A Journey Through Cinema
and Identity
I was born in 1975 in Lima, a city full of contrasts and stories. From a young age, I found my natural form of expression through art, first through painting and photography, but it was in film that I discovered the depth I had always been searching for to express myself.
For me, film is not just a profession but a way of life. And I am ready for the next chapter with the same passion with which it all began. Each project is another step along my journey. Today, storytelling is a shared experience with people who believe in the same vision.
My Journey Through Filmmaking and Education
I have presented my work at international festivals such as the Berlinale, Montreal, Rome, Hof, and Guadalajara.
My most recent feature film, Future is a Lonely Place, a revenge thriller funded by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW and co-produced with ZDF/Das kleine Fernsehspiel, premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival (an A-list festival), where it was selected to compete for the "Golden Goblet Award" in 2021 — the only German film selected that year.
As a director, I approach each project with a clear vision, brought to life through careful planning, creative collaboration, and attention to detail. I aim not just to entertain, but to evoke emotions and tell stories that leave a lasting impression. I combine intensity with sensitivity, creating cinematic worlds that not only reflect reality but reinterpret it from a personal perspective, transforming it into moving and enduring stories.
I completed a postgraduate program in Film and Cinematic Storytelling at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne (KHM), graduating with honors. Before that, I earned a Master's degree in Film Directing and Screenwriting at a film school in Barcelona. My first academic training was in audiovisual communication at the Instituto Peruano de Publicidad (IPP) in Peru, specializing in advertising and marketing.
Nominations and Awards
at Film Festivals
SHANGHAI
INTERNATIONAL
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition
Nominee, Golden Goblet Award
ROME
INDEPENDENT
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition
Honorable Mention from The Jury
COLOGNE
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition Made in NRW
Nominee, Best Film
MANNHEIM
INTERNATIONAL
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition National
Nominee, Best Film
REIMS POLAR
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition International
Nominee, Best Film
BUENOS AIRES
GERMAN
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition International
Nominee, Best Film
MADRID
GERMAN
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition International
Nominee, Best Film
BERLINALE
BERLIN
FILM FESTIVAL
Perspective on German Cinema
49. Hof
INTERNATIONAL
FILM FESTIVAL
New German Cinema Award
Honorable Mention from The Jury
STUDIO
HAMBURG
AWARD
Young Talent Award
Nominee, Best Director
MONTRÈAL
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition International
Nominee, Best Film
GUADALAJARA
INTERNATIONAL
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition International
Nominee, Maguey Award
SAN FRANCISCO
BERLIN & BEYOND
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition International
Nominee, Best Director
MAINZ
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition National
Nominee, Best Film
COPENHAGEN
GERMAN
FILM DAYS
Official Competition International
Nominee, Best Director
TÜRKIYE
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition National
Nominee, Best Film
EXGROUND
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition National
Nominee, Best Film
47. Hof
INTERNATIONAL
FILM FESTIVAL
New German Cinema Award
Nominee, Best Director
SEHSÜCHTE
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition National
Nominee, Best Film
MEXICO
INTERNATIONAL
FILM FESTIVAL
Official Competition International
Winner, Best Film
A Filmmaker Between
Two Worlds
Moving to Germany marked the beginning of an unexpected journey. Learning the language and shooting short films with limited resources was the first major challenge. Many said it would be impossible to make films here, especially in German, but I didn't listen.
The real breakthrough in my career came through my studies at the renowned Academy of Media Arts, Cologne (KHM). There, I found the creative freedom I had always been searching for, and created films that gained international recognition. Seeing one of them selected and screened at the Berlinale, in front of a full house and an engaged audience, was a dream come true.
One key moment was my participation in the Hof International Film Festival with my feature film Toro (2015). Months later, a Berlinale curator also wanted to include Toro in her program, but the rules prohibited it because it had already been shown at Hof. A few days later, she found a solution: to include the film as part of the festival's anniversary program, a unique opportunity for which I am forever grateful.
Today, my goal is to continue building bridges between Peru and Germany, the country that welcomed and supported me. I want to connect cultures through film and collaborate with those who also aspire to tell stories that know no borders.
Press and Reviews
Kino-Zeit
"The ending that Hawie (...) envisions for his trio of characters confirms, in its harshness and consequence, that this is not about easily digestible action, but rather a serious exploration of broken characters and the bitter consequences of their actions."
- Future is a Lonely Place -
Hessischer Rundfunk
"Unusual, sophisticated, and also unflinching. With a sensational cast of actors. 'Toro' is new German cinema!"
-Toro-
Rbb Kultur
"Future is a Lonely Place is something like the perfect dystopia — a kind of Blade Runner set in a German prison milieu, featuring a highly ambivalent main character and an apocalyptic showdown at the end."
- Future is a Lonely Place -
Süddeutsche Zeitung
Martin Hawie tells an odyssey through black-and-white imagery, desolate settings, and a disturbing soundscape — creating an atmosphere reminiscent of the Oscar-winning film Moonlight.
However, the latter achieves a greater emotional closeness, thanks to the masterful performances of its characters.
- Toro-
Bild Zeitung
“A thriller-drama that may sound simple, but ultimately reveals itself to be surprisingly layered and thought-provoking. The lead trio is excellent, delivering completely believable performances throughout.”
- Future is a Lonely Place -
Berliner Morgen Post
GUILT & ATONEMENT
"This film is a gritty prison drama, the kind rarely seen in German cinema. And it captivates with three outstanding lead actors."
- Future is a Lonely Place -
Filmfestival Cologne
"Outstanding German genre cinema like this is far too rare: (...) they immerse their bleak prison and revenge drama in suitably dark tones, while all actors deliver convincing performances as increasingly desperate antiheroes."
- Future is a Lonely Place -
Frankenpost
"To create intense images, color is not necessary. Director Martin Hawie impressively proved this with his feature film 'Toro'."
-Toro-
Tagesschau – Der Kinobereich
A captivating film with strong performances and visually striking direction. An impressive example of genre cinema, rarely seen in Germany.
- Future is a Lonely Place -
IFF Mannheim Heidelberg
"Dark, gripping, uncompromising: a melancholic study in the guise of a revenge thriller."
- Future is a Lonely Place -
International Film Festival in Mexico
The film is sensitively and artfully crafted, with a female perspective conveyed with great subtlety. The imagery is powerful, clear, and beautiful, supporting the narrative in an impressive way.
- Camille -