Featuring Joel Sandvos
Director and Cinematographer
Joel Sandvos has a keen eye – a great quality for a director and cinematographer, and a deep heart – a great quality for a storyteller. Joel brings his compelling storytelling to film in ways that bring awareness to human rights concerns and promote justice worldwide.
Born in Nevada and raised in California, Joel, from an early age, was drawn to filmmaking. He created funny commercials and short films with his friends, using his parents' video camera. After high school, he worked on various music projects instead of attending college and met his wife, Adrienne, in 2004 while playing drums in a touring band. It wasn't until after they were married in 2005 that Joel decided to move into the realm of filmmaking. After years of working in various jobs, including construction and welding, Joel began learning professional editing programs by night and saved up for his own camera equipment before starting his own production company as a camera operator and editor. In 2010, he began his filmmaking career with his first solo project, The Pink Room.
Not only was The Pink Room his directorial debut, but it presented him with many life-changing experiences and emotions. The filming left him feeling helpless, heart-broken, and furious that young children were abused in such terrible ways. But he also experienced joy in hearing the stories of those who were rescued and restored. His hope was that the world would know that this problem is not too big and that everyone can do something to help those trapped in sex trafficking.
The Pink Room made a tremendous impact by bringing awareness of sex trafficking – especially the abuse of virgin girls – to the world. The Pink Room garnered over a dozen film festival awards and a regional Emmy in California in 2014.
Since then, Joel's film projects have spanned the globe, from documenting tribal superstitious killings in Ethiopia, to filming a television series that deals with the rehabilitation of inmates inside San Quentin State Prison. His most recent and highly anticipated film, Tending Clouds was completed in 2020.
G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice is pleased to present a special screening of Tending Clouds at our 6th Anniversary Celebration and Film Festival on September 19, 2020.