Samuel Díaz Fernández
Directing
Known For

The hottest summer on record left Austin ablaze and terrified, a city where heat hits hardest in at-risk neighborhoods and communities of color. In the aftermath, the Castañón family walks into the woods, asking: What is heat? At a city-run heat-mapping event, they trace invisible threats and exercise small acts of agency, exploring how conversation—at home, with neighbors, with scientists and policy-makers—shapes the way we live in a world remade by heat.
A Fragile Vessel

Few issues in the United States spark such emotion and passion as sexual orientation and gender identity do. They challenge the political, religious, and social paradigms of many - leaving few emotionally uninvolved in this polarizing issue. New Spirits is a look at one church community that lives amidst the tension - affirming both the Christian and LGBTQ identities of its members. New Spirits allows the people to speak for themselves and provides a seat to witness their stories in a uniquely personal manner. Included are key voices from Dr. Tony Campolo, Dr. Marilyn McCord Adams, Former U.S. Representative Jim Kolbe and others.
New Spirits

As one of many residents who lack access to fresh food in Austin, Nolvia Castillo takes the driver’s seat and distributes vegetables to her neighbors. When filmmaker Ai Vuong rides along, they speak the language of immigrants: memories of food.
La Cosecha

Tatay Manding, a culture bearer from Pastolan Village in Zambales, is the last person who teaches Ambala to his fellow aetas in this fast-moving world. His love for teaching and songwriting are his best weapons to keep their dying culture alive.
Where Are You Going?

Indigenous ecologies and ways of being are threatened by SpaceX on the Texas Gulf Coast.