Felix Martiz

Felix Martiz was born and raised in South Los Angeles, and his tight bond with his community is what inspires him to write and direct his films. From crossing la frontera on his mom’s back as a child to experiencing discrimination at school, his experiences inform the stories he tells. Exposed to international cinema at a young age, specifically The Red Balloon and the films of the Italian Neo-Realism movement, showed him that films could come from anywhere, not just a studio. But furthermore, he realized that film was a powerful medium for sharing universal themes and truths. Being tri-cultural–his mother is from Mexico and his Father is from Ecuador–gives him a unique perspective of the Latino experience that he explores in his scripts. With over a dozen short films to his credits, Felix Martiz is an accomplished filmmaker. He has screened his films at festivals across the country, winning dozens of awards, such as a New York Latino Film Festival Best of award for his film Gone (2021). His films have been screened internationally at Colombian to Oaxacan Film Festivals, allowing him to share aspects of latinidad to audiences who might otherwise never witness. Filmmaking is a passion that he holds sacred and believes can empower the youth of tomorrow. As an educator with a Master of Fine Arts from Mount St. Marys College, he mentors for the Youth Cinema Project in addition to volunteering for other youth organizations.