Writer, director and animator Zach Passero is an El Paso native who, from a young age, knew he wanted to make visual stories — an inkling fueled mainly by cartoons and Jim Henson. Zach attended the USC Cinema School, focusing on production and animation. He has been working as a director, editor and animator for films, television and commercials. He frequently collaborates as editor for Lucky McKee’s films (Red, The Woman, Tales of Halloween, PCFF 2014 inclusion All Cheerleaders Die and last year’s The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot).
He also edited horror sleeper Jug Face and NBC/Universal’s Brian Keene’s Ghoul. His animation sequences have been featured on Showtime’s Masters of Horror. In 2008, Passero directed the feature film, Wicked Lake. It and his Motel, Glimpse have been shown at the Plaza Classic Film Festival. His animated shorts, created with his wife Hannah, have been touring the world in film festivals.
Zach has been a part of the film festival from the start in 2008. He has curated the Local Flavor showcase with Lucky McKee from 2018 to 2022.
Zach long-gestating animated film The Weird Kidz is now making the film festival rounds.
