Rodrigo Moreno-Fernández Immigrant / Writer / Director
Rodrigo Moreno-Fernandez is an independent filmmaker based in South Texas whose work encompasses writing, directing, producing and editing. His films are marked by character-driven storytelling, meticulous visual composition and deliberate pacing, reflecting a sustained interest in intimate, human-centered narratives. Working across short and feature formats, Rodrigo approaches each project with a hands-on sensibility, often guiding films from development through postproduction to ensure a coherent creative vision.
Rodrigo made his feature debut with The Whole, which earned multiple festival honors including Best Screenplay at Reel East Texas (2017), Best of the Fest at South Texas Underground (2017), and Best Fiction Film at Rockport Film Festival (2017). His short Ramona received strong recognition on the festival circuit as well, winning Best Short Thriller at the Bare Bones International Film Festival (2019), Best Short Film at South Texas Underground (2019), and Best Drama at Hollywood South (2019). The short Strings further elevated his profile, collecting awards such as Best Emerging Filmmaker at the San Antonio Film Festival (SAFILM, 2023), Filmmaker of the Year at Austin Revolution (2023), a Silver Remi at WorldFest–Houston (2023), plus Best Short at Poppy Jasper (2023) and the Vanguard Award at Idyllwild Film Festival. His most recent short, El Llorón, continued that momentum, winning Best Short Film at Poppy Jasper (2025), the Audience Award for Best Short at the Wyoming International Film Festival, and both Best RGV Short and Best Director at the South Texas International Film Festival.
Across his body of work, Rodrigo’s awards underscore strengths in writing, direction and the cultivation of strong performances. He continues to develop original projects that foreground nuanced character work and precise cinematic craft while maintaining an active festival and exhibition presence.
