Maritza Navarro is a filmmaker and artist who moves between the mediums of documentary and dance. Her work explores layered non-fiction storytelling in film, television, live theater, and movement.
Her love of storytelling was born daydreaming in the muddy fields and endless clouds in Texas and has continued as she produces television, film and live performances in Los Angeles for the last 16 years. As a first-generation Mexican-American, her artistic aesthetic is shaped by the passion, magic, and perseverance of her ancestors.
With a Master of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Southern California, Navarro’s work as a filmmaker and choreographer centers on intersectional themes, approaching complex topics with empathy, while highlighting stories of mental health, identity, the queer community, the Latine experience, and spirituality. She engages with her work outside the binary, honoring the fact that stories have more than two sides, and finding beauty in the contradictions.
Her producing and editing credits include television and podcasts for Amazon, Netflix, Viceland, Starz, HBO, A&E, TLC, Snapchat, SiriusXM, and Spotify. She got her start in documentary on the Emmy Award-winning series Intervention and more recently produced for the series We’re Here on HBO.
In spite of working in television for more than a decade, she believes that the humans inside the story and behind the camera should always come first and applies that belief as a part of her creative process. Her interviews and work with Paris Hilton, Cardi B, J. Balvin, Karamo Brown, Becky G., Addison Rae, Gina Rodriguez and America Ferrera are some of the highlights of her career so far. Interviewing and rehearsing with people to honor the essence of each individual’s story continues to be her favorite part of filmmaking and creating, regardless of celebrity.
As a choreographer, Navarro’s work has been showcased at the SXSW Film Festival, Dance Magazine, New Filmmakers Los Angeles, Athens International Art Film Festival, and CMore...