Martín Gustavo Castañeda Yábar

James Stone heashot

Martín Gustavo Castañeda Yábar

MFA, Vermont College of Fine Arts
mcastaneda82@unm.edu

Martín Gustavo Castañeda Yábar self-identified as an artist for the first time during winter break of 2023. It was Freudian slip he decided to keep.

Awards, yes, he received a Royal Reel 2016 Award at the Canada International Film Festival for his first finished feature length screenplay: “Written by Victors”. His film “Box” won Best Experimental Film at the 2015 Oregon International Film Awards. And then some other shorts made it into some rando festivals. Point is, he’s still at it trying to write and direct, even produce. He’s always thinking in his next film, but of course life gets in the way.

And also “he didn’t make it” at the United States of American Film Industry.

You know, “could not take it; wasn’t made for”.

It’s true, he never had the patience for tolerating pretty much every type of abuse (not sexual tho, because you know: I’m a guy) in order to who knows when become part of such and such union that would grant him rights in the industry. He was so crazy as to evangelize other PA’s into forming a PA union with him. lol.

And yet he would totally “sell out” the moment anyone would offer him to produce something he’s developing, or even allowing him to direct.

He is indeed fine with making as much money as possible and being an artist.

So what we got, at least for now, is a White Latino Peruvian Queer United States Army Combat Disabled Veteran, with an MFA in Film from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and MA in Producing from Seattle Film Institute. He currently works at The University of New Mexico as UCAM’s Creative Services Senior Multimedia Director and Producer, and Temporary Adjunct Faculty in the Film and Digital Media Arts department. He spends most of his time figuring out stories while riding his mountain bike, low key chasing/being chased by a thunderstorm.

You’ll love or hate them.