About Me

Alek Mendez is an Award-Winning Filmmaker & Director of Photography. Born and raised in Arizona, he works between his home state and Los Angeles, bringing a cinematic eye shaped by the desert, the borderlands, and a lifelong obsession with movies. Growing up, he was the kid who stayed up late watching the behind-the-scenes of any and every film before bed, studying how frames, lenses, and light could turn emotion into images.

A proud Latino filmmaker, Alek takes seriously the responsibility of who he puts in front of the camera and who he invites behind it. His work often explores grief, identity, and memory through a style inspired by psychological thrillers, grounded realism, and intentional Latinx representation. A 2025 graduate of the University of Arizona’s BFA Film & Television program, he has built a body of work that includes award-winning short films such as Quédate Un Rato and The Grit of It All, His latest award being the National Student Production Award for Best Photographer along with narrative, branded, and music-driven projects as both director and Director of Photography.

On set, Alek is known for his collaborative energy, calm under pressure, and commitment to crafting images that always serve performance and story first. Whether he’s building a world from the ground up or joining a project to shape its visual language, his goal is to create honest, cinematic work that reflects where he comes from—and stays with audiences long after the credits roll.