About Me
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Growing up as a child, horror movies were forbidden in my home. Apart from that, I was too terrified to be near anything horror-related. The first time I did watch one, though, I felt an emotional release that’s hard to put into words. The fear I felt tapped into something much more personal. Once I got more comfortable with the horror genre and realized what the films were trying to convey, I knew I was not alone in what I felt. Now, as a writer and director, these are the stories I am most drawn to tell. At the core of any story I set out to tell lies a deep urge to make people feel emotions that tap into their own fears, desires, anxieties, etc. I am most specifically drawn to stories about intergenerational trauma. I hope to open up my truest self to everyone and share the thoughts, experiences, and emotions that I don’t often express. Through my work, I hope many can find the comfort I felt when I learned to love horror.
As a recent graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, I’ve worked on many student films. Two of my short films, a crime drama titled “To The Moon and Back” and a sci-fi/psychological horror titled “The Void” were official selections for the USC LatiFAM Latinx Film Festival. Both of these short films focus on different aspects of the idea of family and the damage it can often cause. My most recent work is a short documentary titled “Hombre Sin Razon”, which I co-directed with my close friend and frequent collaborator, Lau Rodriguez. The documentary focuses on Emmy-nominated actor Richard Cabral as he reflects on his life and how he managed to break out of the chains of gang life in his family to become a loving father and successful storyteller. Through the filming of this documentary also came the idea for Gente Xin Razon Productions, a production company currently being developed and co-founded by Richard Cabral, his son Adrian Nowak, Lau Rodriguez, and me. Through this production company, we are taking control of our narratives as Latino storytellers to share stories by us and for us.