Iz Gutierrez is a Mexican American award-winning director and screenwriter who grew up in Los Angeles, California. His films have been official selections in notable film festivals such as Academy Awards qualifying LA Shorts and Hollyshorts, as well as Chicago Latino Film Festival, Napa Valley Film Festival, Philadelphia Latino Film Festival, and numerous others where he won jury and audience awards. Gutierrez is the recipient of the Panavision Filmmaker Grant. His films have also screened at the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, ShortsTV channel, MPSE, and Sony Pictures.​

Iz’s commitment to provocative storytelling stems from growing up in a marginalized community as a Mexican immigrant where he wrestled with the two different cultures. His scripts have tackled the social injustices Mexican-Americans endure which became a driving force in his narrative storytelling as well as the powerful characters he writes and directs for the screen. Characters that Iz believes should not be bound by stereotypes or exploitative narratives which only hurt Latinos by perpetuating overused clichés. 

His influences come from cinema, literature (Lord of the Rings!), short stories, and comic books. By combining both his influences and visual prowess, Iz’s work consistently showcases his unique narrative voice. 

Iz Gutierrez is developing both feature films and episodic projects including a series based on his feature film. He resides in Los Angeles, California.