Set Hernandez

Set Hernandez (they/she/he) is a filmmaker, writer, and community organizer whose roots come from Bicol, Philippines. As a queer, undocumented immigrant, their filmmaking uplifts and complicates stories about their communities. An audio-centric film, Set’s documentary feature debut UNSEEN (POV/PBS, 2024) received an Independent Spirit Award and was shortlisted for Best Feature at the IDA Documentary Awards. Supported by Firelight Media's Doc Lab and Impact Fund, UNSEEN is noted for its use of accessibility to cater to undocumented immigrant and blind/disabled audiences. The film is also groundbreaking as one of the first media projects ever to be led by an intersectional team of queer, undocumented immigrant and disabled/blind artists. A 2026 USA Fellow, Set’s filmography includes COVER/AGE (2019) about healthcare access for elderly undocumented adults, as well as impact producing for CALL HER GANDA (Tribeca, 2018) about US militarism and anti-trans violence in the Philippines. Set also served as impact producer for IN PLAIN SIGHT (2020), addressing the culture of mass incarceration in the country through skytyping planes that placed abolitionist messages across the continental US.

Since 2010, Set has organized around migrant justice issues, from deportation defense to healthcare access. They co-founded the Undocumented Filmmakers Collective which promotes equity for undocumented immigrants in the film industry. Set’s work has been supported by the Sundance Institute, NBCUniversal, Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, among others. In their past life, Set was a published linguistics researcher, focusing on bilingualism. Above all, Set is the fruit of their family’s love and their community’s generosity.

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ABOUT unseen

An aspiring social worker, Pedro must confront the uncertainties of life as a blind, undocumented immigrant. Through experimental cinematography and audio-centric filmmaking, unseen reimagines cinema for audiences with vision loss while interweaving immigration, disability, and mental health.

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