Jason Mendoza is a Queens born Colombian American filmmaker. The only child to Colombian immigrants, Jason began writing and telling stories from the age of 6. He would continue to follow this calling into high school where he attended the career specialized, Academy for Careers in Television and Film, where he learnt the collaborative art of filmmaking. Currently pursuing a BFA in Film and Television at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Jason has Produced and Directed over a dozen short films and his debut feature, Good Friday under production label, Goodkid Flicks.
Tell us about your experience at the Hip Hop Film Festival. Good Friday's screening at the Hip Hop Film Festival was an experience that my cast/crew and I will cherish forever. Not only was it our first festival screening of this film, but it was arguably the most rewarding one yet. The highlight of the screening was of course being able to interact with fellow filmmakers/talent during and after the talkback, which was moderated exceptionally by the wonderful CR Capers. What I certainly wasn't prepared for, however, was the overwhelming swarm of attendees who came up to take pictures and ask for my contact after the panel. I got to meet some of the nicest and most genuine people after that and have been in contact with them since. What this festival succeeds in curating so well is an intimate platform for interaction and recognition, something that my team and I could not have asked more of.
Why are “stories from the culture” worthy of a platform?Accessibility has always been the central factor in my experience. What makes certain work or artists stand out from most is the level of exposure they have had over time. I think we're starting to cross that threshold now where the mainstream audience has become conscious of its uniform consumption and desire to find those stories that haven't been told yet. And what better place to look for that abundance of story and experience but within the culture. It may sound counterintuitive to amplify the culture's presence in media to outside groups and organizations, but I truly believe that the artist's desire to find their audience is reliant on their work's public magnification. Specifically, in programs that allow people across the culture to connect and empower.
Why do you think the Harlem Film House and Hip Hop Film Festival are important? There is simply no other festival quite like this one. There are adjacent festivals that cater to the urban voice and style but the Harlem Film House and HHFF transcend the parameters of what at one point was just considered a music genre. It's a hub for shared passions revolving around music, film, television and craft but most importantly a school for fellow artists to learn and inspire from one another's achievements.
What projects are you working on now? I am currently in post for an experimental dance narrative I directed last spring about pan ethnic portrayals of Latino's in the media and in the process of writing my next feature which is a biographical period piece taking place in mid 90's Jackson Heights.
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