Grandson of the Mexican painter/activist Zaira O’Farill Cesar and the diamond miner Ordácio Bota, who worked with the natives, Bota grew up in Brazil during the steal-fist dictatorship and studied at Colégio Dante Alighieri in São Paulo Paulo.
Living on his own, Bota finished high school at the Miami Beach Senior High School and started to work in visual arts In 1994, Bota started to experiment with filmmaking and briefly studied film at Tisch School of the Arts.
In 1985, Bota moved to Rio de Janeiro with his family. There, he befriended Renzo Gracie, who later became the subject and co-producer of his documentary film. In 1990, 17 year old Bota moved alone to United States.
"Painting has always been part of my life.
I was painting, photographing, drawing and playing music, when I realized that all my work and experiences could come together in a film format." Bota"s short film “Freeman” was co-produced by Fernando Meirelles" O2 Filmes, the markers of City of God and The Constant Gardener, Freeman was a selection of several film festivals including the Brussels Film Festival, Palm Springs International Film Festival, Montreal Film Festival, Festival de Brasília, Belo Horizonte Film Festival, São Paulo International Film Festival and Festival do Rio. His music video "Call My Name" was nominated in the Music Television Video Music Brazil Awards and this led to more work directing with Sony | BMG. Such as Wanessa Camargo - Amor Amor, Medulla - Munição na Mamadeira and Forro in the Dark - Nonsensical.
Bota wrote, produced and directed the documentary The Gracies and the Birth of Vale Tudo about the legendary family and the remarkable creation and expansion of Ultimate Fighting Championship around the world. The music was by Mauro Refosco, Forro in the Dark and Ilhan Ersahin and others from Nublu Records.
The Gracies and the Birth of Vale Tudo was in a selection of the São Paulo International Film Festival and Festival do Rio.
