Justin Burquist

Justin Burquist
Burquist in 2024
Alma mater
Occupations
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
  • cinematographer
  • film producer
  • music video director
Years active2009–present
Known for
Notable credits
AwardsList of Awards
Websitejburq.com

Justin Burquist is an American filmmaker and music video director who directed the films Broken Knuckles (2013), Touch (2022), and was the cinematographer for the films Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea (2023) and Pulp Friction (2021). Burquist's films have won awards at Oceanside International Film Festival and Berlin Short Film Festival.

Early life

Burquist grew up in El Centro[1] and Imperial County, California.[2] He got involved in filmmaking at a young age after his brother brought home a video camera from school.[1] He graduated from Holtville High School in 2001, attended Imperial Valley College[2] and graduated from San Diego State University Imperial Valley Campus in Calexico[3] before moving to Kensington, San Diego.[2][4]

Career

Burquist started his career making short films and music videos,[2] directing videos like Glitter Star by Dynamite Doll.[5] He helped pitch the idea for the Imperial Valley Film Festival which began in 2010,[2] and his work is often submitted there.[6]

In 2013, Burquist started production on the second season of the web series Proxy titled Proxy 2: The Mortido. He cited Brian De Palma and Andrei Tarkovsky as influences.[7] In 2019, Burquist completed a music video he had been working on for more than five years.[8] In 2024, he was the director of photography on a dystopian film called Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea which screened at the 13th Oceanside International Film Festival.[1]

Touch short film

Main article: Touch (2022 film)

Burquist's short film Touch screened at Monster Fest in 2022, opening for the premiere of The Cost by Matthew Holmes.[9] In 2023, it screened at Berlin Short Film Festival,[10] Oceanside International Film Festival,[11] and the San Diego Comic-Con Independent Film Festival,[2] where Burquist was a panelist with actors Eva Ceja and Randy Davison.[12] It was released on Klipist[13] and received positive reviews.[14][15][16]

Filmography

Year Title Director Writer Producer Cinematographer Notes
2009 Lou's Place Yes Yes Yes Yes Short film
2011 Proxy Yes Yes Yes No Web series[7]
2013 Broken Knuckles Yes Yes Yes No Short film[17]
Between Bullets Yes No No No Web series featuring James Kyson[7]
2014 Twisted Road Yes Yes Yes No Short film[17]
2016 A Quintmas Carol Yes No No No Short film[18]
2021 Pulp Friction No No No Yes Short film
2022 Touch Yes Yes No No Short film[2][14][10]
2023 Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea No No No Yes [1][19][12]
TBA A Corpse in Kensington † No No Yes No Featuring Michael Madsen[4]
Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released

Accolades

Festival Year Award Title Result Ref.
Oceanside International Film Festival 2013 Best Picture – Audience Choice Broken Knuckles Won [20]
Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema 2022 Juan Ruiz Anchia Award for Best Cinematography Pulp Friction Nominated
Berlin Short Film Festival 2023 Best Horror Short Film – Audience Choice Touch Won [10]
Imperial Valley Film Festival 2013 Best Cinematography Broken Knuckles Won [21]
Various Artists independent Film Festival 2017 Best Comedy A Quint-mas Carol Won
Imperial Valley Film Festival 2017 Best Music Video One Hundred Twenty by Emerald Portal Won [3]
San Diego Film Awards 2023 Best Narrative Short Film Touch Won [2]
Best Director Nominated [10]
Brightside Tavern Film Festival 2024 Best Director Horror/Thriller Nominated [22]
Best Horror/Thriller Nominated
Best Concept Nominated

References

  1. ^ a b c d Bazarte, Karina (2024-02-02). "Imperial Valley native to screen film at an international film festival". KECY-TV. Archived from the original on 2024-02-03. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Ramos, Katherine (2023-07-27). "Comic-Con 'Touched' by Local's Short Film". Calexico Chronicle. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  3. ^ a b Villero, Joselito (2017-10-16). "Imperial Valley Film Festival features local and international filmmakers". The Desert Review. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  4. ^ a b Sitton, Drew (2024-04-05). "The latest updates in Uptown". SDNews. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
  5. ^ Boyd, Carlton (2019-06-08). "Interview: San Diego Pop Artist/Fashion Designer Dynamite Doll Talks About Her Video "Glitter Star"". Dope Cause We Said. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  6. ^ Teeters-Stewart, Charla (2022). "Hooray for Valleywood!". Imperial Valley Alive. 6 (4): 13, 32 – via Issuu.
  7. ^ a b c Huhn, Taryn (2013-04-02). "San Diego Webseries "Proxy 2: The Mortido" in Production". San Diego Entertainer Magazine. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  8. ^ Ramos, Katherine (2019-10-21). "'Manos Que Nos Hicieron' takes Best of Film Festival". The Desert Review. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  9. ^ La Rosa, Adam (2022-11-28). "The Cost World Premiere Wrap Up". La Rosa Productions. Archived from the original on 2023-02-09. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  10. ^ a b c d Frausto, Elisabeth (2023-06-06). "La Jolla resident has special effect on local film up for San Diego Film Awards". La Jolla Light. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
  11. ^ "OIFF 2023 AWARD NOMINEES". Oceanside International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 2023-02-21. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  12. ^ a b "Comic-Con 2023: Touch". San Diego Comic Con. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  13. ^ "Touch (Short Film) - Watch for free | Klipist". Klipist. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  14. ^ a b Cherry, Rebecca (2023-07-19). "Review: Touch". Film Carnage. Archived from the original on 2023-07-21. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  15. ^ Brewer, Mac (2024-06-20). "Touch (Short Review)". Horror Society. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  16. ^ Thompson, Simon (2024-06-10). "Touch review". Bloody Flicks. Archived from the original on 2024-06-10. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  17. ^ a b Pantovich, Mila (2013-04-10). In this episode: fitness, art, interview with local filmmaker Justin Burquist and music from Blacktop Royalty | SD Entertainer Magazine. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  18. ^ "'Friends of the Film Consortium' screening and "A Simple Twist"". Film Consortium San Diego. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
  19. ^ Brewer, Mac (2023-11-15). "Charybdis Pictures Releases Trailer for Horror Comedy 'HEMET' Ahead of Premiere". Horror Society. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  20. ^ Niles, Lou (2015-01-23). "2013 Highlights". Oceanside International Film Festival. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  21. ^ "Imperial Valley Film Festival". Imperial Valley Press. 2013-08-04. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  22. ^ "March 2024 Award Winners & Nominees". BRIGHTSIDE TAVERN FILM FESTIVAL. Retrieved 2024-05-28.