Film Honoraria

Rafael Samanez

Princess Grace Award:
Film Graduate, 2018

Rafael Samanez was born in Bahia, Brazil and grew up in Cleveland, OH. He now resides in the Bronx, NY where he is in his second year of an MFA in film at The City College of New York. His work as a community organizer is a source of inspiration for his films. He has been awarded the Frederick Douglass Award, Union Square Award, New York State Assembly Citation, and New York State Senate Citation. Samanez’s films delve into the intersectionality of gender, critical race theory, migration, class, and religion. His current work revolves around the plight of transgender immigrants in New York City.