Irene Vélez Torres is a Puerto Rican director, writer, and producer. She is best known for her work on the feature film “Tres veces Ana” and the Netflix show “Tiempo de Cuaresma.”
Vélez Torres was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and grew up in a rural town of Ciales. She attended the University of Puerto Rico, where she earned her degree in Film and Television Production. After graduating, she moved to New York City, where she worked on independent film projects before landing a job as a production assistant at HBO.
In 2018, Vélez Torres made her directorial debut with the feature film “Tres veces Ana,” which premiered at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. The film was well-received and went on to win the Grand Prize at the 2019 International Film Festival of Guadalajara. The film follows the story of a young woman, Ana, who is struggling to come to terms with her past, present, and future.
Vélez Torres went on to direct and produce the Netflix show “Tiempo de Cuaresma.” The show is set in Puerto Rico and follows the lives of two families during the Lenten season. The six-part series was released in 2020 and was praised for its realism and attention to detail.
In addition to her work in film and television, Vélez Torres has also directed music videos for Puerto Rican artists such as Residente and Bad Bunny, as well as a short film for the United Nations Development Programme.
Vélez Torres is a committed advocate for women’s rights and social justice. In 2017, she was named as one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in Puerto Rico by El Vocero. She is currently working on her next feature film, which is set to be released in 2021.
