https://www.melinavaldez.com/direction daily 0.75 2024-05-14 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/t/6643ddc7884a6d139e631173/1680887347259/ Directing - Weapons and Their Names (2022) Struggling to connect with her grieving family after the sudden death of her stepfather, a teenager sneaks off to shoot guns in rural Florida with her best friend. World Premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival Official Selection of the 40th Miami Film Festival Official Selection at the FilmFort Festival https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/63a087acc5e96831df8a511f/63a0889a7fbf8a4de1838fad/1680887347259/ Directing - Weapons and Their Names (2022) Struggling to connect with her grieving family after the sudden death of her stepfather, a teenager sneaks off to shoot guns in rural Florida with her best friend. World Premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival Official Selection of the 40th Miami Film Festival Official Selection at the FilmFort Festival https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1715723564835-1956WTORAYO3PNBL77KC/image-asset.jpg Directing - Weapons and Their Names (2023) Online Premiere Struggling to connect with her grieving family after the sudden death of her stepfather, a teenager sneaks off to shoot guns in rural Florida with her best friend. World Premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival Miami Film Festival FilmFort Palm Springs Shortsfest Rooftop Summer Film Series Vienna Shorts Hollyshorts Indie Memphis https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671467260787-ADAZDKAGA3PFKQ9EI8IE/website_homebody.png Directing - HOMEBODY (2020) During a brutal heatwave, a young woman attempts to make a home out of her new apartment, slowly discovering that her dream home is becoming a nightmare. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1677814508561-5PX5EMQE380064X1CLM0/image-asset.jpeg Directing - youth, full (2019) Breanne isn’t sure how she feels about having children. Premiered on NoBudge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1677814372540-UZ3SPNX61NHRMVUKRDAW/Screen%2BShot%2B2023-03-02%2Bat%2B10.30.47%2BPM.jpg Directing - Don't Ruin The Party (2018) Music Video. Performed by Numi. Directed and shot by me. Produced by 5th Floor Pictures. Production Design by Natalie Montoya. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671468557774-UMRMSUVI3ICHMI7PQNK4/image-asset.jpeg Directing - Sitting Across From Strangers Like Us After getting rejected from a threesome, a young woman finds an unexpected connection. Premiered at the Boston Underground Film Festival in 2018. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671468233388-PCJVQB876JRYS5HZDZUU/image-asset.jpeg Directing - Morning Light Seems the Brightest A night out on the town goes wrong and forces three friends to evaluate their friendship. Premiered at The Fort Myers Film Festival Official Selection of the Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival Official Selection of the Latino Film Market https://www.melinavaldez.com/cinematography daily 0.75 2025-10-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1760198943813-RXS8VPLDEBSEGPTQ7TB1/image-asset.jpeg Cinematography - Pangea (2025) Coming Soon Writer/Director: Mimi Davila https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1760198943813-RXS8VPLDEBSEGPTQ7TB1/image-asset.jpeg Cinematography - Pangea (2025) Coming Soon Writer/Director: Mimi Davila https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1760198787296-FRZJQ3SB91HPK6LG0THT/image-asset.jpeg Cinematography - Son of the Dragon (2025) Coming Soon Writer / Director: Will Neisen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1760198459185-D68UZKPWUH2PHUVU7Y6L/image-asset.jpeg Cinematography - What Else What Else (2025) Coming Soon DR: Riley Taggart Writer: Maya Sharma https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671471294876-1Z59KAC7ASF09ZOPD73F/12PM+EST.png Cinematography 12PM EST (2021) Written and directed by: Sam Goodwin A young woman struggles with the frustration and rage of being ignored. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671471309459-0ZVU00T8EF7XLTCIQCYE/Screen+Shot+2020-02-19+at+7.56.55+PM.png Cinematography Let’s Go with Sophie (2021) Written and directed by: Zach Verbit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671471296548-03ODF5LGHODEDLDBMM0Q/MI+FANGO+MI+CERRO.jpeg Cinematography Mi Fango, Mi Cerro (2020-2021) Written and directed by: Julia Mendoza Friedman A portrait of Chemi Rosado-Seijo, an artist who yearns to find utopia in Puerto Rico. After a long search, he believes he finds it in El Cerro, a rural, working-class community nestled in the mountains. For 10 years, he works with the community to paint houses across the hillside in different shades of green. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671477211407-C8PJFPFNIBM238XE0VKH/STILLS.00_06_12_22.Still006.jpg Cinematography Violence (2019) Written and directed by: Christian Meola A woman's home abduction is recorded by three devices, but her murder remains a mystery. Violence is an unconventional take on the horror genre. Rather than staging crime, Violence explores how we remember and try to comprehend it. OFFICIAL SELECTION: Adirondack Film Festival, 2019 New Paltz Film Festival, 2019 Buried Alive, 2019 DUMBO - September Semi-Finalist, 2019 Threadbare Film Festival, 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671656857724-R5X68A0XH53XM42SAEAM/image-asset.png Cinematography august at twenty-two (2019) Cal, a floundering actress, must reevaluate her priorities when she discovers that her childhood “soulmate,” Jacob, has a serious girlfriend, Emily. Written by: Ali Edwards Directed by: Sophia Castuera https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671471295996-JR6S32R0ITB0MPG2R5O8/DOMINICANYORK.png Cinematography Dominican York, S1 + S2 (2018-2022) DominicanYork is an independent mini web series that dives into the lives of a crew of 8 millennials. Relationships are tested and identities are challenged as they deal with breakups, secrets, find their purpose, and weave through the duality of their Dominican and American upbringing. Mia has returned to the neighborhood after being away at college, and as she attempts to reconstruct her life back home in Washington Heights, she is forced to deal with challenges she wasn't prepared for in this comedic series. Written by: Michelle Ramirez Produced by: Yesenia Ramirez https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671471295829-RX7QCR5XLWC9856J9BKI/IMG_3769.jpeg Cinematography It’s Not Love, It’s Mustard (2019) Music video for NYC band Man-Moth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671471293680-K9R6QMLVQA6Q9247PV86/C.G.TENNIS.png Cinematography The Chris Gethard Show (2019) Human Fish Bumper https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671471301280-TLNSNJOVUKP71Y7QR3FS/Screen+Shot+2018-01-11+at+9.14.53+PM.png Cinematography Wear My Skin (2017) Written and Directed by: Francisco Cabrara Right before sleeping with his girlfriend for the first time, Victor refuses to undress; this sparks a conversation about vulnerability and trust. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671471290953-SBCMKLPCH0MWXSQCN7OH/18BTH_FF01_Nuendo_00_01_40_14_Still003.jpeg Cinematography I Saw Her Today (2017) Written and directed by: Trevor Viner Asa takes a hallucinogenic prototype. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671471310063-LRR3PZP8A5G9QVE9YHZM/pic1.png Cinematography Protest (2017) Written and directed by: Amelia Hazlitt In tough political times, Lira and her two friends stop by a lake to take a break from it all. There, she decides if she truly wants to join the cause. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/1671471305536-XAIIED7D2EV4VRNONIQX/Screen+Shot+2018-01-11+at+9.21.22+PM.png Cinematography General Practice (2016) Written and directed by: Andrew Mazzarella https://www.melinavaldez.com/homepage daily 1.0 2024-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/5c02e797-d57b-45f1-b3ed-dfd34df57851/website_Still.jpg homepage - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.melinavaldez.com/about-me daily 0.75 2026-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63a087951e368723a63d9ab6/3a8e17e2-7c18-4cbd-b53f-f3f001b3a481/headshot2.JPG about me - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.