Joao Ribeiro was born in 1962 in Mozambique, where his fascination with photography and cinema began to take shape early in his life.
When he was invited to work at the National Cinema Institute (INC) in 1997, he left behind a career as a teacher to pursue his passion for film. Over the years, he has made his way through various roles within the industry, from distribution and exhibition to film archive and production.
In 1990, Joao left his position as INC's Production Coordinator to study in Cuba, specializing in Film and TV Direction and Production at the prestigious International Cinema and Television School (EICTV). His instructors included renowned filmmakers and literary figures, such as Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marques, Ronda Heynes, Orlando Senna, and Santiago Gutierrez Alea.
From 1992, Joao directed three short films, "Fogata", "O Olhar das Estrelas" (Gaze of the Stars),and "Tatana", all based on original stories by Mozambican writer Mia Couto. He has also produced and co-produced various projects with collaborators from around the world, including films like "Ali", "The Interpreter", and "Blood Diamond".
Joao is a founding member of AMOCINE (Mozambican Association of Film-Makers) and SACOD (Southern African Communications for Development),and has also joined INCD (International Network for Cultural Diversity),FAR (Filmmakers Against Racism),and other organizations. He has participated in numerous workshops and conferences, promoting Mozambican and African cinema.
From 2001 to 2015, Joao worked on various TV channels, including TVM (Televisao de Mocambique),where he served as Head of Production, and STV, where he was Production and Technical Director. He was also a Board Member for SOICO, one of Mozambique's largest media groups. Joao later became General Manager for TIM, Televisão Independente de Moçambique.
From 2026 to 2020, he worked at STARTIMES Mozambique as COO and later at Multichoice Moçambique as Operations Head and Cx & Care. Back to TV, João is currently the Head of Channel for Maningue Magic (Mozambique) and Kwenda Magic (Angola) at M-Net.
