Emilia Mendieta Cordova

Hailing from Wichita, Kansas by the way of Quito, Ecuador, Emilia Mendieta Córdova is an Ecuadorian-American Cinematographer with a passion for bold visual storytelling. She is a graduate of Vassar College and has an MFA in cinematography from the AFIConservatory. Emilia is a three-time Women in Media Altitude Awards for excellence in camera and lighting semi-finalist for 2022, 2023 and 2024 was selected for the 2023 ASC Vision Mentorship Program. She was also selected to be a Cinematography Fellow as part of the Inaugural Women in Film Fellowships in 2023. Emilia has lensed award-winning films that have screened at the LALIFF, LA Shorts, LAIFF, Portland Film Festival, Golden State Film Festival, Cinequest, and the CineGear Film Series. Among her notable collaborations include the LFI Inclusion Fellowship short TRENDING, AGUAMADRE from Season 2 of the Walmart x Mitú Fellowhip, Mark S. Allen’s feature directing debut AMY’S F-IT LIST and over 16 award-winning music video collaborations with Charley Young. Emilia also shot a short-form food show and PROMAX-nominated promos for ABC10 (KXTV). Emilia has worked as an educator - teaching or guest lecturing at the AFI Conservatory, USFQ, UDLA, University of New Orleans and CSUN. She previously worked at the AFI Conservatory where she helped run the 35mm Visual Essay Program and the Cinematography Intensive for Women Program. While Emilia works primarily as a Cinematographer, she is a member of the Ecuador-based El Viaje Films Collective and is currently one of the hosts of The ICF⁺C’s Podcast. She is also one of the founders of the Ecuadorian Creative Collective. Emilia is multilingual (English, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese), a classically-trained cellist, amateur Astrophotographer, culinary arts enthusiast, and a massive Star Wars fan. She is also a drone pilot. Emilia is a member of the ICF⁺C (International Collective of Female⁺ Cinematographers), the Chicana Directors Initiative, Women in Film, and NALIP.