Gomes is a Portuguese screenwriter and director. In 1972, he studied film at the Cuban Institute for Art and Cinema. He worked with the director Paulino S. Vieyra in Senegal and afterwards directed two short films Le Reonstruction (1977) and Anos no Oça Lura (1978). He made his feature directing debut with Mortu Nega in 1987, and achieved success at the Venice Film Festival. Afterwards he made Udju Azul di Yonta (The Blue Eyes of Yonta, 1992). Po di Sangui (Tree of Blood, 1996) was shown in the official program at the Cannes Film festival in 1996, while Nha Fala (My Voice, 2002) was shown at the Venice Film festival. He co-directed documentary As Duas Faces da Guerra (2007.). His latest, still unfinished project is feature film La république des enfants (2010.).