Lisa Cortés

Lisa Cortés is an Emmy-winning director and producer, renowned for creating challenging, visionary stories and empowering diverse voices. Little Richard: I Am Everything, which she directed and produced, had its world premiere as the opening night selection in the US documentary competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, where it was acquired by Magnolia Films. Also premiering at Sundance was Invisible Beauty, the documentary about Black fashion industry pioneer Bethann Hardison, which she produced.

In 2022, her company, Cortés Filmworks, signed a first-look deal with Blue Ant Studios. Cortés Filmworks also inked a 2023 global development deal with the Museum of the City of New York for documentary projects in the food, social justice, and music genres.

Cortés directed and produced All In: The Fight For Democracy, tracing the violent history of the voting rights struggle, and produced the Emmy-winning HBO documentary The Apollo, which explores African American history through the story of the legendary Apollo Theater. Cortés executive-produced the Academy Award-winning film Precious, and her film productions have received over 80 international awards and nominations.

Cortés launched her early career as a music executive at the iconic Def Jam label and Rush Artist Management; she also was VP of A&R at Mercury Records, and founded the Loose Cannon label.