Eliaz Rodriguez

International-Award-Winning Filmmaker from Chicago

Instagram

Here's the latest from Eliaz's Instagram, featuring trailers, BTS, and events for his new films "Silica", "The Journey Inward" & "The Big Slip"

This dog is better at understanding Spanish speakers than I am. It also has a job and permanent residence. But I won’t let those comparisons get me down, I’ll get to those points on my journey soon enough. I must trust the process 🧘‍♂️
Headed back to México with a fresh outlook and fresh cut, from Jasper at Andres Barber Shop💈
Winter break in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. for the cast & crew screenings of two new films I directed in December and edited in January for a sketch-comedy tv pilot pitch. The newly finished (and submitted to @mefilmfestival!) “Mid 30s Martyr” and the work-in-progress “Compartmentalization Storage Facility”. ♥️ these film teams
Puerto Escondido. On December 15th I had never heard of this place (appropriate name), but I met someone who spoke of it and I ended up spending all of January there. My entire journey that started 6 months ago has been a giant risk, but I was able to stop worrying about it, relax, and get creative with writing. ✍️🎬🏝
Happy New Years, from Ciudad de México 🇲🇽👋🎉
My collaborators and me gearing up to kick some ass in 2019 like...
Thanks for the support in 2018 🙌 this very much represents who I am and what I’m going for in life and the encouragement helps. Let’s keep pushing ourselves in 2019! The nine: Making a film with friends (and an airplane 😮), deciding to go to Mexico to explore my heritage, winning an award at @austinrevolution that I had dreamed of in years past, another award nomination at @brightsidetavernshortsfilmfest, attending @nalip_org in support of Latino filmmakers, my q&a at @adkfilmfest, a screen grab from my new film written by my brother @donnyrad, 30 days of yoga & meditation in Jan, and playing a famed theater in Chicago for @windycityfest before I moved away. . . . . . . #bestnine2018 #topnine2018 #heritage #exploration #instafilm #filmmaker #filmmakerslife #filmlife #supportindiefilm #instafilmmakers #shortfilm #indiefilm #director #instaindie #filmmaking #filmmakers #filmdirector #moviemaking #directorslife #screenwriter #digitalnomad #chicagofilmmaker #nalip #ywa #digitalnomad #mexico
I got to catch up with my Chicago friend, screenwriter Ale @gracianotgarcia4, as she visited Monterrey! She has a feature film about Mexican baseball which I’m lucky to be developing w/her and filming a proof of concept in Mexico next year!! My love for baseball, directing, and exploring my Mexican heritage will collide!⚾️🎥🇲🇽 - We also got to hang out at this metal bar that had 4 different stages. Teenage-metal me was in heaven.
Inside the Instituto Cultural Cabañas, this artwork had me shook. Zoom in to see the details.
Instituto Cultura Cabañas, building, with José Clemente Orozco’s mural “Hombre de Fuego” (2 shots to give a little perspective of how massive it is when you walk under it)
Belated Merry Christmas, from México! All in one week - Monterrey, Tlaquepaque & Mexico City
Guadalajara highlights [vertical]
Guadalajara highlights [horizontal]
Thanks to composer Fabrizio Villegas for showing me around Ciudad Guzmán & Sayula. I met him at the film fest I attended in Amsterdam in August . At that time I had just moved out of Chicago and my journey hadn’t yet changed to include this new plan to explore Mexico, so back then I thought, “oh he’s really cool, but since he lives in Mexico I guess I’ll never see him again.” 😂 . Now he and his family have given me a huge jump start on my journey of self discovery of my heritage in Mexico, and I am very grateful. . This is just one example of how amazing the filmmakers/friends I’ve met at festivals over the last 3 years have been in helping me grow as a person and artist. . I’ve been asked what are good festivals to attend, but at the end of the day it all comes down to the people you meet. There’s no way to quantify that. Just attend, be yourself, put out positivity, never give up, don’t be a dick, throw out your ‘alpha’ vibes, meet people, and eventually things will pay off in ways you wouldn’t have imagined.
💀😬 Tla-que-pa-que
Cold brew coffee
First 24 hours back in Mexico City and it all just feels right 🙌
I was so fortunate to direct “Compartmentalization Storage Facility” and bring in a ton of heavy-hitting past collaborators and newly recommended ones, helping to make it the most creatively-ambitious project I’ve been involved with. Please reach out to me if you have a project you’d like me to direct next spring! Yeah, you! No matter where you’re based. This week I’m heading to Mexico, then South America, for the winter and I’ll be able to develop with you in that time. “Compartmentalization...” and the short I filmed at the airplane hangar last week “Mid-30s Martyr” are success stories of this model. Let’s make great art together, friends 🤘🎥🤙
Love to the cast and crew of “Compartmentalization Storage Facility” for bringing the positive and hardworking vibes. It was another short film I directed that was written by my brother @donnyrad, and produced by @jbmesq and John Piotrowski. I’m so proud of what we all accomplished!

#ElaminaFilmsTour

Eliaz traveled to 30 out of the 50 film festivals Think Twice was accepted to. Here are some photos from the Elamina Films (his production company) Tour.

I made fast friends with @denniscahlo (center) at @austinrevolution film fest this year. Then we got to record an episode of his podcast #thecaryallenpictureshow at @adkfilmfest this last weekend. We talked about a ton of things including what festival awards may [or may not according to him] mean to filmmakers and then 1 hour later he won this “Best Comedy Short” award 😄 Also, thanks to @gmarslett (right) for the life-affirming conversation of the bleak reality we live in, at 1am on Friday — many things have been inspiring me to create lately and that was one of them. Let’s make good art and be relentless, friends ✊ #elaminafilmstour
Thanks @adkfilmfest for bringing together amazing filmmakers (so many friends, new and old) and audiences for three screenings of #silicathemovie! #elaminafilmstour
Chillin +1 style with my fellow friend and filmmaker @eliazrod at the @katrafilmseries sidebar at Wine Legend downtown Brooklyn. New films, new faces, new friends. * 📷 by Samsung Galaxy Note 9, selfie booth by @samsungus 🎥🎬🎥🎬🎥 * #katranyc #katrafilmseries #filmmakers #friendsinfilm #samsung #note9 #nynights #downtownbrooklyn #winelegend #independentfilm #shortfilm #pilsner #silica #elaminafilmstour #bigcitybrightlights
#Repost @eliazrod with @get_repost ・・・ The @katrafilmseries Samsung photo booth last night with homie @btoddsworld. Thanks to festival director Geoffrey Guerrero for screening #silicathemovie along side other Latinx produced films. #elaminafilmstour
The @katrafilmseries Samsung photo booth last night with homie @btoddsworld. Thanks to festival director Geoffrey Guerrero for screening #silicathemovie along side other Latinx produced films. #elaminafilmstour
I’ve had some great film fest experiences over the last two months and thanks to photographer Chris Thomas of Radiant Exposures for capturing these moments at the @genreblast Film Fest. Going to GB is the closest film experience I’ve felt to going to a metal show. People making kickass art to share with others in their community, who aren’t going to stop even if it’s not widely accepted, and are ready to support each other when we get knocked down. Also in both cases 95% of people are wear black t-shirts 😂 Cheers to the GB team! Also it was great to share a Q&A with Saba who speaks his mind, does what he loves in exactly the way he wants and is ready to share advice to make everyone around him better. He also made a hilarious short. #gb3 #genreblast #elaminafilmstour
Glad I got to check out @middlecoastfest’s first year in Chicago! Even though I missed my screening of #silicathemovie on Friday it was great to hear all of the positive feedback about the film. Thanks to @jeslevdos and her team for bringing great people together and throwing an awesome closing party! #elaminafilmstour
Aug 1st - Today I am a different person now from the person I was 7 weeks ago and I have an entirely new plan for the future than the one I had on August 1st. I am thankful for all of those who took me in or lent an ear or shared their ideas with me. You really opened my mind to what is possible. Excited to see you, Chicago. This is only a short trip before I continue on 🎢 #elaminafilmstour
I have done what I once thought impossible. Won the award/trophy you can wear, the @austinrevolution belt-buckle award!!! This one specifically named after Texas Legend, the Cubs’ own Kerry Wood. Thanks James for saying “This filmmaker is hard working on the circuit, out there making his own stuff, traveling and also supporting others in a very ARFF way.” I’m humbled 🙏 #arff2018 #elaminafilmstour
Elamina Films (my production company) on the big screen at the @burbankfilmfest!!! Happy to be an Associate Producer of Off Book and help them on their film festival journey. Congrats to Mindy, Eric, and the rest of the team on the continued success! #elaminafilmstour
Hanging out with the traveling-filmmaker all stars at @genreblast 🌟 #elaminafilmstour #silicathemovie
Allyson West set a new bar for first year film festivals with the @cindependentfilmfestival. Her efforts, along with the city and her team, were relentless with providing a great experience for filmmakers and local theater goers. It made me proud to be a Midwesterner. Put it on your watchlist! #claimyourcindependence #elaminafilmstour #silicathemovie
@cindependentfilmfestival closing night dance party y’all!
At the @cindependentfilmfestival for the #silicathemovie screening. #claimyourcindependence #elaminafilmstour @minimicrocinema
Made it to Amsterdam for @filmfestint’s opening party and #silicathemovie screening! #elaminafilmstour
First stop after I leave Chicago... London! For the premiere of my 8mm short “The Journey Inward”. It’ll be on a massive screen at the British Film Institute Southbank for @straight_8_ London 😵 can’t wait! A still from #JourneyInwardFilm is underneath the bird, 3rd from the right. #elaminafilmstour
📸 by @matthewstromer at the infamous Biograph theater after the #silicathemovie world premiere. #elaminafilmstour
My short “Silica” has been accepted to the inaugural @cindependentfilmfestival! @allyson_the_instagreat is an amazing filmmaker herself and now she’s putting together this killer fest in Cinci. So glad #silicathemovie will be a part of it! #elaminafilmstour
NALIP Awards red carpet! Also, 1,000th Instagram post 📲🎉 #thickheadedshow #weareinclusion #elaminafilmstour
Spending the next couple months writing my first feature... #weareinclusion Art piece by @fabulousnino #elaminafilmstour

Twitter