Gary Alvarez is an independent filmmaker based in Southeast Los Angeles. Born the youngest of three sons to working-class Mexican immigrants, he was raised in the barrios of Bell before leaving home to study at UC Berkeley and UNAM. Upon graduating, he returned to Los Angeles and taught for 10 years.

In his early 20s Gary embarked on a journey that changed his career path and ultimately his life: he traveled across Mexico coast to coast, penning a manuscript that was originally envisioned as a Chicano version of “On The Road.” A suggestion from a filmmaker friend to adapt it into a screenplay led Gary to enroll in Chapman University's M.F.A Film Production program where he focused on writing and directing.

After film school, Gary has been working professionally as a writer, director and producer. He gravitates towards stories that reflect his experience as a first-gen American in a country that is increasingly hostile towards immigrants like his family.

When not writing or on set, Gary teaches screenwriting and film production to high schoolers in Los Angeles. But what gets him out of bed is the joy of being a first-time dad to his toddler son, Sol Guadalupe.