who is six eye films?

Founded by journalists, Six Eye Films produces observational documentaries and journalism rooted in the American South. Through character-driven nonfiction, we follow people living through the pressures reshaping daily life, labor, migration, and climate.

The name Six Eye Films emerged when we encountered a reading from Their Eyes Were Watching God at Zora Neale Hurston’s gravesite in Fort Pierce, Florida:

“Six eyes were questioning God.”

In the novel, the line describes three people watching an approaching hurricane, confronting forces larger than themselves. The line stayed with us because it speaks to the act of witnessing people living through uncertainty and change, and to looking carefully at the world together.

We keep returning to it while making our work.

our Team

Co-Founder
José Jesús Zaragoza is a writer, director, cinematographer and journalist based in West Palm Beach, Fla.
He was born in Eagle Pass, Texas, to a family of migrant farmworkers. He began his journalism career writing for a bilingual newspaper covering the U.S.-Mexico border. After moving to Florida, he worked as a writer and photojournalist, eventually becoming the publisher of three newspapers serving communities near the Everglades.
José is the co-founder of Subtropic Film Fest, which showcases independent filmmakers in South Florida, and serves on the advisory board of Stet News, advising on video reporting and governance.
You can follow him on Instagram @transompitcher

Co-Founder
Max Maldonado is a visual journalist and filmmaker based in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Growing up in Florida, Max Maldonado developed a deep fascination with the state’s complex history, politics, and relationship with nature.
Max is a graduate of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism.
Max has contributed to investigative projects for FRONTLINE and ProPublica and was a reporter for Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting on their Peabody-nominated COVID Tracking Project miniseries.
You can follow him on Instagram @max_take_photoand on Twitter @max_write_story

Producer and Editor
Emily Sternlicht is a documentary filmmaker, video journalist, producer, and film editor based in New York City.
Emily was a Producer on the Emmy and Peabody Award nominated investigative documentary South Korea’s Adoption Reckoning for FRONTLINE, in partnership with the Associated Press. She has edited and produced videos, episodic series and films for nonfiction media outlets including VICE, The New York Times, HBO, Showtime and CNBC.
Emily's directorial debut, the short documentary film A Desert is an Ocean, premiered at the 2023 Woodstock International Film Festival, and was nominated for the Oscar-qualifying Best Short Documentary award. She holds a Master’s Degree in Journalism (Documentary Film specialization) from the City University of New York's Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism.

In the news

WLRN/NPR: ‘Without Shade, Without Rest’: film shows Florida farmworkers facing rising heat, fading protections

WLRN/NPR | Wilkine Brutus

LISTEN HERE
REVEAL: ICE Took Mom and Dad. Now the Kids Are on Their Own.

A Reveal production in partnership with Six Eye Films.

LISTEN HERE
Orlando Weekly: Florida filmmakers take ‘human-centric’ approach in documentary on workers’ fight for heat protections

Orlando Weekly | McKenna Schueler

READ HERE

Our Board

Jose R. Mendez

Artist, Educator & Cultural Organizer
Co-founder of Day of the Dead Lake Worth Beach & Taco Fiesta and former Gallery Coordinator at Hatch 1121, Jose partners with South Florida institutions to expand access to the arts and celebrate Hispanic culture through community-based programming. To learn more about his work, visit R.Dot Art.
David Rae

Community Organizer & Youth Advocate
Based in South Florida, Dee is a grassroots leader focused on Organizing, Advocacy, and Activism. From youth mentoring to environmental justice, Dee’s efforts are focused in Palm Beach County. With Jamaican Sephardic roots, he bridges cultures and communities, empowering the future generations through action. To learn more about his work, click here.
Andrea Sarcos

Photojournalist & Artist in Residence
An Artist in Residence at the Arts Warehouse and member of Women Photograph, Andrea documents migration and identity through a personal lens shaped by her experience as an immigrant from Venezuela. To learn more about her work, visit her website.