Victor Patrick (VP) Alvarez has devoted his life to storytelling with a mission to uplift others and contribute to a greater collective consciousness. Since childhood, he has been fascinated with the power of cinema—from superhero adventures to the sharp satire of Wag the Dog to the heartfelt drama of Good Will Hunting. To VP, films were never just entertainment; they were pathways to truth, empathy, and transformation. This belief has guided his career across acting, filmmaking, teaching, and mentorship, weaving together a body of work that spans cultures, generations, and mediums.

 

VP’s artistic foundation began at Santa Fe College, where he was awarded a theater scholarship. Immersed in acting, stagecraft, lighting, and set design, he came to appreciate the organic nature of live performance. These formative years taught him that collaboration is the beating heart of any production, and that a director must first understand the raw, unfiltered language of the stage.

 

With an unshakable determination to tell stories through film, VP sold his car to buy his first high-definition camera and moved to New York City, enrolling at Brooklyn College to study filmmaking. There, he seized a rare opportunity: to direct, shoot, and edit his first documentary alongside the late Brittany Murphy. The project became his first break in the industry, teaching him both the artistic rigor and responsibility of documentary filmmaking.

 

Drawn to truth-telling through cinema, VP found his calling in documentary and journalistic filmmaking. He partnered with filmmaker José Enrique Pardo on a documentary chronicling the migration of over two million Cubans. This work resonated deeply: as the son of Cuban immigrants who had been separated from their families as teenagers, VP understood the themes of displacement and cultural identity at a personal level. That journey culminated in Cubamerican (2013), a critically acclaimed documentary exploring Cuban exile identity. The film screened at festivals nationwide and was broadcast on public television in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and South Florida. For VP, Cubamerican was more than a film—it was a reconciliation with his family’s history and a statement about the resilience of identity.

 

In the wake of this success, VP founded mindfull.tv, a production company dedicated to documentaries, journalistic content, and branded storytelling. Through mindfull.tv, he expanded his scope internationally, traveling to Taiwan, Indonesia, and Borneo to produce a television series on natural medicine—later acquired by ABC. The series underscored his belief that storytelling is not only entertainment but also education, showing audiences that “the Earth provides all remedies.”

 

Continuing to explore the intersection of culture and art, VP collaborated with Cuban-American producer Janelle Gueits on 13 Million Voices, a film documenting one of the largest peace concerts ever held in Havana. The project highlighted the struggle of Cuba’s youth as they sought connection with the modern world, and it became the first feature-length documentary under the mindfull.tv banner.

 

For much of his career, VP moved between Los Angeles and New York, creating documentaries that lived at the crossroads of politics, identity, and art. A career milestone came with Revolution Rent (HBO), co-produced with Andy Señor Jr. and Alex Dinelaris. The film chronicled the first Broadway musical staged in Cuba in over 50 years—Rent—and captured the challenges of bringing a story about freedom and identity to a country defined by censorship and restriction. The documentary became a landmark for Cuban-American cultural exchange. For VP, it was also an act of healing, using film to bridge divisions and spark dialogue between his heritage and his American upbringing.

 

VP’s artistic pursuits have never been confined to directing alone. His editing work on Black Man in America (2019), an experimental dance film, was showcased at multiple film festivals, including the San Francisco Dance Film Festival. On-screen, VP stepped into the spotlight with Fenced, a short film in which he played the lead role. His performance earned him Best Actor at the Cross Over Film Festival, affirming his talent both behind and in front of the camera.

 

After years of traveling and creating internationally, VP returned to Florida, where he spent five years teaching high school students editing, cinematography, and storytelling. This chapter proved transformative. Teaching not only deepened his technical mastery but also strengthened his commitment to mentorship. For VP, storytelling became about more than the films he created—it became about empowering a new generation of creators to find their voice.

 

Today, VP has synthesized his years of experience as an actor, director, editor, producer, and teacher into his work as a full-time filmmaker and video coach. Through mindfull.tv and his coaching practice, he guides creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses in crafting stories with purpose and impact. His mission is clear: to merge storytelling with advocacy, to create films that foster cultural healing, and to use art as a tool for consciousness, creativity, and positive change.

 

Beyond filmmaking, VP remains dedicated to service. He has long volunteered at Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, supporting children with cancer and their families. His commitment to community, combined with his passion for storytelling, continues to define his life and career.

 

Follow his journey @vp.videocoach or through his company @mindfull.tv.

 

 

 

 

Career Highlights – Timeline

 

 

• Early Years – Santa Fe College: Theater scholarship; actor, stage hand, set designer. Foundation in stagecraft, lighting, and live performance.

• Move to New York City – Brooklyn College: Directed, shot, and edited first documentary with Brittany Murphy. Realized documentaries were his true calling.

• 2013 – Cubamerican: Collaborated with José Enrique Pardo; explored Cuban exile identity. Screened nationwide; aired on PBS affiliates.

• 2013 – Founded mindfull.tv: Production company dedicated to documentaries, journalism, and branded content.

• 2014–2016 – Natural Medicine Series: Filmed in Taiwan, Indonesia, Borneo. Later acquired by ABC.

• 2015 – 13 Million Voices: Documentary on historic peace concert in Havana, highlighting struggles of Cuban youth.

• 2016–2019 – Revolution Rent (HBO): Co-Directed with Andy Señor Jr. . First Broadway musical staged in Cuba in 50+ years. Cultural and personal milestone.

• 2019 – Black Man in America: Edited experimental dance film; screened at multiple festivals including San Francisco Dance Film Festival.

• 2019 – Fenced: Starred as lead actor; won Best Actor at Cross Over Film Festival.

• 2014–2020 – Teaching in Florida: Taught high school editing, cinematography, and storytelling for five years, deepening passion for mentorship.

• Present – Full-Time Filmmaker & Video Coach: Founder of mindfull.tv; dedicated to guiding creators and businesses in producing purposeful, impactful stories