Ryan Balas member of the Judging Panel of the NY Portuguese Short Film Festival 2018.

Biography

A midwestern transplant living in New York City, Ryan began studying as an actor before making the transition into notable director of largely independent films, editorial documentaries and short form web content like ‘The Really Cool Show (an early youtube web series with over 20 million views).

He has directed over 13 feature films. Additionally, he is an award winning cinematographer, having shot as many films for other people, as he’s directed on his own. He’s married to actress Dee Herlihy, whom he met while studying at an acting conservatory.

His work is recognized for it’s authentic performances and beautiful, organic cinematography. In between films, he makes sexy food videos, for commercial clients. Ryan is the co-founder of Robel Films, an NYC based independent film production company. Their motto has always been “quit making your masterpiece and start making your movie”.