LOBO Adds Live-Action Director Paulinho Caruso
LOBO welcomes director Paulinho Caruso to its roster of live-action directors. A well-rounded filmmaker, Paulinho is also a screenwriter, bringing his holistic perspective on great storytelling to the creative studio.
The son of cartoonist Paulo Caruso, the Brazilian director grew up surrounded by comics, cartoons, and animated drawings, where fantastical characters sparred with political commentary. Paulinho similarly blends diverse narrative elements, weaving irony into emotional moments to create compelling tragicomic scenes. His directing career began with music videos, quickly earning him several MTV Music Video Awards and the opportunity to helm commercials, feature films, and television series.
Paulinho directed brand campaigns for Fanta, Snickers, Volkswagen, the NBA, Ipiranga, and the tech company Nomad, lensing a spot starring Will Smith speaking different languages using the platform’s AI capabilities. In addition to his commercial work, Paulinho is a prolific narrative filmmaker, directing several episodes of television for Netflix’s Irmandade (Brotherhood), HBO’s Vale dos Esquecidos (The Forgotten Valley), and the GLOBO mini-series Os Experientes (The Wise Ones). His feature film TOC: Transtornada, Obsessiva e Compulsiva was screened at SXSW. Paulinho’s surreal sci-fi short “Stargoats” perfectly demonstrates his ascerbic comedic sensibilities. True to his roots, Paulinho continues to direct music videos, with highlights including the cinematic “Peace in the Middle of Chaos” by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, featuring the Brazilian rap group RZO.
“Fantastic realism has always captivated me, ever since the comics I read as a child, and LOBO has always been a benchmark for directors,” remarks Paulinho Caruso on signing. “I believe this partnership could allow me to develop the visual effects aspect of my work, leveraging LOBO’s expertise in integrating post-production into earlier stages of development.”
LOBO Managing Director Luis Ribeiro adds, “Paulinho is a razor-sharp storyteller. His insights into the moments that make a scene tick and his genuine excitement for great performances make his films soar. He knows that not every moment is cleanly one thing or another, and that the messiness of emotions colliding is what makes a story read as true to life—we’re excited to bring his unique style to a wider audience.”
