power in just a whisper. Maria
Alvarez moves through the
world this way, with a soft spo-
ken, unassuming nature, almost
dream-like with a manner that's
highly settled and contempla-
tive. Her filmmaking perfectly
reflects her disposition, and her
latest project suggests talent
that belies her 18 years.
edited the award-winning
documentary, "From My Head
To Hers," an exploration of the
hair donation process. It draws
from the experiences of Kenzie
Jackson, a wig recipient who was
born with alopecia (baldness),
and Alvarez, who places herself
in front of the camera as a hair
donor.
and international film festivals,
won three esteemed awards:
Best Direction at the 2015 At-
lanta Independent Film Festival,
Best Overall at the 2016 Cleve-
land Short Sweet Film Fest, and
the 2016 Google Breakthrough
Technology Award at the 59th
San Francisco International Film
Festival.
YouTube channel, MVA Films,
and on a website belonging to
Wigs For Kids (wigsforkids.org),
a local non-profit that donates
wigs to children in need, free of
charge.
style is how much she incorpo-
rates movement, whether it's the
camera in motion or the subjects
in her frame, or both. "It makes
you feel like you're actually in the
scene, watching what's happen-
ing," Alvarez explains. She also
ry image, creating mystery, then
she slowly brings the picture
into focus, pulling the viewer in
and revealing the circumstances.
Alvarez is the first in her immi-
grant family to attend college.
A significant part of her visual
education, however, first came
while growing up, through the
example of her parents, both of
whom are artists themselves.
Her mother Wanda, a former
Dutch model, is a make-up artist,
and her father Luis, a Spanish
photographer, is the co-founder
of Aquage, a salon-only hair care
and styling supply manufacturer.
Aquage also supports Wigs for
Kids, and that's how Alvarez was
introduced to its services.
my dad taught me how to look
for good shots."
own video camera, she filmed
at every bar/bat mitzvah she
attended while in middle school.
She also created many music vid-
eos, with Kesha, the pop star of
the moment then, providing the
sound track. When she entered
high school, she began shooting
more serious content in the form
of short films, and used music in
more expressive ways to convey
mood and drama.
$1,000 through the website In-
diegogo, designed for this type
of crowdfunding. In the video
pitch she posted, she detailed
her interest in filming the hair
donation process from start to
finish, which required a trip to
Bologna, Italy where a manufac-
turing facility is located. What
she captured there is an amazing
· Maria cuts off 14 inches of her hair for Kenzie's wig.
· Each hair is individually inserted in Kenzie's new wig.
· Kenzie waits to receive her new wig in Cleveland.
· Kenzie wearing her new wig.