Sebastián Valdivieso is an Austin-based cinematographer, who recently participated in the ASC Vision Mentorship 2023. Born in Ecuador, he spent his young adult life living in many places across Latin America, including Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, where he completed his undergraduate degree in communication. Although he began his academic trajectory as a physicist, he soon realized that his true passion is telling stories that explore the depths of human decision-making during life's challenging moments.
He has written and directed two short films that combine aspects of magical realism with stories about a father and daughter crossing the U.S.-Mexico border and an aging Texan farmer who confronts mystery and loss.
Additionally, he co-wrote the film "Tierra," which won the 19th IMCINE National Short Film Project Competition for 2019 and is currently in post-production. As a cinematographer, he worked on the film "Instructions for How to Let Go," which competed in the Voices Short section of the International Film Festival of Rotterdam (IFFR) in 2020.
He graduated with an MFA in Film Production from the University of Texas and has achieved various accomplishments throughout his career as a cinematographer. His recent accolades include the DGA Student Film Award and special mentions from OutFest Los Angeles, BFI Future Film Festival, and the Yugo BAFTA Student Awards. He has also been selected for international festivals like the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Palm Springs International ShortFest, Slamdance Film Festival, New York Latino Film Festival, and New Orleans Film Festival.
