Irene Mercadal

Hi! I'm Irene, a filmmaker and interdisciplinary artist.

My films explore a variety of topics, including environmentalism, power dynamics and social justice, and I'm particularly interested in exploring the female gaze.

My debut feature film Aguas y restos is in development and is currently part of the Torino Film Lab's Green Narratives development workshop. My short film Baby Steps was just finished and will premiere soon. And although I specialize in film, I also work with mixed media, I am a full stack developer, and collaborate with digital artists, theater makers and performers, particularly within the company I'm a part of, Glitch.

I grew up in Talca, Chile, and I've been living in NYC for the past seven years. In that period, I've graduated with a Film MFA from NYU Tisch and I've been Director of Photography on numerous short narrative films. My work is shaped by my bachelor degree in film aesthetics, and my previous work in documentary film back in Chile.

Besides dedicating some time to my projects as writer/director, I'm interested in collaborating with other people, whether as a DP or in any capacity that will allow me to explore, grow and learn. So if my work looks like down your alley, hit me up!

AWARDS

Volker Bahnemann Award for Outstanding Cinematography, awarded by ARRI 2022

Nestor Almendros Award for Best Cinematography, First Run Film Festival 2025