João Wainer began his career in São Paulo’s underground scene, merging documentary photography with politically engaged storytelling. His early years as a photojournalist at Folha de S.Paulo sharpened his eye for Brazil’s social contradictions, which he later channeled into film.

He gained recognition with Pixo, a visceral look at São Paulo's graffiti movement, and Junho, which captured the unrest of Brazil’s 2013 protests. His transition from documentary to fiction culminated in A Jaula, Bandida, the Netflix No. 1, and Anitta’s Funk Rave, the American MTV award-winning music video, expanding his practice into music-driven storytelling with a sharp political edge.

Wainer’s work continues to blur the boundaries between journalism, cinema, and pop culture, crafting a distinctly Brazilian form of political art.