Sostrin Client Spotlight - Alejandro Martinez

Born and raised in Mexico City, Alejandro Martinez’s roots in cinematography run deep. His grandfather and great-uncle were legendary filmmakers of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. But Martinez has become a renowned director of photography in his own right, lending his artistic vision and technical expertise to films and television shows for over a decade.

Alejandro Martinez began his career as a director of photography for various horror and thriller films in Mexico and the U.S. His work led him to Spanish director Gabe Ibáñez. The two filmmakers collaborated on the short film Máquina and Ibáñez’s first feature-length film, Hierro. Hierro was a critical success, receiving a nomination for the Caméra d’Or for Best First Feature Film at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.

This collaboration between Martinez and Ibáñez was the catalyst for Autómata, a 2014 sci-fi film starring Golden Globe winner Antonio Banderas. It wasn’t long before the film’s stunning post-apocalyptic visuals caught the attention of the Spanish Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences, earning Martinez a nomination for the Goya Award for Best Cinematography. This award – one of the highest honors in filmmaking, considered Spain’s equivalent of the Oscars – brought Martinez’s work into the international spotlight.

Martinez recently qualified for his fourth O-1 visa for extraordinary achievement in the motion picture and television industry. This nonimmigrant classification is for individuals who are widely recognized for their artistic contributions to film and television, allowing them to work on productions in the U.S. For example, the O-1 visa allowed Martinez to work on hit shows such as TNT’s Good Behavior (starring Michelle Dockery of Downtown Abbey).

Martinez is part of a vibrant community of international filmmakers setting the pace for new American media today. USA’s Queen of the South, on which Martinez served as a director of photography, is the English language remake of the iconic telenovela La Reina del Sur. What may have previously been considered too niche for a mainstream American audience is now a hit show on a major broadcasting network, due in large part to the creative leadership of international artists like Martinez.

Sostrin Immigration Lawyers, LLP is proud to represent Alejandro Martinez. We can’t wait to see where his creative journey takes him next.