Eustaquio Martínez Del Rio, alum of the New York Film Academy (NYFA) MFA Filmmaking program, received the Merit Award at the 2018 Awareness Film Festival for his film Desolada/Bleak. The festival is organized by non-profit charity Heal One World, and spotlights filmmakers committed to making positive change throughout the world.
The film, which touches on both migration and women’s rights, tells the story of Rosa, a young single mother who makes huge sacrifices for her daughter Luisa. The Spanish-language feature is an emotional work, dealing with the mother’s pain and desolation. Del Rio’s previous film, Yacuna, Amor a la Vida (Yacuna, Love to Life), is a drama about native Mayan culture and ancestral knowledge. The film was screened on five continents, and received a special award from Mexico’s Museo Nacional de Antropologia.
Born in Mexico City, Del Rio has studied filmmaking at the University of Westminster in London, photography at the College of Art and Design Plymouth, and filmmaking at NYFA. He has worked on productions for New Line Pictures, Hallmark, and the BBC, as well as TV commercials, music videos, and feature documentaries.
Del Rio is strongly committed to championing the environment, and uses his films to promote the cause. His documentary Give Earth a Chance was screened at multiple festivals around the world to positive reviews. In addition, he has directed and produced two feature dramas, as well as ten feature documentaries.
The New York Film Academy congratulates Eustaquio Martínez Del Rio on his success and looks forward to seeing his future projects!