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NARROW BRIDGE FILMS
NARROW BRIDGE FILMS
WHO WE ARE...
JOE MENENDEZ
Award-winning writer/producer/director Joe Menendez most recently directed (and edited) LADRON QUE ROBA A LADRON for Lionsgate Films, which opened in 340 theaters nationwide on August 31st, 2007 and went on to boast a record grossing opening weekend for a Spanish-language film in the U.S..
Menendez has directed over 60 hours of television, written numerous teleplays and produced a reality TV show. A veteran of both single and multi-camera, Menendez has directed IMAGINATION MOVERS for Disney Channel and multiple episodes for several Nickelodeon shows including JUST JORDAN, UNFABULOUS, NED'S DECLASSIFIED SCHOOL SURVIVAL GUIDE, TAINA and THE BROTHERS GARCIA for which he won an Alma Award for OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A COMEDY in 2001. 
Menendez has also directed an episode of CUTS for the network formerly known as UPN, served as a Consulting Producer on THE PLAYBOOK for Spike TV starring Donald Faison, and in 2005 he sold a pilot to Nickelodeon called COUSINS. Additionally, he wrote two episodes for the PBS kids show DRAGON TALES and produced a reality TV series for the upstart cable network SiTV called, URBAN JUNGLE.
In 2003, Menendez was a Staff Writer on the FOX sitcom, LUIS starring Luis Guzman and his second feature film, HUNTING OF MAN, which he edited, wrote and directed in 2002, WON BEST PICTURE at the 2003 New York Latino International Film Festival and the coveted FESTIVAL DIRECTOR AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE at the 2003 Method Fest where Menendez was also nominated for Best Director. The film is available on DVD.
From the 1999 through 2001 seasons, Menendez directed multiple episodes for three different Columbia Tri-Star multi-camera half hours: LOS BELTRAN, VIVA VEGAS and the “One Day At A Time” remake, SOLO EN AMERICA, which aired on the Telemundo Network. Menendez also wrote several episodes for LOS BELTRAN.
Menendez went into half-hours after a three-year run on another Telemundo show, called PLACAS, where he was hired at age 26, to direct reenactments for this reality-based TV show. During its run, he ended up directing no less than 215 reenactments for PLACAS. In 1995, a year before taking the daunting reigns at PLACAS, Menendez directed over 20 reenactments for the nationally syndicated TV show: REAL STORIES OF THE HIGHWAY PATROL. REAL STORIES was literally wedged between two writing assignments for HBO.
The first came in 1994, when HBO commissioned Menendez, on his 25th birthday no less, to write "Cinderella" for HBO's new animated series HAPPILY EVER AFTER: STORIES FOR EVERY CHILD. On that show, Jimmy Smits, Edward James Olmos, Raquel Welch, Daphne Zuniga and Sonia Braga supplied the voices. Then in 1996, Menendez wrote "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" for the same HBO series, this one featuring the voice talents of Jon Secada, Daisy Fuentes, Hector Elizondo and Liz Torres.
Born in New York City of Cuban exile parents and raised in Miami, at the raw age of seven, Menendez commandeered his grandmother's Super 8 movie camera and began directing, shooting and editing little movies starring his little brother, cousins and friends. He moved to L.A. from Miami in 1992. Since then, he’s never stopped working as either a writer or a director or both.
RONI MENENDEZ
Roni Menendez has amassed a wide-variety of credits ranging from features and reality shows to documentaries and late-night TV. She most recently produced the feature film “Ladron Que Roba A Ladron” which was released by Lionsgate August 31, 2007.
Roni produced two seasons of the hit reality show “Urban Jungle” for SiTV. “Urban Jungle” takes nine privileged suburbanites and places them in the inner-city for one month. Leaving all their amenities behind, they have to get a job and learn how to survive on minimum wage. The contestant that best adapts to their new surroundings wins $50,000 dollars. The New York Times said “Urban Jungle appreciates the struggles of the urban poor and moral charge of hard work.”
In 2003, Roni produced “Hunting of Man” starring Douglas Spain (“Band of Brothers”, “Star Maps”). “Hunting of Man” has won several awards including Best Picture at the New York Latino International Film Festival and the coveted Festival Director’s Award for Best Film at the 2003 Method Fest.
In 2001, Roni produced Jon Bokenkamp’s (“Taking Lives”) directorial debut “Bad Seed”, starring Luke Wilson and Dennis Farina. The picture is currently available from Artisan Home Entertainment.
Her first feature, “Scrapbook”, starring Justin Urich (“The Rage: Carrie 2”) and Eric Balfour (“24”, “Six Feet Under”) screened in over 15 film festivals, received rave reviews in “Variety” and “The Hollywood Reporter” and has won two audience awards and one grand jury prize. In 2000, Porchlight Entertainment picked up “Scrapbook” for domestic and international distribution.
Upon graduation from the prestigious USC School of Cinema-Television, Roni worked as the associate producer on “After Sunset: The Life and Times of the Drive-in Theater.” Hailed by Leonard Maltin as, “a distinct piece of
While at USC, she produced and edited several short films including “Remembrances”, which screened at several film festivals, including the 1995 Telluride Film Festival. “Remembrances” won the Silver Award for best short subject at the 1996 Houston Worldfest, and a 1995 CINE Golden Eagle for Outstanding Short Film.
In addition to working in various productorial capacities for companies like Vin DiBona and Columbia Tri-Star, Roni has served as a field producer for “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on ABC and a production manager for “Con” on Comedy Central.