Juan Manuel Ortiz Valenzuela (Bogotá, 1978) is an independent filmmaker working in fiction and documentary. He studied film at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, completed a directing master’s at Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln, and earned a screenwriting degree from the Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin. He has directed eight short films and the feature SOLA, and has worked as a writer for Komplizen Films, 2 Pilots, Odeon Film, Dynamo and Network Movie. His projects have received international awards and support from institutions such as the HBO AXN Film Festival, Miami Film Festival, Korea Green Festival, Filmstiftung NRW, and the Wim Wenders Foundation.
His writing focuses on contemporary themes through layered narratives and genre-blending. Since 2015, he has been head author and staff writer at Lagerfeuer Writersroom. As a director, he moves between the lines of realism and expressionism, seeking bold imagery and strong performances, with experience in both tightly scripted work and improvisation.
He also runs Canchoso Filmproduktion, fostering creative collaborations between Germany and Latin America.
Juan works in German, English and Spanish.