Natalia Almada

Natalia Almada is a Stanford University Assistant Professor and 2012 MacArthur Fellow renowned for her lyrical documentary and narrative films that explore Mexican-American cultural memory, bureaucracy, and violence. Her work spans multiple genres including documentary, experimental narrative, and fiction.

• Academia: Stanford University faculty since 2012
• Residence: Mexico City and San Francisco

Education:

• MFA in Photography - Rhode Island School of Design (2001)
• BFA - College of Santa Fe (1995)

Her films examine:

• Political legacy through El General (2009) and family connection to Mexican president Plutarco Elías Calles
• Mexican social dynamics in Al Otro Lado (2005) and El Velador (2011)
• Bureaucracy's psychological impact in Todo lo demás (2016)
• Technological dependency in Users (2021)
• Memory and illness in upcoming Captions Will Be Needed (2025)

Major Awards:

• MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship (2012)
• Guggenheim Fellowship (2008)
• Two Sundance Documentary Directing Awards (2009, 2021)
• United States Artists Fellowship (2010)
• Alpert Award (2011)

Her filmography shows a progression from:

• Early works exploring cross-border identity and drug trade (2001-2005)
• Political legacy films (2009)
• Psychological studies of institutional workers (2016)
• Science fiction reflections on technology's emotional impact (2021-2025)

Contact: nalmada@stanford.edu | Altamura Films