Spielberg as well.<ref name="bio" />

==Career== In his mid-twenties, Fonseca moved to Cape Town, South Africa and worked as a runner for Monkey Films. In 2006, he founded the film production company "Mahla Filmes" which is established in Maputo. Then for six years, the company shot commercials only.<ref name="Alum">{{Cite web |date=2020-07-24 |title=New York Film Academy Alum Mickey Fonseca's Sells Award-Winning Film 'Resgate' to Netflix |url=https://www.nyfa.edu/film-school-blog/new-york-film-academy-alum-mickey-fonsecas-sells-award-winning-film-resgate-to-netflix/ |access-date=2021-10-13 |website=New York Film Academy Blog |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2011, Fonseca attended 8-Week Screenwriting program at the New York Film Academy.<ref name="Alum" /> Through the program, he was able to meet many Hollywood filmmakers and technical crew where Fonseca worked with them as the location manager and assistant manager in Africa for the blockbuster movies ''Diana'' and ''Blood Diamond''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mickey Fonseca |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2bd958cf88 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727234510/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2bd958cf88 |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 July 2020 |access-date=2021-10-13 |website=BFI |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Mickey">{{Cite web |title=Mickey Fonseca |url=https://www.nyfa.edu/nyfa-news/alumni/mickey-fonseca/ |access-date=2021-10-13 |website=Alumni - New York Film Academy |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2009, he made his film debut by directing the short ''Traidos pela traição''. Then he directed the short ''Mahla'' in the same year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Milano-Firenze |first=Mo-Net s r l |title=Mahla (2009) |url=http://www.mymovies.it/film/2009/mahla/ |access-date=2021-10-13 |website=mymovies.it}}</ref> The film became a turning point in his career, where the film received positive critics acclaim and nominated for best short at many film competitions: AMAA (Nigeria), TARIFA (Spain), Aguilar del Campoo (Spain), Festival Du Film D'Afrique et des Iles (Reunion Island) and XXX Festival Cinema Africano. (Verona, Italy).<ref>{{Cite web |title=MAHLA |url=https://netkanema.co.mz//programs/mahlamp4-3fbe70 |access-date=2021-10-13 |language=en}}</ref>

After that success, he later produced two more short films under the banner of Mahla Filmes: ''The Letter'' and ''The Dowry'' and directed his third short ''Poisoned Love'', all in the 2010. In 2018, he wrote, produced and directed his maiden feature film ''Resgate''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=FilmCourage.com |date=2016-08-19 |title=Mozambican Filmmakers Ask For World Support To Make First Feature Film — RESGATE |url=https://medium.com/film-courage/mozambican-filmmakers-ask-for-world-support-to-make-first-feature-film-resgate-df54fc1e5399 |access-date=2021-10-13 |website=Film Courage |language=en}}</ref> At the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), the film won the Best Screenplay Award and Best Production Design as well as nominated for two other awards: Best Film and Best Director. Then at the Film Fest Zell, he won the Courageous Film Award for directing the film. In the same year, he was again nominated for the Young Talent Award for Best Feature Film at the Hamburg Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mickey Fonseca accolades |url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2644670/awards |access-date=2021-10-13 |website=IMDb}}</ref> In 2020, the film became the first film from Lusophone: Portuguese-speaking Africa screened on Netflix.<ref name="Alum" />

==Filmography==

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Role !! Genre !! Ref. |- | 2006 || ''Blood Diamond'' || Third assistant director|| Film|| |- | 2009 || ''Traidos pela traição'' || Director, producer || Short film|| |- | 2009 || ''Mahla'' || Director, producer, Writer || Short film|| |- | 2009 || ''The Philanthropist'' ||Assistant production manager|| TV series|| |- | 2010 || ''The Letter'' || Producer || Short film|| |- | 2010 || ''The Dowry'' || Producer || Short film|| |- | 2010 || ''Poisoned Love'' || Director, producer, Writer || Short film|| |- | 2010 || ''Dina'' || Director, producer, Writer || Short film|| |- | 2012 || ''Sean Banan inuti Seanfrika'' || Producer || Film|| |- | 2013 || ''Diana'' || Location manager || Film|| |- | 2019 || ''Resgate'' || Director, producer, Writer, Art director || Film|| |- | 2019 || ''Mbuzini Memorial'' || Producer || Documentary short|| |- | 2020 || ''Dear...'' || Production supervisor, Art director|| TV series documentary|| |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name|2644670}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fonseca, Mickey}} Category:Living people Category:Mozambican film directors Category:Year of birth missing (living people)