Store
Samuel López is a two spirit man from El Salvador. His directorial première was Samuel & Samanta a short from 1993 co-directed with Jorge Lozano. Most of his work is related to HIV, El Salvador and the 2SLGBTQIA communities. Samuel has a passion for documentary. “Having lived a civil war where there was censorship to information, made me very interested in documentaries. I am sure that’s where my inspiration comes from”, he says.
López has received several awards for his films: The sugarcane and Walking in these shoes. His most recent work is Johnny turn to god from 2022
I co-directed Walking In These Shoes, after a friend, Christian, told me about the commissioned research grants from Viral Interventions. We were mourning the death of Derek Yee, our dear friend, activist and mentor. The main purpose was to hear from others what they thought about his last days of life. We found out that Derek died at home waiting for a bed at the only HIV specialty hospital in the world, located in Toronto, Ontario. In my personal experience, I felt overwhelmed by the story and yet I felt inspired by the words of those we interviewed. There is disappointment, shock, surprise and even anger being expressed by Derek's friends and service providers. Creating this short film at York University, helped me deal with the pain I experienced after Derek's death due to lack of access to Casey House
Samuel E. López
177 Mutual St. suite 601 647.898.4652
Toronto, Ontario M5B 2P6, Canada
samuelernestolopez@gmail.com https://filmfreeway.com/Samuel...">https://filmfreeway.com/Samuel...">https://filmfreeway.com/Samuel...
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Multilingual Community Interpreter Services 2007-2019
(Toronto, Ontario),
SPANISH INTERPRETER/ TRANSLATOR
Abya Yala Communications 2006-Present
(San Salvador, El Salvador and Toronto, Canada)
TEACHER, INTERPRETER AND TRANSLATOR
International Ministries 2004-2014
(El Salvador)
INTERPRETER, TRANSLATOR AND CULTURAL LIAISON
Giraffe Multimedia Inc. (Toronto, Ontario), 2007—present
ACTOR
Independent actor for educational videos. Script-editing and voiceovers for instructional
multimedia company.
FILMMAKING
“Jhonny Vaya con Dios” (“Jhonny Turn to God”) Documentary Short, 2022
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/WRITER
“Walking in these shoes” Documentary short, 2021.
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/WRITER
Commissioned by Viral Interventions, York University
“El Cañaveral” (“The Sugarcane”) Documentary, 2013.
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/WRITER
Premiered at The 35th New Latin American Cinema Film Festival in Havana 2013
Showcased at Alucine Toronto Latino Media Festival 2014;
Pink Latino Film Festival World Pride Toronto 2014;
Festival LiberCine Buenos Aires, Argentina 2014
AIDS 2014
Grand Opening at the V Film Festival La Otra
Banqueta, Guatemala City, 2016
Nexus Santé, Educational Forums on Health Partnerships among franco-ontariens, 2013
Latinos Positivos Toronto, Educational Videos on HIV Treatment in Spanish, 2012
Canadian Aids Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE), Educational Videos on HIV
Treatment, 2012
“Nuestras Caras, Nuestras Historias” (Our Faces, Our Stories), 12”21, 2008.
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/WRITER
Shown at the Global Village at the International AIDS Conference México City 2008, InsideOut
2009; Alucine Toronto Latino Media Festival 2009; Reelout 2010 (Kingston, Ontario) and
workshops and events for AIDS Services Organizations in Toronto 2010, 2011 and part of a
workshop in the official International AIDS Conference, Washington, DC, 2012
“Samuel and Samantha” (23 min.) Dir. Jorge Lozano/ Samuel López, 1993.
CO-DIRECTOR/ACTOR
Speaks to the challenges that Latino gay men face in Toronto, within their own community and
the gay community at large.
SCREENWRITING
El Silencio (“Breaking the Silence”) Dir. Gricel Severino (Script Consultant), 2009
L’histoire d ́Henri, 1996
GRANTS/ AWARDS
“Walking in these shoes.”
Viral Interventions commissioned York University 2021
Sivar en Cortos, Best Film Award 2022
“El Cañaveral”
Toronto Arts Council Media Artist 2010
Canada Council for the Arts Media Arts 2010
NFB FAP 2010
Rainbow Grant Community One Foundation 2010
Ontario Arts Council Media Artists 2011
Alucine Best Local Emerging Filmmaker Award 2014
“Jhonny Vaya Con Dios”
Toronto Arts Council Media Artists Award 2012
Ontario Arts Council Media Artists 2013
Canada Council for the Arts Media Arts 2013
NFB FAP 2013
PUBLICATIONS
Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange, The Positive Side, 2010
Art Posi+ive: Latino Positivo
http://www.catie.ca/en/positiv...
https://www.thebody.com/articl...
ACTOR/ THEATRE
Samanta Trench, 1990-1999
DRAG QUEEN
Stage performance
Impersonator of Latin divas
“La Rabia” Ritmo y Color/ Harbourfront Centre (Toronto, Ontario), 1998
DIRECTOR/ACTOR
“Collares” Dir. Alejandra Núñez (Toronto, Ontario), 1996
ACTOR/SCRIPT
DQ Productions/Casey House (Toronto, Ontario), 1995
FEMALE IMPERSONATOR
“Skin Deep” Dir. Midi Onodera Productions (Toronto, Ontario), 1994
ACTOR
“The Three Sevens” Dir. Jorge Lozano (Toronto, Ontario), 1994
ACTOR
EDUCATION
ILSAT ACCREDITED COMMUNITY INTERPRETER (SPANISH), 2007
MULTILINGUAL COMMUNITY INTERPRETER SERVICES (GOVERNMENT OF ONTARIO)
CERTIFIED TESOL INSTRUCTOR, 2002
(LATIE TORONTO, ONTARIO)
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO (1989 – 1994)
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STUDIES