Elza Cohen

Origin

Brasília de Minas, MG

Years Active

1994–2026

Genres

documentary, photography, cultural production, artistic curation, rap, hip hop

Biography

Elza Cohen is a multifaceted Brazilian artist, recognized for her work in photography, audiovisual arts, documentary filmmaking, cultural production, and artistic curation. Born in Brasília de Minas, in the north of Minas Gerais, Cohen has built a career that moves between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, while maintaining a strong connection to her roots in Minas Gerais. Her work frequently addresses themes such as female strength, peripheral territories, traditional communities, memory, and popular culture, seeking to amplify voices that are often silenced.

Cohen began her professional journey in the music world, working as an event producer and music curator. She was instrumental to the independent scene in Rio de Janeiro, having produced the RioSuperDemo festival and the Zoeira Hip Hop party—an important meeting point for rap in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, which featured artists such as De Leve and MC Marechal. Her work in music was also crucial to the signing of the band Planet Hemp by Sony Music in 1994, alongside Bruno Levinson. This experience in the music industry shaped her artistic vision and led her to explore other mediums.

In recent years, Elza Cohen has dedicated herself intensely to cinema and documentary filmmaking, directing works that portray Brazil's social and cultural realities. Her first feature film, "Em Nome da Terra" (2025), addresses the struggle and resilience of quilombola women from the Vila São João Quilombo in Berizal (MG). The film, in which she took on multiple roles (research, production, direction, screenwriting, and photography), was praised for the sensitivity and strength with which it portrays these protagonists. Cohen also dedicates herself to photography, with works exhibited on platforms such as Saatchi Art, and remains active in cultural production and curation, always with a keen eye on Brazilian narratives.