Ari Maniel Cruz

Arí Maniel Cruz Suárez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1978. (Screenwriter, Director & Producer for Film and TV) Started working at the local public television network WIPR channels 6 & 3, first as a writer for the shows "micasa.com" and "Huellas musicales" later a producer for "En la punta de la lengua". In 2004 he co-directed, co-produced and co-wrote the mini-series "Barrios" also for WIPR. One year later he directed a TV feature film for kids, "Zompi". In 2006 he wrote and directed another TV film, "El brindis del bohemio" portraying one of Puerto Rico's new years eve tradition. From 2005 to 2007, he was one of the on-camera hosts of the prime time cultural television show "Cultura Viva" also on WIPR. From 2007 to 2012 Arí Maniel worked in New York City as a producer and on-camera TV host at V-ME, a US Hispanic Television Network, where later he became an Executive Producer for original programming. During this period he traveled across the US covering major events such as NFL Super Bowl XLIII and XLIV, and the 2008 Elections. In 2011, he wrote the bilingual off-Broadway play "La Barbería" that opened on February 3, 2011 at the New World Stages in NYC, with tremendous success both from the critics and the audience (now a major film to be released in 2019). In 2012 he directed and produced the independent feature film "Under My Nails". The film opened the San Juan International Film Festival in Puerto Rico and won the Special Jury Award and the Best Actress Award. The film also won the Best US Picture Award at the HBO New York International Latino Film Festival. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences along with the Cleveland International Film Festival selected Arí Maniel to a special showcase for directors called "Focus on Filmmakers Latino". In 2013 he had his debut as a Theater Director with the play "La Memoria De Los Elefantes" with excellent reviews and sold out crowds in San Juan. In 2016, he directed and produced the film "Antes que cante el gallo" that won multiple international awards and became a landmark in Puerto Rican cinema. That year he also wrote "Mis planes son amarte" the visual album for Colombian singer Juanes. His next feature followed in 2017 when he wrote and directed "¿Quién eres tú?" a film that stablished Arí Maniel as one of Puerto Rico's most prominent filmmakers. In 2018, he was the Show-runner, 2nd Unit Director and co-writer for the 13 episode Netflix original series "Nicky Jam El Ganador". He also wrote and directed the musical film "Más de un siglo" for the traditional Banco Popular Christmas Special, Puerto Rico's most important local film project.