Da Costa is a Portuguese director and screenwriter. He first started to work in film as an assistant director to Fernando Lopes on his film Uma Abelha na Chuva (1972), António-Pedro Vasconcelos on his film O Lugar do Morto (1984), José Fonseca e Costa on his film Balada da Praia dos Cães (1987) and many others. His directing debut was the TV series Os melhores Anos (1990). Throughout his career he continued to direct mostly for television as well as two features so far: the drama Adeus Princesa (1992) and The Mystery of Sintra (O mistério da Estrada de Sintra, 2007).