About Me
About Me
Kristal Sotomayor is a documentary filmmaker, journalist, and curator based in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Drawing inspiration from their Peruvian heritage, Kristal’s community-based work practice focuses on Latinidad, immigration, and belonging. They practice transformative filmmaking that humanizes and validates the lived experiences of underrepresented communities. To that end, Kristal founded the queer BIPOC-owned and operated media production company, Sotomayor Productions, which works at the intersection of investigative journalism and documentary filmmaking to advance the portrayals of Latinx and queer communities.
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Kristal has been named one of “10 Latinx Filmmakers You Should Know About” by HipLatina, a 2023 DOC NYC Documentary New Leader honoree, and received the prestigious Rockwood Documentary Leadership Fellowship. Kristal’s work has been supported by the Sundance Institute’s Cultural Impact Residency, If/Then North Shorts Residency, BlackStar Filmmaker Lab, Outfest and Traverse32’s Creative Hope Incubator, MDOCS Storytellers’ Institute Visiting Fellowship, DCTV Docu Work-In-Progress Lab, Justice For My Sister Sci-Fi TV Screenwriting Lab, BAVC Serial Storytellers Lab, Scribe Video Center Film Scholars Fellowship, Good Pitch Local: Philadelphia Lab, and NeXtDoc Fellowship.
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Kristal has served as a curator for acclaimed film festivals across the country including SFFILM, True/False Film Fest, Frameline, Tri-Co Film Festival, and were Programming Director of the Philadelphia Latino Film Festival. Formerly, they served as the Awards Competition Manager for the IDA Documentary Awards, the world's most distinguished event dedicated exclusively to the documentary genre. They have assisted with curation for the "Spotlight on Documentaries" at IFP Week, Philadelphia Film Festival, and the award-winning PBS documentary series POV | American Documentary. They have been awarded the Film Festival Alliance Film Festival Leadership Lab Fellowship, NALAC Advocacy Leadership Institute, and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism Philadelphia Media Founders Exchange.
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They are also the Editor-in-Chief of the cinéSPEAK Journal and Co-Founder of ¡Presente! Media, a collective led by Latinx filmmakers that produces bilingual content focused on social justice. They served on the Board of Director for GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics. Kristal’s journalistic background includes having written for ITVS, AL DÍA, WHYY, Autostraddle, Modern Brown Girl, and Documentary Magazine. Kristal’s writing has been supported by the Sundance Institute Press Inclusion Initiative, TIFF Media Inclusion Initiative, IDA Magazine Editorial Fellowship, NBC University Visual Storytelling During Breaking News Program, and Lenfest Constellation News Leadership Initiative. They are a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists, CherryPicks Approved Critic, and the TIME’S UP Critical Database.
Host a screening and Q&A of Kristal’s impactful films, showcasing powerful stories from underrepresented communities.
Artist Statement
As a nonbinary person, my very essence challenges the gender binary; similarly, I aim to use cinema to challenge existing stories and stereotypes. Being the child of Latino immigrants and witnessing my parents' struggles to build a new life inspires me to uplift underrepresented stories—like my parents' story—through my filmmaking. Growing up as a queer person of color in rural Western Pennsylvania, my work explores the intersectionality of human experiences. My practice centers on liberation, immigrant rights, Trans justice, and LGBTQIA+ futures, often combining poetic imagery, archival material, and experimental storytelling. Through meaningful collaborations, I strive to decolonize media-making by balancing power and ensuring accountability.
My creative process is deeply rooted in collaboration. I believe that art must be grounded in the experiences of the communities I work with, and I prioritize building trust and co-creating narratives with the people whose stories I tell. Overall, what makes my work unique is my dedication to bridging art and activism. Through meaningful collaborations, I strive to decolonize media-making by balancing power and ensuring accountability. I see storytelling as a tool for social justice, and I use my films to document struggles while advocating for change. My process is rooted in a deep understanding of the social and political forces that shape our world, and I aim to bring those complexities to life in ways that engage, challenge, and inspire my audience.
Accolades
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2025
“Don’t Cry For Me All You Drag Queens” won Best LGBTQ Documentary at the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival
“Expanding Sanctuary” won Best Documentary Short, SPE Media Fest
2024
“Expanding Sanctuary” won the Philadelphia Filmmaker Award, BlackStar Film Festival
2023
DOC NYC Documentary New Leaders
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Sundance Institute Cultural Impact Residency
Voice of Witness Storyteller Initiative
Emmanuel College Art Department Artist in Residence
Emerging Educational Filmmaker Grant, LearningTimes Foundation
Next Generation Fund, The Lenfest Institute for Journalism
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BlackStar Filmmaker Lab
Transformation Award, Leeway Foundation
Philadelphia Independent Media Fund, Scribe Video Center
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Creative Hope Fellowship, Outfest Film Festival
Rockwood Leadership Institute Documentary Leaders Fellowship (formerly known as the JustFilms Fellowship)
#WeAllGrow Latina Impact Grant
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Philadelphia Media Founders Exchange, The Lenfest Institute for Journalism
Leeway x IPMF Artist + Activist Residency
Local Filmmaker Grant, Independence Public Media Foundation
Added Velocity Grant, Philadelphia Contemporary
Philadelphia Media Founders Exchange, The Lenfest Institute for Journalism
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National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC) Advocacy Leadership Institute
Justice For My Sister BIPOC Sci-Fi Screenwriting Lab
Serial Storytelling Lab, Bay Area Video Coalition
North Shorts Residency, If/Then & Camden International Film Festival
Good Pitch Local: Philadelphia Media Maker Fellowship
MDOCS Storytellers’ Institute Visiting Fellowship
Philadelphia Independent Media Fund, Scribe Video Center
Local Filmmaker Grant, Independence Public Media Foundation
Film Festival Leadership Lab, Film Festival Alliance & Full Spectrum Features
Constellation News Leadership Initiative, The Lenfest Institute for Journalism
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Good Pitch Local: Philadelphia Media Maker Fellowship
Velocity Fund Grant, Philadelphia Contemporary
DCTV Docu Work-In-Progress Shorts Lab
Philadelphia Independent Media Fund, Scribe Video Center
Media Inclusion Initiative, Toronto International Film Festival
Press Inclusion Initiative, Sundance Institute
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Art and Change Grant, Leeway Foundation
Editorial Fellowship, The International Documentary Association’s Documentary Magazine
Press Inclusion Initiative, Sundance Institute
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Good Pitch Local: Philadelphia Media Maker Fellowship
Film Scholars Fellowship, Scribe Video Center
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Next Doc Fellowship, Youth FX