Reel
About Me
![P1020512[1].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4a6f2e_5027068a5cd5409284cd6a661bc3878d~mv2_d_4592_2584_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_600,h_338,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/P1020512%5B1%5D_JPG.jpg)
My name is Maria Pimentel and I am a filmmaker from Guayaquil, Ecuador. I am 28 years old and I have a master's in Digital Media and Storytelling from Loyola University Chicago. Currently, I'm the Multimedia Coordinator at the Japanese American Service Committee (JASC), where I produce, shoot and edit video content.
I wanted to create a separate site from my portfolio where I can fully share my documentaries in one page as well as my upcoming projects and ideas.
I tell stories through different techniques. My favorite one is Cinema Veritas; which places the viewer in the center of the action; makes them see what the main character is seeing and understand their deepest feelings.
My friend, and fellow producer, Jared Wekenman, produced and directed this short video in which he follows me around the city of Chicago. This gives you a look of how my life is like during a production.
Awards and Career Highlights
● Co-directed and edited the documentary Resettled Roots, which was selected to be screened at multiple film festivals such as the 2nd LA Asian Film Festival, 24th Asian American Showcase, 2020 Films of Remembrance and Tadaima! A Community Virtual Pilgrimage.
● Worked on the Hisashiburi City Pop documentary, which was featured in the Chicago Reader and has garnered over 7.9K views on YouTube as of today.
● Worked on the Who Will Take Care of Me documentary, which got nominated to a Crystal Pillar award by the Television Academy, the producers of the Chicago/Midwest Emmy® Awards. Who Will Take Care of Me also won the Award of Excellence at the BEA Festival of Media Arts in 2020.
● Won the Award of Excellence for ‘Every Flower Has A Story’ (a short video) at the BEA Festival of Media Arts in 2019.