João Canijo (born 10 December, 1957; Porto) is a Portuguese filmmaker. His film Get a Life was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. His 2011 film Blood of My Blood was selected as the Portuguese entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist. His 2023 film Bad Living won the Silver Bear Jury Prize at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival. Before his directorial debut, Canijo worked as assistant director for Wim Wenders in The State of Things (1982) and for Werner Schroeter in Der Rosenkönig (1986).
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Biography from TMDB.
- December 10, 1957
- January 29, 2026 (aged 68)
- Porto, Portugal
- Director, writer, actor and producer
- 6 on MovieCove · 48 credits in all
What are João Canijo's films like?
Across a limited sample of 4 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 0 · Earnest 4
A split, not a type: Light 1 · Serious 1 · Dark 2
Grounded 4 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 0
A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 0 · Intense 1
Steady 4 · Shifting 0 · Whiplash 0
Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 0
Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 0 · Relentless 0
Casual 1 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 1
A split, not a type: Easy watch 2 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 1
Resolved 1 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch João Canijo's films?
As of October 24, 2026, none of João Canijo's 6 MovieCove titles is streaming on a subscription or free service.
Subscription and free streaming for João Canijo's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted.
Filmography
48 credits, 6 with a MovieCove page.
Hotel do Rio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
O Pomar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
Bad Living(2023)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Living Bad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
Fojos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)
Diary of Beiras (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
Caminhos da Alma - Fátima (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
Fátima (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
Guia de Portugal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
The Day of My Wedding (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Los Barcos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Portugal: One Day at a Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
Here in Lisbon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
That's Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)
Raul Brandão was a Great Writer... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Obligation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Blood of My Blood(2011)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
The Actor's Work (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
Lusitania Illusion(2010)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Misbegotten (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Mãe Há Só Uma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
In the Darkness of the Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Fugas.pt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
A Audição (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Get a Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Tarde Demais (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Black Shoes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
Sai da Minha Vida (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
The Convent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Cluedo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Lisbon Story(1994)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Blind Man's Bluff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Crystal Book (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Alentejo Sem Lei (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Lovely Child (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Step by Step (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Crimes do Coração (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Three Less Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
The Mountains of the Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
The Rose King (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
The Satin Slipper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
No One Twice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Half in Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
In the White City(1983)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
The State of Things(1982)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all filmsFim de Estação (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
As Ucranianas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Encenação (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
A full career of 48 titles, 46 of them dated from 1982 to 2024.
Biggest box office
Bad Living (2023)
Highest rated
Blood of My Blood (2011)
Most popular right now
Lisbon Story (1994)
Film career
- 1994Screen debut· Lisbon Story
How do João Canijo's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 85th percentile, the median of all 6; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 85th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up5
- 50th to 74th1
Shape of the crowd
6 of their 6 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Crowd Pleaser6
Reviewers score the atmosphere 86/100 in their films, across 3 reviewed titles; fans 88, detractors 65. The element that speaks to their work as a director.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Who does João Canijo work with?
People who share at least 2 of João Canijo's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; João Braz shares the most, 3.
Actors
- Anabela MoreiraShared titles: Bad Living (2023), Blood of My Blood (2011)See all 2 shared titles with Anabela Moreira
- Beatriz BatardaShared titles: Bad Living (2023), Blood of My Blood (2011)See all 2 shared titles with Beatriz Batarda
- Cleia AlmeidaShared titles: Bad Living (2023), Blood of My Blood (2011)See all 2 shared titles with Cleia Almeida
- Nuno LopesShared titles: Bad Living (2023), Blood of My Blood (2011)See all 2 shared titles with Nuno Lopes
Editors
- João BrazShared titles: Bad Living (2023), Blood of My Blood (2011), Lusitania Illusion (2010)See all 3 shared titles with João Braz
Producers
- Pedro BorgesShared titles: Bad Living (2023), Blood of My Blood (2011)See all 2 shared titles with Pedro Borges