Jay Pendarvis Jr.’s Journey: From UVA to Award-Winning Filmmaker

From capturing family vacations to creating award-winning films, Jay Pendarvis Jr.’s journey is a testament to his passion for storytelling. His early fascination with documenting life’s moments has evolved into a promising career in filmmaking.

The University of Virginia graduate’s latest work, a short film titled “See You Soon,” has garnered critical acclaim. Featuring Asante Blackk from “When They See Us” and Isaiah John from “Snowfall,” the film explores a young man’s journey through grief after losing his older brother. This project, produced by Oscar- and Emmy-nominated Carlos Lopez Estrada, won the “Best U.S. Short” award at the prestigious Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Currently pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, Pendarvis began his filmmaking journey shortly before enrolling at UVA in 2020. During his time at the university, he also competed in track events while studying studio art.

Pendarvis’s passion for filmmaking was ignited during the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020. “It was the summer of 2020, and there were all these Black Lives Matter protests. I’m from Annandale, so I would just drive 15 minutes into D.C. every time there was a protest,” he explained.

Witnessing the historic movement, he started documenting the events on his phone, eventually upgrading to a camera. Despite the context, Pendarvis noted the peaceful nature of the protests and the supportive environment that encouraged him to continue his documentation efforts.

His commitment to storytelling persisted through various projects, including “1-15-41,” a poignant documentary about the tragic shootings at UVA on Nov. 13, 2022. This film, which won the Virginia Film Festival’s Programmers Award in 2023, holds personal significance for Pendarvis as it features the loss of student-athletes he knew personally.

The emotional impact of these events inspired Pendarvis to write his first feature film, “Brother’s Keeper,” during an independent study with former cinema lecturer Anna Hogg. The screenplay laid the groundwork for “See You Soon.” Reflecting on his creative process, Pendarvis stated, “I had to think of the best way to tell that story, and I wanted to write about what happens when someone you love gets ripped out of your life.”

Pendarvis’s talent and dedication have not gone unnoticed. After submitting his screenplay to Antigravity Academy, he was accepted and moved to Los Angeles. There, he quickly made strides, signing with M88, a talent management company known for representing high-profile figures like Ryan Coogler and Idris Elba. With Blackk and John agreeing to star in both the short and feature films, Pendarvis’s vision was set in motion.