Juan Antonio Méndez Rodríguez, alias Xun Sero, is a filmmaker, cinematographer and film editor, born in Chiapas, Mexico. In 2008, he made his first short film titled K’in Paxion, a documentary that portrays the carnival at his home town, Mitontic. This short film opened the door for him to be invited to audiovisual training workshops.
His training in filmmaking has been through workshops and documentary film certificate programs, such as Ambulante Más Allá, San Cristóbal de Las Casas Documentary Film School, Talents Guadalajara, “El CCC con Patas” from Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica (CCC), among others.
His debut film, MOM, had its world premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival; its national premiere at the Guadalajara International Film Festival; and its European premiere at IDFA – International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. To date, the film has received 20 awards. Variety Magazine considered MOM “one of the 10 Mexican films that contribute to diversity and giving voice to that diversity” in 2022. Currently, he is filming his second documentary feature, OF INDIGENOUS ASPECT.
His works as a cinematographer includes the following: CH’UL BE, SACRED PATH by director Humberto Gómez Pérez; NEGRA and NYANGA by director Medhin Tewolde Serrano; KUXLEJAL / LIFE by director Elke Franke; GIFT OF BEING by director Néstor A. Jiménez.
He has given lectures and conducted workshops on Film Project Development, Film Direction and Cinematography, in institutions and organizations such as: San Cristóbal de Las Casas Documentary Film School, Ambulante Más Allá, Polos Audiovisuales, Red Nacional de Arte, Retina Latina, among others.
He has been a film project advisor and a juror for different film grants and awards in Mexico.
