Tragedy in San Francisco: car crashes and kills Portuguese film producer, her husband and one and a half year old son

A Portuguese family was the victim of a tragic accident in the city of San Francisco, California, last Saturday. The accident caused the death of Matilde Ramos Pinto, a 38-year-old executive film producer, her husband, Diego Cardoso Oliveira, 40, and their son, aged one and a half years, while a three-month-old baby is hospitalized in a hospital unit in serious condition and with a poor prognosis.

The father and son were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, at the intersection of Ulloa and Lenox Way streets, in the Mission District, after both were thrown due to the violent collision. Matilde Ramos Pinto was transported to a hospital, ending up unable to resist her injuries.

The collision occurred around noon, when a car traveling in the wrong direction at a speed of between 80 and 110 kilometers per hour, according to witnesses who told CBS, overran the sidewalk, crossed the bus stop where the family was and ended up for crashing into the corner of a nearby building where a library operates.

The SUV class vehicle was driven by a 78-year-old woman, identified as Mary Fong Lau, who was taken to a hospital with minor injuries and detained by authorities the following day, facing charges of negligent homicide in addition to the crime of dangerous driving, driving on the wrong side of the road and driving at excessive speed.

Matilde Ramos Pinto and Diego Cardoso Oliveira, who were celebrating their wedding anniversary, were going to celebrate the date with a visit to the North American city’s zoo, and nothing could have predicted an accident with such serious consequences, as the conditions of the floor and visibility they were good.

The reason for the crash is not yet known, but, according to CBS News, those who watched believe that the accident was caused by a “medical episode”. The authorities have not yet confirmed the theory, nor whether the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs or whether there was a mechanical failure.

On Monday, city services had already removed what was left of the bus stop and the community improvised a memorial with flowers, soft toys, toys, photographs and personal objects from the family – and vigils. Pedestrian road safety activists left a baby carriage painted white and three pairs of shoes at the scene, one for each victim.

Matilde Ramos Pinto left Portugal at the age of 18 to study theater in London. But, instead of an acting career, she made it in the production field. “I was studying theater, I wanted to be an actress, but I didn’t know where to study, I didn’t know any actress to support me and I don’t have English nationality. There was no point competing with English actresses for English roles. One day I wrote a letter to Jeremy Zimmerman [director de casting do filme Comboio Noturno para Lisboa] asking him to hire me, (as if it worked like that), and he invited me to work in his office”, he said, in 2016, in an interview with Sapo Mag, on the pretext of the premiere in Portugal of a British film that helped produce (“Wild Gardens”).

At 21, Matilde was an assistant in casting sessions and began to understand how the industry works. “Every week producers came in, I listened to what they said and learned. I never imagined I would work as a producer, I think I found my role in the world of cinema. It’s an industry with many talented people, particularly in Portugal, with whom I would like to work one day,” she said in the same interview.

The move to the United States was made official in March 2022, when she took on the role of executive producer at RSA, an advertising and commercial film company founded by directors Tony and Ridley Scott. A press release marked the moment: “We are delighted to welcome Matilde Ramos Pinto as Executive Producer at the American branch of RSA Films. Previously, Matilde spent five years in the United Kingdom, where she was a director’s representative for RSA and Black Dog. Matilde brings a global perspective to RSA’s American branch. Having her back is fantastic,” said Luke Ricci, president of the company, in the statement at the time.

The couple who now died in the tragic accident met in London, where Diego Cardoso Oliveira worked as creative director before crossing the Atlantic, which happened in January 2019, according to his Linkedin profile. “Dieguinho”, as he was known in advertising circles, “had an incredible career outside of Brazil, having worked at agencies such as AMV BBDO, Mother and BBH, all in London. In Brazil, he worked at agencies such as AlmapBBDO, Africa and AgênciaClick”, reads the death note published on the Brazilian website Clube de Criação.