Pati Cruz Martínez, 2023 Virtual

Born cuir (queer) and brought up catholic in the colonized archipelago of Borikén (Puerto Rico). The catholic slowly disappeared, the cuir stuck around.
Spent a few years in New York (Bachelor of Arts at Vassar College, 2008-2012), then another few years in Cuba (Film Directing at the Escuela Internacional de Cine y TV, 2015-2018). In 2019, they co-wrote and directed the short film “La amante” (“The Mistress”) which was selected at international film festivals, such as Raindance Film Festival, trinidad+tobago film festival, Philadelphia Latino Film Festival (LOLA award), and Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival (Silver Image Award). Their video art piece “pari/no/pari” (2020), made during the pandemic of COVID-19, was shown at the online exhibition aquí estamos / here we are by the Queer Cultural Center in the Bay Area. They are currently working on the documentary “Nació Simón”, which has received support from beta-local’s El Serrucho 2020, North Shorts Grant & Residency 2020, and is part of the Firelight Media Documentary Lab 2021-23. In 2020 they co-founded the queer boricua filmmakers collective, Colectivx Colectivx. Pati currently works as a Freelance Editor, Director, and Videographer in Santurce, Borikén.