Hector Acebes

Hector Acebes (born 1921) is an American filmmaker and photographer whose work spans documentary expeditions, industrial films, and cross‑continental storytelling. Born in New York City and raised in Madrid, he attended Colegio del Pilar before his family’s move to Bogotá, Colombia, where he studied at Gimnasio Moderno. Returning to the U.S. for high school at the New York Military Academy, he honed his technical skills in the camera club and through self‑directed study.

After graduating from Chauncey Hall School in Boston, Acebes enrolled at MIT to study engineering while operating his own photo studio. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in Germany, then completed his degree and relocated with his wife to Bogotá. Throughout the late 1940s and 1950s, he mounted expeditions across Africa and South America, photographing indigenous cultures and landscapes for both personal and educational purposes.

By the late 1950s, Acebes founded Acebes Productions, writing, filming, directing, and editing over forty documentary and industrial films. His productions earned acclaim for their technical precision, narrative clarity, and cultural empathy—qualities that reflect his dual expertise in engineering and visual storytelling. A sought‑after lecturer, Acebes has shared insights from his global travels and film‑making process with audiences in both North and South America.