Francesca Varese is a Director, Writer, Cinematographer, Actress, and Photographer

Francesca Varese has been recognized with various photography awards such as the National Young Arts Competition, Getty Unshuttered, and the Scholastics Art and Writing Awards. Her poems and short stories have also won awards in California, where she currently resides. Born in Los Angeles to a Peruvian father and a Mexican mother, Francesca made her first narrative short film in Jalisco, “El Deseo”, which she also wrote, filmed, and starred in. It was selected for six film festivals and won Best Cinematography and Audience choice at the 2025 Westflix film festival and Best California Student Short at Burbank International film festival. Her documentary, “Voices of Hope”, is about South Africa’s street children’s choirs and won a Scholastic Art and Writing Awards National Silver Medal. Francesca did extensive work as a member of the Academy Museum of Motion Picture’s Teen Council for two years. She has volunteered with Latina activists Dolores Huerta and Monica Ramirez.