Martinez is credited as a writer of 13 screenplays, a director of six feature films and additionally, has produced two films.
He wrote and directed the recent critically acclaimed Filipino musical film, I Do Bidoo Bidoo, the box office hit comedy Here Comes the Bride and and has collaborated with Marlon Rivera in the award winning film 100 (2008). He is also known for his screenplays of The Woman in the Septic Tank, Bridal Shower, Bikini Open, Sukob, Caregiver and the Kimmy Dora series.
In 2008, he directed, wrote and produced 100 which won Best Director, Best Screenplay, Audience Choice, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress from the 2008 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. 100 also won Audience Choice at the prestigious Pusan International Film Festival in South Korea and the Prix Guimet at the Vesoul International Festival of Asian Films in France. 100 went on to compete and to be screened in festivals all over the world — Marrakesh, Osaka, Paris, New York, Hawaii, Los Angeles, San Diego, Texas, and Vladivostok.
In 2010, he wrote and directed the blockbuster hit and critically acclaimed film, Here Comes the Bride, which screened at the Pusan International Film Festival. It went on to be screened at the Udine International Film Festival in Italy.
In 2011, he won his second Cinemalaya Best Screenplay award for Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank) which he also co-produced. The film won five major awards including Best Picture at the Philippines’ most prestigious local film festival. He was also nominated for the same film in the recent Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong.
As playwright, he has won Palanca Memorial Awards For Literature for his plays Last Order sa Penguin, Welcome to IntelStar and Our Lady of Arlegui.
Martinez has authored three books including Last Order sa Penguin, Laugh Trip and Our Lady of Arlegui.
The Asia Pacific Screen Academy expresses its respect for and acknowledgement of the South East Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners of country, including the custodial communities on whose land works are created and celebrated by the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. We acknowledge the continuing connection to land, waters and communities. We also pay our respects to Elders, past and present. We recognise the integral role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and First Nations peoples continue to play in storytelling and celebration spaces.
