“As a Director of Photography, my primary duty is to always be at the service of the story.”
"I love to work with stories that touch the human side of this world and recognize the existence of the otherness in the society".
Maria Quintana is a mexican cinematographer based in Los Angeles. She holds a degree in Communications and an MFA in Cinematography from the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, California. Continuously developing her craft across media platforms, Maria plans to pursue a second master's degree, a Master of Professional Studies in Digital Media at Northeastern University in Vancouver, Canada.
Drawn to stories that explore human connection and social diverse perspectives, her cinematography work spans narrative films, commercials, documentaries, and music videos.
Maria began her film career in Mexico as a still photographer on feature films including Qué Pena Tu Vida, Escuela Para Seductores, and Sin Filtro. Driven by a passion for music, she also established herself as a concert photographer, collaborating with prominent music magazines in both Mexico and Los Angeles.
Now working between Los Angeles and Mexico, Maria's narrative projects have earned broad recognition. In 2024, Maria shot her first commercial feature film, STRAIGHT, directed by Marcelo Tobar and starring Alejandro Speitzer, Bárbara López, and Franco Masini—making a significant mark as a female cinematographer in Mexican cinema. The film premiered at the Morelia International Film Festival (FICM), enjoyed a wide release in over 500 theaters across Mexico, and was selected for the inflight entertainment catalog on Aeroméxico and Delta Air Lines. Her MFA thesis film, FENCED, has won multiple awards and screened globally at festivals such as LA Shorts, Aesthetica Short Film Festival, Oaxaca FilmFest, and BronzeLens Film Festival.
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