Jason Cortez was a Latinx filmmaker from Virginia who directed and wrote short films for nearly five years. He graduated from George Mason University and worked on various short films, as well as directed his own, which have gone on to screen in numerous festivals around the country. Before choosing to do film, he searched for a way to communicate ideas and feelings through a visual outlet. And while watching ‘The Godfather’ for the first time, he realized filmmaking was his goal. Since then, he completed grounded dramas, including Northern Star, A New Chapter, Snap, and countless others. He was visually and narratively inspired by the works of David Fincher, Alfonso Cuaron, Nicholas Winding Refn, and Hirokazu Kore-eda. Jason hoped to showcase diversity from the behind, and in front of the lens to represent the many voices and backgrounds that make this artform beautiful.

Jason had a preternatural knack for directing, where he seamlessly sewed his stories on the page and through connecting with his actors. Many of his films won awards at festivals across the country. These short films were often the gateway to feature length scripts, where he intended to develop the plots and characters in additional detail. We hope you enjoy his contributions to the medium — and we hope to someday ensure his final projects are developed as he had intended.