Isabel Sandoval is a Filipina filmmaker and actress based in New York.
The Museum of Modern Art described Isabel as “a rarity among the young generation of Filipino filmmakers” while Criterion has touted her as "one of the most exciting and multitalented filmmakers on the indie scene."
In 2019, Isabel became the first transgender woman of colour to compete at the Venice Film Festival with her feature ‘Lingua Franca’. The film was nominated for the John Cassavetes Award at the 2021 Independent Spirit Awards and won the award for best narrative feature at the Bentonville Film Festival. For her performance, Isabel was named Best Actress at the 18th International Cinephile Society Awards, and at the Pacific Meridian International Film Festival.
Earlier this year Isabel directed ‘Shangri-La’, a short film for the Prada Group’s acclaimed MIU MIU Women’s Tales series. Currently, Isabel is developing a drama for FX, and a feature film about the haunting of a Spanish conquistador in the 16th century Philippines. Her first two features, ‘Señorita’ and ‘Apparition’, are currently streaming on The Criterion Channel.
