Jose da Costa
Overview
- Ethnicity
- Southeast Asian / Pacific Islander
- Age Range
- 41 - 42
- Height
- 5' 4" (1m 63cm)
- Weight
- 9st. 6lb. (60kg)
- Hair Colour
- Black
- Eye Colour
- Brown
- Build
- Slim
Credits
| Year | Job Title Project Type |
Project Name Director / Company |
Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 |
Leading male actor
Film |
A Guerra da Beatriz Dili FilmWorks |
Education
| Year | Qualification | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Master in Educational Studies | University of New South Wales |
About me
I am a Timorese-born actor and filmmaker, currently based in Australia. I have acted in a two part mini series, Answered by Fire (2006), directed by Jessica Hobbs, also starring David Wenham, set in East Timor at the time of the United Nations-sponsored independence referendum. I played the main support role of violent East Timorese militia leader, Sico Soares.In 2009, I played the role of Timorese guerrilla leader, Sabika in the feature film Balibo, which also starred Anthony LaPaglia and Damon Gameau, directed by Robert Connolly. This film dealt with the killing of five Australian journalists in East Timor by the Indonesian army in October 1975.
In 2013, I played the male lead role of Tomas in the drama, A Guerra da Beatriz (Beatriz’s War), the first feature film produced in independent East Timor (Timor-Leste). The film won the Golden Peacock award for Best Film in the 2013 International Film Festival of India (IFFI), and the Best Script Award in the 2015 Festival Internacional de Cine de Fusagasugá in Colombia.
In addition to these acting roles, I co-founded and managed the Timorese film company Dili FilmWorks. Dili FilmWorks produced a number of short films on life in the new nation of Timor Leste, as well as the country’s first feature film, A Guerra da Beatriz (Beatriz’s War). I directed one of these short films, the six-minute documentary Salvador on a young telephone card seller trying to make a living on the streets of Timor Leste’s capital, Dili. Timor-Leste’s first feature film, A Guerra da Beatriz (Beatriz’s War) which I co-produced looked at the experiences of women during the Indonesian occupation of the country.
I also have experience as a co-writer and co-producer with Australian film animator, Wendy Chandler, with whom I worked to complete a seven-minute documentary animation Jose’s Story. This animated film, based on my life story of growing up in East Timor during Indonesian occupation and then seeking asylum in Australia was released in 2013.
My other film-related work experience in Timor-Leste also includes working as assistant director and sound recordist, as well as catering, location scouting and assisting the artistic department in Timor Leste.
Skills
| Languages Spoken | English, Indonesian, Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Accents/Dialects | Portuguese |
| Dance Styles | Asian dance styles, Ballroom |
| Musical Skills | Guitar, Piano/Keyboards |