Nicholas Payne Santos is a filmmaker with a strong background in the industry. Born and raised on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, he is bi-racial with Black and white heritage. Santos received his Master of Fine Arts in Film from Columbia University School of the Arts in 2019. Prior to that, he graduated from Ithaca College in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Cinema & Photography.
Santos' feature directorial debut, IT CUTS DEEP, was released in limited theatrical and VOD on November 13th, 2020, and is now streaming on Showtime and Shudder. The film premiered at Nightstream and had its international premiere at Grimmfest in the UK.
Another notable project, UNCLE PECKERHEAD, was produced by Santos and released in August 2020. The film is a supernatural horror story that has received widespread acclaim, sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Santos is also known for his work on the supernatural horror project STRANGE CREATURES, which was selected for the 2021 Frontieres Market. The film follows a young woman who travels to the site of her missing brother's disappearance and finds herself face to face with evil.
In addition to his work on feature films, Santos has also written screenplays for other projects. His screenplay, YOU KILL ME, was selected for Columbia University's 2021 Blue List in partnership with The Black List. The film is a dark comedy that explores the themes of marriage and self-defense.
Santos' short films, MOTHER F**KER and HOLIDAY FEAR, were both picked up for streaming on Arrow Player in 2021. These films are known for their ability to ask tough questions and put their characters through difficult situations.
In the fall of 2021, Santos produced the supernatural horror feature THE WOUND WOOD, which is currently in post-production. The film follows an arborist and her son as they take a job at a once grand estate and are haunted by sinister woodland spirits.
Santos also produced the horror/thriller feature BURY ME WHEN I'M DEAD, which is also in post-production. The film follows a man who fails to keep his wife's dying wish and is subsequently haunted by a series of tragic events.
Throughout his career, Santos has demonstrated a talent for creating suspenseful and thought-provoking films that explore the darker side of human nature.
