Gianfranco Fernández-Ruiz is an award winning writer and director. His short film WHEN BIG PEOPLE LIE had its World Premiere at the 51st Telluride Film Festival. More recently, Gianfranco won Best New Filmmaker of the year with NewFilmmakers LA for their 12th Annual Awards. Other awards include the Latino Film Institute’s Inclusion Fellowship, Quarterfinalist of the Nicholl Fellowship, qualified for the 96th Academy Awards and finalist for the HBO Short Film Award. Gianfranco earned a Masters from the AFI Conservatory in Directing. His shorts have played at over 50 film festivals globally, and placed at a dozen other notable competitions.