Joaquim Sapinho (born 1965 at Sabugal, Portugal) is a Portuguese film director. Founder of production company Rosa Filmes, he is considered to be part of The School of Reis film family.
He started as a documentarist for television, before directing his first feature. In 1995, with his first picture, Haircut, he gave us a rare glimpse of the Portuguese youth of the 90's, being nominated for the Golden Leopard at the Locarno Film Festival.
Working also as a producer and screenwriter, Sapinho is the founder and owner of the independent production company Rosa Filmes, which brought to light other directors as João Pedro Rodrigues and Manuela Viegas.
In 1999, the film Gloria, written by him and the director Manuela Viegas, was in competition at the Berlinale.
In 2003, Sapinho released The Policewoman, his second feature, a story of a mother and her son based on the idea that in the modern times some women might no longer remember what it means to be a mother. It was at the official selection of the Berlin International Film Festival.
In 2005, Sapinho released Bosnia Diaries. Shot in 1996 and 1998, taking almost ten years to complete, it is a cinematic diary documentary about his experiences in Bosnia during and after the Yugoslav Wars. It had ir's world premiere at the Pusan International Film Festival.
2011 – This Side of Resurrection (Portuguese: Deste Lado da Ressurreição). Directed by Joaquim Sapinho
2011 – What's New About Love? (Portuguese: O Que Há De Novo No Amor?). Directed by Mónica Santana Baptista, Hugo Martins, Rui Santos, Tiago Nunes, Hugo Alves and Patrícia Raposo.
