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Joe Menendez

Named one of The Top 100 Latinos on the Move by Latino Impact Magazine, Menendez' feature directing credits include his debut, Lords of the Barrio, which he also wrote and edited. His second feature, Hunting of Man, won Best Picture at the New York Latino International Film.

In addition to his film work, Menendez has directed more than 57 hours of television, written numerous teleplays and produced a reality TV show.

Menendez began his filmmaking career at seven commandeering his grandmother's Super 8 movie camera to direct, shoot and edit movies starring his younger brother, cousins and friends.

This early filmmaking continued including working as a cameraman and editor in the sports department of Univision's Miami affiliate at 17, while making short films at Miami -- Dade Community College. A stint as a cameraman and editor followed for Miami's Jewish Federation Television, where he also directed various talk shows.

This hands-on experience provided the inspiration for the mostly self taught filmmaker to move to Los Angeles at 22. Landing various odd-jobs including writing and producing on-air promos for Fox in Latin America, his break came at 24 when he was hired as a staff writer on a soap opera.

After, he quickly landed his first directing job on Real Stories of the Highway Patrol, where Menendez's slick-looking reenactments helped make the show a national syndicated success. From Real Stories, he moved to Placas for Telemundo. Over a three-year period, he directed 215 reenactments along with editing and often writing these mini movies.

His extensive television directing credits include winning an Alma Award for Outstanding Directing in A Comedy for Nickelodeon series The Brothers Garcia in 2001. As a writer, Menendez' other scripting credits include the PBS kids show Dragon Tales, and staff writer on Fox's Luis Guzman sitcom, and HBO's The Twelve Dancing Princesses.

Also a producer, he along with his wife, Roni Menendez, produced the reality television series Urban Jungle for SiTV, under their company's Narrow Bridge banner.

Born in New York and raised in Miami, Menendez is the son of Cuban exiles. He currently lives in Los Angeles.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2007.

Joe Menendez Facts

OccupationDirector
BirthdayJune 23, 1969 (54)
SignCancer
BirthplaceNew York, New York, USA
Height6' 2" (1m88)  How tall is Joe Menendez compared to you?

Selected Filmography

Just Add Brains
Ladron Que Roba A Ladron
Legends of the Hidden Temple
Ladrones
A Golden Christmas: The Second Tail
Quiero ser fiel
Ladron que roba a ladron ESP
Self-Contained
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