Margot Benacerraf

Venezuelan Film Director.
Margot Benacerraf is a Venezuelan director born in the city of Caracas, but who studied cinema in the city of Paris, graduating from the IDHEC (Institut des hautes études cinématographiques). Both her two most known films are documentary films: Reverón, a work that illustrates the life of well-known Venezuelan painter Armando Reverón, and Araya, which portrays the day to day work of the workers of the salt mines of Araya, a city in the East of Venezuela. Araya was presented at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival with great success, sharing the Fiprisci Critics’ Award with Alain Resnais’s Hiroshima Mon Amour, as well as winning the Higher Technical Commission’s Award for its exceptional cinematic qualities. It was the first film from Venezuela to win a major award and marked a major achievement for a Latin American director. After serving three years as the first head of INCIBA, Venezuela’s National Institute for Culture and Fine Arts, Margot founded the Cineteca Nacional in 1966. Starting out as a cinematheque, it soon evolved into a nationwide film society movement and then became the country’s first film archive.

Barbara Boyle

Director, MFA Program, UCLA.
Film and Television Producer. Boyle’s credits include PHENOMENON, INSTINCT, BOTTLE ROCKET, EIGHT MEN OUT, MRS. MUNCK, and THE HI-LINE. Her company, Sovereign Pictures, Inc., financed and distributed 25 films including, MY LEFT FOOT, CINEMA PARADISO, REVERSAL OF FORTUNE, IMPROMPTU, HAMLET and THE COMMITMENTS. In 2003, she was named Chair of the UCLA Department of Film, Television and Digital Media. She serves on the Boards of: Project: Involve, New Directions, UCLA Entertainment Symposium School of Law, and Women In Film Foundation. She also serves on the Executive Committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the Executive Committee of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. She is a past president of both Film Independent (IFP/West) and Women In Film. Boyle has received, among others, a Vision Award from Independent Film, the Women In Film Crystal Award and the Alumni of the Year from UCLA Law School. She holds a BA from UC Berkeley and a JD from UCLA School of Law. The most recent publication is the third edition of the Movie Business Book.

Claudio Chea - Cinematographer

When I was about 9 years old, one of my favorite pastimes was to build a wooden box which I later covered with wrapping paper procured from the corner grocery. This created a mini-screen on which I projected paper cut figurines with the light of a candle that I moved in all directions giving the figures the illusion of animation.  At that age, I went to the movies almost every day. Maybe because my Chinese father, who raised me, came from such a different culture, he allowed my brothers and me a freedom that none of my friends had.
 
A few years later, Mr. Rafael T. Villanueva who owned the film distribution business across the street from my house would allow me in the area where they repaired the films that came torn from the theaters. I would collect all the scraps that were discarded during the process of pasting the film back together and I would look at them over and over again in utter fascination. Then I set up my own dark room, where I developed and copied my own pictures.
 
Surely many cinematographers have similar stories. And perhaps many also had an early calling, as I did. My career officially began at the age of 16 when I started working as an assistant cameraman and soon after  as a cameraman for Rosendo Sepulveda’s “Noticiero Dominicano” which was produced across the street in my neighbor  Mr. Villanueva’s offices.
The rest is filmed….

Calixto Chinchilla

As the Founder and Executive Director of the New York International Latino Film Festival, Calixto Chinchilla has made powerful and impactful progress for Latinos in the film industry. Founded in 1999, the festival realizes his dream to host an international festival that features domestic and international films by and/or about Latinos. Attracting over 25,000 attendees and garnering the attention of Hollywood and media from across the globe, the festival has quickly grown as the largest urban Latino film festival in the U.S. Calixto has been featured in the Daily News, Urban Latino Magazine, The New York Times, NBC, Good Day NY, Univision and Telemundo. As part of its 2001 “Keep Walking” campaign, Johnnie Walker Black Label honored and featured Calixto as one of New York’s young Latino professional leaders. That year he was also named “A 2001 Latino On The Move” by industry trade magazine Latino Impact, and a “One to Watch” by NBC’S Hispanics Today. Recently, Calixto was chosen as one of 25 most influential Latinos by The New York Post.

Before founding the New York International Latino Film Festival, Calixto began his film career developing special interest marketing for Warner Brothers Pictures. He has consulted in a similar capacity for New Line Cinema, Dreamworks SKG, Nova Releasing and Columbia Pictures. Additionally, Calixto has worked on several film productions, including the Sundance award-winning films, HURRICANE STREETS and In Search of A Dream. Before establishing his own film festival, Calixto served as the Latino Film Curator for the Urban World Film Festival in 1999 and again in 2000. He also directed the South Bronx Film and Video Festival in October 2001. Calixto is a committee member of The National Council of La Raza’s American Latino Media Awards (ALMA). He has been a speaker at Columbia University, The City College of New York’s Graduate Center, The Center For Communications and New York University’s Tisch School of The Arts to name a few. Calixto received a photography scholarship and studied marketing at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology.

Chapin Cutler

Boston Light and Sound.
Chapin Cutler is President and Principal of Boston Light & Sound Inc., which provides expert sound and projection integration services-creating spectacular visual and audio experiences for event spaces.

Over the span of his career he has technically direct and produced for numerous road show productions and movies like "Napoleon" and "Alexander Nevsky". He has technically Directed events for World Premieres "Memoirs of a Geisha," ET: The Extra Terrestrial 20th anniversary premier, and "Die Another Day", in Hollywood, CA.

Film Festivals he has technically directed includeTelluride, Sundance, Hamptons, and the Doha Tribeca Film Festival. He is also Technical Supervises the Dominican Republic Global Film Festival.

Based out of Boston, he used to run "The Meeting House Cinema" there, which specialized in silent movies with a live pipe organ, and foreign films.

Mario Delatour

Producer.
Mario L. Delatour was born in Caracas Venezuela on September 26, 1955 to Haitian parents and spent his formative years in NY. Mr. Delatour studied film at Columbia School of Motion Pictures and Television in Los Angeles, California from 1976 to 1978. He then went on to UCLA where he received a B.A in Latin American studies and a Minor in Third World Cinema. As part of his work study program at UCLA he joined the university’s Media Productions. As a cameraman, he covered the various school events, particularly the visits of celebrities on campus. He was then recruited to work with the in house-producers who did medical programs for smaller universities around the country. His assignments were for the most part the filming of various surgical procedures pioneered at the school’s hospital. Upon graduation, he went to work for Warner Bros at the Burbank film studios in North Hollywood where he worked on a variety of television shows notably Fantasy Island, Dukes of Hazards & Flamingo Road. As a “Permit worker” (a seasonal worker) he worked as a Set lighting electrician, Grip and a Greens man. He then worked on some low budget films with studio technicians he had befriended at Warner Bros.

Tired of the seasonal work and nepotism in the film business, he moved back to Haiti in April of 1981 to work under contract as an audio visual specialist in a road maintenance program funded by USAID. Over the following two years, he produced a number of institutional films for the program.

In 1984 Mr. Delatour founded Tropical Productions his first production company which produced educational films for various clients such as UNICEF, UNDP, USAID and the Government of Haiti.

By 1986 his homeland was experiencing great social turmoil with the departure of the dictator Jean Claude Duvalier. He was then recruited by an ABC News team to serve as a local stringer. This began a long career in the news business as a Cameraman/Producer which lasted well into the late 1990’s.

Over the years Mr. Delatour has collaborated with countless esteemed journalists such as Diane Sawyer of ABC News and Mike Wallace of CBS News with whom he did three “Sixty Minutes” pieces. As the man who looked after the interest of CBS in Haiti, Mr. Delatour worked with renowned producers and star reporters of that network. Anchorman Dan Rather and his team of experienced producers used his services during the coverage of the American invasion of Haiti in 1994.

After that assignment, he returned to the U.S. and founded Caribe News with German producer Ralf Gawel. The company produced multiple stories for German based RTL (Radio Television Luxembourg) both in Florida and the Caribbean. On one of his overseas assignments to London in 1996, he was hired by Danish television producer Mogens Rasmussen as a production manager and soundman on a documentary film in Rwanda. That collaboration produced an additional film in Sri Lanka and two more films in South Africa which Mr. Delatour directed in 2002.

Though his talents drifted more into television, he never abandoned his initial love for feature films. In 1987 Mr. Delatour was hired as a liaison person on the Hollywood film “Serpent and the Rainbow” by director Wes Craven. In 1994, through Danish Filmmaker Jorgen Leth, he was hired as a Production Manager on the “Kingdom” TV series directed by Danish Director Lars Von Trier. That same year he was recommended to Universal pictures to organize a location scouting trip to Haiti for Academy Award screenwriters Stephen Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson. The two writers were developing a screenplay for the motion picture project “Rockwood”. In 1999 Ron Howard’s company Imagine Entertainment sent for him in Japan to supervise a location scouting trip to Haiti and the Dominican Republic with New Zealand director Lee Tamahori. In 2001, he was hired as a Production Manager on the French / Canadian film “Royal Bonbon” and the film was shot entirely in the northern part of Haiti. His most recent work has been done with acclaimed Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck who used his services on the yet to be release feature film “Moloch Tropical”.

Upon his return in Haiti in 2001, he founded Amistad Films which has to this date produced 3 feature length documentary films. They are as follows:

« 40 ans après….Roussan Camille
“Un Certain Bord de Mer”
“Haiti today: Violence or Peace
Mr. Delatour is currently working on two film projects; he makes his home in Washington DC and commutes regularly to Haiti.

Ira Deutchman

Founder, Emerging Pictures.
Ira Deutchman has been making, marketing and distributing films for 34 years, having worked on over 150 films including some of the most successful independent films of all time. He was one of the founders of Cinecom and later created Fine Line Features—two companies that were created from scratch and in their respective times, helped define the independent film business.

Currently Deutchman is President and CEO of Emerging Pictures, a New York-based film distribution and digital exhibition company.

Among the over 60 films he acquired and released at Fine Line were Jane Campion’s “An Angel at My Table,” Gus van Sant’s “My Own Private Idaho,” Jim Jarmusch’s “Night on Earth,” Robert Altman’s “The Player” and “Short Cuts,” Roman Polanski’s “Bitter Moon” and “Death and the Maiden,” Alan Rudolph’s “Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, ” Mike Leigh’s “Naked,” and the award-winning “Hoop Dreams,” which until recently was the highest grossing non-music documentary in history.

Other films Deutchman has worked on were “Sex, Lies, and Videotape,” ”To Sleep with Anger,” “Metropolitan,” “A Room with a View,” “Stop Making Sense,” “El Norte,” and “The Brother from Another Planet.”

His screen credits include Associate Producer of John Sayles’ "Matewan;" Executive Producer of Jonathan Demme’s "Swimming to Cambodia," Gary Sinise’s "Miles From Home," Paul Bartel’s "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills," Matty Rich’s "Straight Out of Brooklyn," Stephen Gyllenhaal’s "Waterland," Maggie Greenwald’s "The Ballad of Little Jo," Alan Rudolph’s "Mrs. Parker & the Vicious Circle," Paul Auster’s "Lulu On the Bridge," Wayne Wang’s “Center of the World,” Daniel Noah’s “Twelve,” Anthony Jaswinski’s “Killing Time,” Loren-Paul Caplin’s “The Lucky Ones,” Amy Wadell’s “Brothel” and Georgia Lee’s “Red Doors;” and Co-Producer of David Anspaugh’s “The Game of Their Lives.” Deutchman was the Producer of Tony Vitale’s "Kiss Me, Guido," Sarah Kernochan’s "All I Wanna Do," Mark Christopher’s "54," Adam Davidson’s "Way Past Cool," Bob Gale’s “Interstate 60,” Tanya Wexler’s “Relative Evil,” Ann Hu’s “Beauty Remains” and Ed Radtke’s “Speed of Life.” He was also Consulting Producer on the CBS sitcom “Some of My Best Friends.”

He is a graduate of Northwestern University, with a major in film.

Dennis Doros

Co-Founder, Milestone Film & Video.
Dennis Doros, co-owner of Milestone Film & Video, started his career at Kino International where he was responsible for restoring two classic silents starring Gloria Swanson: Raoul Walsh's Sadie Thompson and Erich von Stroheim's Queen Kelly. He left Kino in 1990 to start Milestone with his wife and partner, Amy Heller. There, they have restored many films including Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack's CHANG, Orson Welles' THE TRIAL, Rolando Klein's CHAC: THE RAIN GOD, Gillo Pontecorvo's THE WIDE BLUE ROAD and their latest, Margot Benacerraf's ARAYA. Their roster of discoveries include I AM CUBA, HANA-BI, MABOROSI, MAMMA-ROMA, KILLER OF SHEEP and many others. Doros has also supervised and produced over a hundred video releases as well as over fifty silent film scores ranging from solo pianist to full orchestra. In 2008, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Association of Moving Image Archivists (www.amianet.org).

Juan Fernandez

Actor.
JUAN FERNÁNDEZ is one of the most unforgettable Latin actors of his generation. Having starred in classic films like Oliver Stone’s Salvador, Crocodile Dundee II and The Lost City, he has earned a reputation as one of Hollywood’s favorite bad guys. Juan's more recent films include The Collector, La Soga (the first Dominican feature film to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival), Tropico de Sangre and Hostias with Geraldine Chaplin, Maria Grazia Cucinotta and directed by Diego Musiak. In 2007, Juan created Monos en la Montaña, Inc., with the mission to create new classic films. Under the umbrella of MELM, he will begin pre-production on his directorial debut, Ellos y Nosotros (Us & Them) in early 2010. For more information, visit: www.monosenlamontaña.com

His film career began in Italy where he worked with Federico Fellini, amongst others. In theatre, Juan worked with the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre in New York City and appeared in the critically acclaimed “Balm in Gilead”, at the Pan Andreas theatre in Hollywood, and won a LA Weekly Award in 2003 for Best Revival as the Fortune Teller in The Skin of Our Teeth at The Evidence Room.

Paola Frecerro

Paola Frecerro is B-Side Entertainment's President of Distribution, a position she's held since January of 2009. Frecerro joined B-Side from Tribeca Enterprises where she was Co-Executive Director of the Tribeca Film Festival and SVP, spearheading Tribeca's digital distribution and web development efforts. She first began working with Tribeca Enterprises as a consultant in 2005 when she owned and operated a consulting service dedicated to new business development and strategic planning in the entertainment industry called Fast Forward.

Among Fast Forward's other clients were Court TV (now Tru TV), Universal Music and Video Distribution (now Vivendi Entertainment), National Video Resources (now Tribeca Film Institute) and Smithsonian Television. Prior to starting Fast Forward, Frecerro was Sundance Channel's Senior Vice President, Film Programming. In that role, she supervised the acquisition, programming and scheduling of Sundance Channel's film line-up which included American independent and international features, non-fiction series, documentaries and shorts. During her tenure, Frecerro launched both Sundance Channel Home Entertainment and the Sundance Film Series, and previously held the title of Vice President, International, leading the Channel's business development activities overseas.

Frecerro has also served as Artistic Director of the Palm Springs International Film Festival and the International Short Film Festival and spent 5 years working as a publicist in independent film and television.

Marisol Gonzalez

Producer, Spanish Broadcasts, HBO.
Marisol Gonzalez works as a producer at HBO Sports doing the Spanish Enhancement of all the Sports Programs, which air on HBO and on HBO Latino. She has also worked for the two major Spanish networks in the country, Univision and Telemundo NBC.

She graduated from Brooklyn College with double majors in Broadcast Journalism and Spanish Literature. She started her career working in the fast world of news. She has covered a lot of important events such as the Pope’s visit to New York in 1995, the United Nation’s 50th anniversary, the 1994 World Cup and others.

Furthermore, she has produced investigative long features for “Sin Fronteras” a Telemundo’s magazine show. In 2007, Marisol was featured on Vanidades (Spanish for Vanities) one of the most popular Spanish language women’s magazines across the United States and Latin America. Most recently, she was awarded the “Always Inspired” award by the Siempre Mujer magazine in New York City for her work on her documentary “Behind the wall” currently in production.

Marisol lives in New York with her 12 year old son, Gabriel.

Zahi Hawass

World-renowned archaeologist Zahi Hawass currently serves as Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, and directs ongoing excavations at Giza, Saqqara, and in the Valley of the Kings. Dr. Hawass received his PhD in 1987 from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied as a Fulbright Fellow. He has written numerous scholarly articles and books, and is highly respected as an Egyptologist. In addition, Dr. Hawass is known for his charisma and his ability to reach out to the public, raising awareness of archaeology and the preservation of Egypt’s precious heritage.

Read more about Dr. Zahi Hawass here

Isidro Lucas

Isidro Lucas is currently Vice President of the Board of Directors of the International Latino Cultural Center, and the head of the program selection committee for the Chicago Latino Festival that ILCC produces. The Chicago Latino Festival, which will observe its 26th edition next spring, is one of the oldest and best known Latino Film Festival in the world. It shows films from all over Latin America, Spain and Portugal.

As head of the programming committee, Lucas reviews over 100 films each year, including documentaries, features and short films. Lucas has been reviewing films for the Festival for the last 15 years.

A former university professor, he has taught Spanish and Spanish literature as well as social policy for the last 25 years.

His involvement with films, as a film critic and educator, started in the early 70’s, when he lead film club activities for college students. He has also produced TV documentaries, and held the position of Public Service Director in a local TV station in Chicago.

Lucas has attended many film festivals over the years in Havana, Vina del Mar, Huelva, Lima and in Santo Domingo, as well as in the United States. He has also served in juries for film Festivals in several locations.

He lives in Evanston, a suburb of Chicago, and continues to spend his time in social action and in film criticism.

Hemky Madera

Actor.
Hemky Madera began his acting career in the Dominican Republic to much acclaim. On the widely known television production of, "Grandes Series Dominicanas" (Great Dominican Series), Hemky starred as the lead actor for the mini-series "En La Olla" followed by "Trio en Alta Mar"; both directed by renowned Dominican director/ producer Alfonso Rodriguez. After a short stay in New York, where he worked in the film production of "Bookies' Lament", Hemky returned to the Dominican Republic to star in the mini-series "Asalto en la Lincoln" and became a part of the Primetime television series' production and cast of both hit sitcoms "Los Electrolocos" and "Ciudad Nueva". His first theatrical performance, "Pantallas" was produced and staged at Santo Domingo's Great National Theater. Inverse Theater's production of "Icarus and Aria" came not a moment too soon after his arrival to the United States to dedicate his work for American Film and Stage.

After a series of training courses, workshops and internships at The Actors Studio and Gene Frankel Theater, he was cast for other stage productions such as: "Life is a Dream", "The Mistress of the Inn" (reviewed by The New York Times), "Chronicles of a Death Foretold", "Blood Weddings", "Midnight Brainwash Revival", "Feast of the Goat" (a New York Spanish Repertoire's production), "Burning the Bridges" and "Belisa's Capriciousness". His American career includes performances with renowned actors such as: Harvey Kietel, Gael Garcia Bernal, Diana Bracho in the film "Dreaming of Julia" and "The Lost City" with Andy Garcia, Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray. Television credits in renowned Primetime shows like "The Shield" and "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" have recently been added to his impressive resume as well as Commercial ads for National Television.

Felix Manuel Lora

Journalist and Film Critic.
Dominican Journalist and film critic. Outlets include: El Nuevo Diario, Listín Diario, El Caribe and CDN, Channel 37.Teacher of film appreciation at the Spanish Cultural Center and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE). Produced documentary (Un Rollo en La Arena) about Dominican film shown at various festivals; speaker on panels and international seminars. Publications include “Framing an Audiovisual Identity.” Short story Sentado y con mujer made into film shown at the Spanish Cultural Center (2002). Formerly assistant director of National Film Organization. Member of ACROARTE and founder of Santo Domingo International Film Fair. Currently assistant director at Dominican Cinemateque. He holds a degree in Social Communication by Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo UASD and studied screenwriting & production in Cuba’s International Film School.

Elba McAllister

Executive President, Cineplex.
Elba McAllister is Co-Founder, Partner and Executive President of the Colombian film distribution company Cineplex, which is celebrating its 15th year of promoting alternative films in Latin America. For these past 15 years, Cineplex has shown nearly 200 high quality films that have been viewed in film festivals around the world. Eight years ago, Cineplex increased its distribution network to the rest of Central America. Cineplex also represents many Colombian film producers and helps them market their films in Latin America.

McAllister, her husband Juan David McAllister, Vice President of Cineplex, have worked tirelessly to bring the work of such directors as Wong Kar Wai, Claude Chabrol, gnieszka Holland and Ken Loach to the Region.

A one of the major distributors of high quality alternative film. With a critical eye for film selection, combined with the implementation of market strategies, Cineplex has distributed more than one hundred films. Showing their films initially in movie theaters, Cineplex now sells VHS and DVDs to television stations.

Beginning in April 2002, Cineplex found a distribution opportunity in Mexico, where it formed an alliance with local distributors who successfully sell its films. At the same time, Cineplex represents various Colombian director/producers such as Victor Gaviria, Jaime Osorio, Dago Garcia, Ciro Guerra and Jorge Alí Triana, among others.

Diego Musiak

Filmmaker.
Film director, scriptwriter and producer, he has taught at Buenos Aires University, in the Center for Cinematographic Experimentation, and as professor in Madrid´s Complutense University in the Script Master for fiction and documentary films.

At the beginnings of his career, after creating some tv and radio shows, he directs his opera prima in 1994, Fotos del alma, worldwide premiere at Montreal Film Festival, wining several prizes.

In 1997 he directs his second film Historias clandestinas en la Habana, completely shoot in Cuba with Jorgee Perugorria and Susu Pecoraro. Internationally awarded, among others Cinequest Choise Award, Los Angeles International Film Festival, California, Trieste Crítica and public, Cartagena, Paraguay, Argentina.

Since then, he shoot three documentary: 2001, Emboscada; 2001, La mayor estafa al pueblo argentino y 2003, Mujeres rurales for the Comunidad de Madrid.

In 2007, after living in Spain for several years, he returns to Argentina for the shooting of Cartas para Jenny, an argentine – spanish coproduction. The film was shoot in Argentina, Spain and Israel.

Currently, he is editing his last feature film, Hostias, with Antonio Chamizo, Maria Grazia Cucinotta, and Geraldine Chaplin. Its release is plan for Shangai Fest 2010.

Jarod Neece

Senior Programmer South by Southwest (SXSW).
Since 2002, Jarod Neece has been Conference & Production Manager at South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference & Festival in Austin, TX. A Senior Programmer with an emphasis on narrative feature and midnight programming, Jarod also oversees the Film Conference and manages daily festival operations. He has been a juror or panelist at a number of festivals and organizations, including Sony, Avid, IFP, the McKnight Filmmaking Fellowship, Atom Films, Independent Film Week, and the Milwaukee International Film Festival.

Anita Ondine

Shalim Ortiz

Actor.
Shalim Ortiz has just finalized the second season of the hit TV Show "Heroes", where he played a major recurring role (Alejandro Herrera). His performance on the show led him to receive a nomination for the prestigious Imagen Foundation Awards in 2008. He was also in Panama shooting the feature film "Art of Travel," costarring Brooke Burns, Chris Masterson and Johnny Messner. He released his first film as a lead titled "Spin" in which he performs the title song on the soundtrack "Rosario”. Ortiz also performed his first leading role in a foreign language film titled "Yuniol", which was filmed in the Dominican Republic. This is the first time Shalim and his renowned mother, Charytin Goyco, work together professionally in a feature film. This film also gave Ortiz his first nomination for the prestigious Casandra Awards held in the Dominican Republic for the 'best actor' category in 2008.

Shalim was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on February 26. At an early age he moved to Miami, Florida where he developed his skills in music and acting. He later joined the Thespian Society of Performing Arts and developed a passion for theater. Before completing elementary school, he had already been part of a much successful television show called "Los Angelitos" (Little Angels). His desire to branch out led him to take on projects as a guest host in various shows ("Evolution", "Pepsi Charts", etc.) and in modeling. His real passion lays in music, as well as acting. He dedicated himself to write and become a renowned recording artist, delivering two productions (Sony Records) combining his Spanish roots with Latin beats and influences from rock and ballads.

Parallel with Shalim's music career, he’s guest-starred on several network TV Shows such as "Lizzie McGuire", "S-Club 7" and Disney's "Cory in the House". This led Shalim to fulfilling his dream of combining his passions of music and acting.

Shalim's recent projects include “Touched” and 'Second Honeymoon', w. He also wrapped as a lead on his first supernatural thriller 'Gurdian', as well as contributing to the score and soundtrack of his upcoming projects.

Manny Perez

Actor.
Manny is one of eleven siblings, born in the small town of Baitoa, a suburb in the city of Santiago in the Dominican Republic. At the age of 10, he and his family moved to the United States, settling in Providence, Rhode Island. By the time he finished high school, Manny knew the stage was his natural home and decided to major in drama at Marymount Manhattan College NYC, graduating in 1992.

As an actor, Manny has a solid background with various feature films and television appearances in addition to a list of plays originating from the Trinity Repertory Co. in Providence. He has also studied at the prestigious Ensemble Studio Theatre and is a member of the LAByrinth Theatre Company, in New York City.

Manny produced, starred and co-wrote Washington Heights, an independent movie set in his present-day neighborhood. He won the 2002 Best Actor Award at The Milan International Film Festival in Italy and The New York Times stated "Mr. Perez has charisma to burn."Perez also starred in Sidney Lumet's critically acclaimed series 100 Centre Street and was in the last season of Third Watch for NBC as Officer Santiago. He’s also worked with film directors Arthur Penn, Spike Lee, Leon Ichaso, Mike Newell, Ed Zwick, Takeshi Kitano, Bob Giraldi, Darnell Martin, among others.

At the Santo Domingo Invita: All-Star-Night, at Radio City Music Hall, Perez was honored as one of the most prominent Dominican actors in the United States and has been featured in magazines, newspapers and entertainment shows.

Jaime Pina

Filmmaker.
Jaime Piña entered the Film Industry in 1974 in his native country Dominican Republic with the Paramount Picture venture to produce movies in the country through Cinema Dominicana,based out of La Romana,R.D. Piña has worked in Key Positions in some 15 Feature films filmed in the Dominican Rep., U.S.A.,Mexico,Puerto Rico, and Italy.“90 Miles”, Producer, 2007, director- Joe Montagna “Sacred Waters”, Producer 2005-06“The Lost City”, Production Supervisor 2004,director- Andy Garcia “In Search of a Dream”,co-director,1997 “Para Vivir o Morir”,1ST.A.D.1996,director-R. Villalona “Bitter Sugar”, Producer 1994,director- Leon Ichaso “Jimmy’s Clan”,U.P.M. 1989,dir. Giorgio Cristallini “Serpent and The Rainbow”,UPM,1987,director- Wes Craven ‘Wages of Fear”,Asistant Director,1978,director William Freidkin “Guaguasi”,Asociate Producer,1977,director Jorge Ulla “Pantaleon y las Visitadoras”,U.P.M.,1975,director- Mario Vargas LLosa

In between Feature Film Production, Piña has produced some 300 T.V. Commercials, 50 Music Videos, 20 documentaries. For the past twelve years, he resides in Miami,FL., and is considered an authority Filming in Miami, N.Y.C., Dominican Rep. and Mexico.In 2005 he was Knighted into the Orden of Duarte,Sanchez and Mella by the President of the Dom.Rep. for his contribution to the development of the Film Industry in his native homeland D.R. Currently he is working with James Manos Jr. writer/director in the independent film :”La Lupe” in development phase to be shot in January 2010.Also the documentary“Two Nations:One Island”a Mario Dela Tour film is in development.

Porfirio Piña

BMI Latin Music Senior Director.
Porfirio Piña is BMI’s Writer & Publisher Relations-Latin Music Senior Director. At BMI, he establishes and maintains relationships with Latin songwriters and publishers and handles BMI’s New York Latin department administrative and creative functions. He also assists with the planning and execution of BMI’s Annual Latin Awards gala, serves as the Director of the BMI Foundation’s peermusic Latin Scholarship, and serves on the Board of Directors of NALIP, BMI Foundation and is the co-chairman of NARAS NY Chapter Latin Music Committee.

Before joining BMI, he managed talented songwriter Nicolas Tovar (Cristian Castro, Paulina Rubio, and Ricky Martin) and was instrumental in the development/creation of the pioneers of Merengue Hip Hop’s Proyecto Uno, Ilegales and Sandy & Papo MC. The groups that he has managed have received numerous Gold and Platinum Records Awards, Billboard Awards, Premio Lo Nuestro Awards, Orquidea de Oro (Venezuela), ACE Awards (New York), El Casandra Awards (Dominican Republic) and Latin Grammy Nominations.

Manuel Poblete

He is also Manager of BelloTalent, a full-service management company representing actors and models that draws on a wealth of experience to help shape and guide acting and modelling careers.

Manuel is an expert in Martial Arts.

Archie Purvis

Archie C. Purvis brings over twenty five years of domestic and international marketing and sales experience developed through associations with such diverse companies as Capital Cities/ABC, Polaroid, MCA/Universal and General Foods Corporation.

Mr. Purvis has been engaged in the identification and development of new business opportunities, including investment in interactive/multimedia related projects, and is engaged in theatrical and television program acquisition and distribution. He is also involved in turnaround situations in entertainment and non-entertainment related ventures, and seeks international co-production and financing opportunities.

He was previously appointed a Trustee by the U.S. Department of Justice, Central District of California, and was a senior consultant to an internationally known cable provider and is an executive consultant to a unique digital encryption/digital rights management startup.

Mr. Purvis' broad and extensive involvement in the international media and other trade activities, allow him to pursue and develop international business ventures and relationships. He also consults with new technology ventures, including telephone and other telecommunications related companies.

Mr. Purvis attended the City College of New York and University of Munich as well as participated in the Stanford University Executive Program. He served as an Intelligence Analyst in Turkey and Germany for the U.S. Army during his military service.

Steven Raphael

Founder, Required Viewing.
Founded in 2004, Required Viewing is a boutique film representation, and marketing agency which specializes in overseeing theatrical marketing and distribution for quality films. Required Viewing has represented numerous award winning films at the Sundance, Cannes, Toronto, Berlin, Venice, New Directors/New Films and Tribeca film festivals. In addition Required Viewing has spearheaded several high profile Release and/or Awards campaigns including:

Recent and Upcoming Theatrical releases:

• THE PRIVATE LIVES OF PIPPA LEE – dir: Rebecca Miller – Competition in Berlin 2009- GALA in Toronto (2009) – starring Robin Wright Penn, Keanu Reeves, Maria Bello and Blake Lively. Screen Media Films.
• THE MAID (LA NANA) – (dir: Sebastian Silva) winner Sundance 2009 International Dramatic competition. Elephant Eye Films.
• LYMELIFE (dir: Derick Martin) (International Critics’ Award Winner at the Toronto Film Festival 2008, US Narrative Feature Film at Sundance Film Festival 2009)Screen Media Films.
• *LITTLE ASHES – (dir:Paul Morrison)- Starring Robert Pattinson/Javier Beltran - Regent Releasing
• SONG OF SPARROWS (dir: Majid Majidi) (1 Win for Silver Berlin Bear [Best Actor], and 1 Nomination for Golden Berlin Bear [for Best Director] at Berlin International Film Festival 2008. Regent Releasing.
• TOYKO SONATA (Uncertain Regard Cannes 2008, New York Film Festival 2008)Regent Releasing.
• SERBIS (Cannes Official Competition 2008, New York Film Festival 2008)

Regent Releasing.

• BALLAST (dir. Lance Hammer – Winner best director Sundance 2008) DIY campaign; 6 Gotham Nominations, including Winner of Best Director, Lance Hammer; 6 Independent Spirit Nominations. Self Distribution: Alluvial films Company/Required Viewing.

Award campaigns:

• BRIGHT STAR – (dir: Jane Campion- 2009) – Apparition – Starring Abbie Cornish, Ben Wishaw, Paul Schneider, Kerry Fox. Current campaign.
• THE YOUNG VICTORIA (dir: Jean Marc Vallee-2009) – Apparition – starring Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Harriet Walter, Jim Broadbent, Paul Bettany, Mirand Richardson. Current campaign
• DEPARTURES – (dir: Yojiro Takita 2009 - Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Film *THE READER (dir: Stephen Daldry) (5 Oscar Nominations including Best Picture and 2009 Academy Award Winner for Best Actress, Kate Winslet)
• THE VISITOR (1 Oscar Nomination for Best Actor, Richard Jenkins and 1 Independent Spirit Win for Best Director Tom McCarthy)
• LA VIE EN ROSE (2008 Academy Award Winner Marion Cottillard for Best Actress,)
• PAN’S LABYRINTH – (Guillermo del Toro) 2007 three time Academy Award winner
• BALLAST (dir. Lance Hammer – Winner best director Sundance 2008) DIY campaign; 6 Gotham Nominations, including Winner of Best Director, Lance Hammer; 6 Independent Spirit Nominations
• MANDA BALA, - winner of the Sundance 2007 Documentary award
• THE ORPANAGE - Spain’s official entry to the 2008 Academy Awards
• STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING – (Andrew Wagner) starring Frank Langella
• THE YEAR MY PARENTS WENT ON VACATION -Brazil’s official entry to the 2008 Academy
• MARIA FULL OF GRACE – (Josh Marston) - nominated for two 2005 Academy Awards *VERA DRAKE (Mike Leigh) (nominated for four 2005 Academy Awards)
• THE SEA INSIDE (Alejandro Amenabar’s) -winner 2005 Academy award for Foreign Language Film
• AMERICAN SPLENDOR – (Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini’s) -winner Sundance 2004 Grand Jury Prize and nominated for best screenplay at the 2004 Academy Awards.),
• A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE - (David Cronenberg)
• THE DYING GAUL (dir: Craig Lucas)- Sundance *FAVELA RISING (Winner Tribeca Film Festival 2005)

Sales Representation

• WARCHILD (winner best doc – Tribeca)
• THEATER OF WAR – directed by John Walter
• WRISTCUTTERS: A Love Story (Sundance 2006)
• CHOKING MAN– Tribeca 2006 (Steven Soderbergh presents)
• ABSOLUTE WILSON– Berlin 2006
• BROTHER TO BROTHER (Special jury prize Sundance 2004)
• DOWN TO THE BONE (Sundance 2004 Best director/Best Actress)
• FAVELA RISING (Winner Best Documentary at Tribeca 2005)
• THE TALENT GIVEN US (Sundance competition 2005), *POLICE BEAT (Sundance competition 2005)

Prior to founding Required Viewing, Raphael was Senior Vice president of Acquisitions and Co-productions at USA Films (now Focus Features) where he implemented marketing/publicity campaigns on such films as: BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, GOSFORD PARK, TRAFFIC.

He was responsible for acquiring and co-financing Mira Nair’s MONSOON WEDDING, Todd Haynes’ FAR FROM HEAVEN (nominated for 4 2003 Academy awards) , Francois Ozone’s 8 WOMEN, the Dardenne Bros. ROSETTA (winner 1999 Cannes film festival) and WONG KAR WAI’S masterpiece IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE.

Prior to USA FILMS, Raphael was Sr. Vice President of Publicity and Marketing at Gramercy Pictures (PolyGram) where he was responsible for National Campaigns on FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, DEAD MAN WALKING, ELIZABETH, FARGO, THE USUAL SUSPECTS, SHALLOW GRAVE, BOUND, COLD COMFORT FARM.

Raphael is a past board member of the IFP-West (FIND) and OUTFEST , THE DRAMA DEPT, and NEWFEST. Raphael currently is a member of IFP advisory committee and a consultant to the RIO Film Festival. He is a graduate of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. He lives in New York City.

Lizeth Ricaurte Sánchez

Marketing Director.
Lizeth Ricaurte is a professional in Marketing and Publicity graduated from University Los Libertadores in Bogotá Colombia in 2004. She first worked with RCN, the most important private TV channel in Colombia, in their website.

Three years ago, enrolled Cineplex as the Marketing and Publicity Director. Lizeth coordinates and supports every activity necessary for releasing Cineplex independent films, such as to obtain commercial alliances and sponsors in order to promote our films and create awareness toward them; these kind of movies have a social sense that looks forward to show other sort of cinema, a cinema with others perspectives.

Arturo Rodriguez

Director, International Film Screen, Santo Domingo.
Arturo Rodríguez Fernández was born in Santo Domingo and is a graduate of the National University Pedro Henríquez Ureña law school, and has two law masters degrees, from Strasburg, France, and Chieti, Italy. He has published several books with short stories, an experimental novel and a film essay and has has received national and international literary awards. His plays, collected under "Dramas y Comedias en Ocho Obras Teatrales" are extensively acclaimed, and have won the Talía Award and three Casandra Awards. For the last 36 years he has been publishing film criticism on the main papers and magazines of the country and has been a member of countless juries in different international festivals. Arturo has promoted the film culture through the "Lumiere Film Club" and has a been distributor and screener of art films. He is the Film Commissioner under the Ministry of Culture and director of the Muestra International de Cine de Santo Domingo. With Armando Amánzar, Arturo produces a daily radio show on cinema, "A la Hora Señalada." Currently he collaborates in the script for the play "Parecido a Sebastián", a production under the direction of César Rodríguez.

Cesar Rodriguez

Cesar Rodriguez is a home grown Dominican Director, currently based out of Puerto Rico. His Film Credits include;

Ruido - Noise-. (Feature Film). Puerto Rico.

Detén El Acoso ¡Ahora! (Featurette Film). Puerto Rico.

• Deja – Vu. (Short Film). Puerto Rico.
• Devolviéndome. (Short Film). Puerto Rico.
• Una Historia De Mujer. (Short Film). Dominican Republic.
• Suicidio. (Short Film). Dominican Republic.
• La Tambora. (Short Film). Dominican Republic.
• Hi works in progress are;

• Parecido A Sebastián. (Feature Film As Screenwriter – Director).

• Sucre De Sang . (Feature Film As Screenwriter – Director).

• El Gallo. (Feature Film As Screenwriter – Director).

• Entre Ruinas Y Sombras. (TV movie as screenwriter – director).

Rodriguez has won numerous awards and recognition and in 2007 he was nominated for the The “Casandra Award” for the most accomplished Dominican Artist on the international scene and one of the most important Dominican artistic award, given by the critics and the press.

His education is a BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN SOCIAL COMMUNICATION, Summa Cum Laude, Specialized in advertising TV. Universidad Central del Este, Dominican Republic.

Miguel Rodriguez

Territory Sales Manager, Autodesk, Media and Entertainment.
Miguel Rodriguez is General Sales Manager of Media and Entertainment Division in Latin America.  Has been in the production and post-production area for more than 20 years, and throughout his several years of working in the Media and Entertainment Division for Autodesk (former known as Discreet) has consolidated a close relationship with the distribution channel and the sales team in the whole region.   
Miguel Rodriguez graduated in Television Production and during his career, which began in 1977, he has been honored with important awards, such as EMMY, ADDY and TALLY for different productions for companies as Univision, Telemundo, Procter & Gamble, American Express and Visa, among others.  He also has a broad experience as trainer, having offered courses on Digital Video, Video Servers and Non-Lineal Editing Systems at universities and technology institutes. 
As General Sales Manager of Media and Entertainment Division in Latin America, Miguel is in charge of the planning and supervision of the sales and distribution activities as well as the coordination of the Division’s executives working in the region.  He operates from the Division offices in Miami, USA.

Jerome Henry Rudes

International Coordinator, LVT Laser Subtitling.
Jerome Rudes was born in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas and received a master’s degree in film from Northwestern University. In 1984, he created the French-American Film Workshop in Avignon, France (now the Avignon Film Festival), and in 1995 started the Avignon/New York Film Festival. Rudes lives in New York and Provence.

Jorge Sánchez Sosa

President, Guadalajara Film Festival.
Current Director of the Guadalajara International Film Festival. Producer of several films made by Mexican and Latin-American filmmakers, six of them like Danzón by María Novaro (1992) and El Coronel no tiene quien le escriba “No One Writes To The Coronel” by Arturo Ripstein (1999), have participated in different sections of Cannes Film Festival. Jorge Sánchez founded and presided over the AMPI, the Mexican Association of Independent Producers and the FIPCA Ibero-American Federation of Cinema and Audiovisual Producers. He is also one of the founders of Distribution Company Zafra Video and Cinematográfica Macondo that invest in Mexican independent cinema and in the new Latin-American cinema, also founded three film production companies Macondo Cine Video, Amaranta and Filmania and one music production company Zafra Music. He was General Consul of México in Rio de Janeiro from 2001 to 2005 and is member of the board of Directors of the Latin American New Cinema, presided by Gabriel García Márquez.

Victor Sanchez

Ibermedia, Coordinator, Co-Production and Distribution.
Victor holds a BA in Information Sciences (Image) from U. Complutense de Madrid (Spain), with a Major in Non-Lineal Edition and a degree in Animation from Oscillon School, Alicante (Spain). Lecturer in the seminars “Life to the Cinema” organized by Universidad Un Minuto de Dios in Bogotá (Colombia, 2006) and at the Audiovisual Trainers Meeting organized by the Foundation for Audiovisual Investigation (Universidad Menendez y Pelayo), in Alicante (Spain).

He began his career in 1996 in Telefónica Móviles and then specialized in digital contents in 2000. Afterward he joined Terra Networks, where he participated in the creation of various web developments for the Telefónica group (especially in the field of e-learning platforms), becoming Coordinator of the Graphic Conceptualization area in the group.  In this stage stand out the works performed for Educared.net, Educaterra.com, as well as the graphic conceptualization of the Telos Magazine’s Webpage and Enredate.org, among others.

From 2002 to date he is part of IBERMEDIA’s Technical Unit team where he performs as Coordinator of Co-Production and Distribution - reporting directly to the Technical and Executive Secretary - studying the technical and financial feasibility of Ibero-American co-production film projects, as well as in the program’s administrative management, design and planning of promotion and information events and training  programs specially focused on the formulation of projects in the scope of Ibero-American cinematography. In this sense he has participated in training workshops in Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Ecuador, Spain, Peru, Panama, and Dominican Republic. Since the inception of the Program in 1998 to date, the Technical Unit team has managed more than 1,200 projects in its various forms of assistance, including 375 approved co-productions.

Asuncion Sanz

Senior Programmer, GFDD.
Asuncion Sanz is the Projects Coordinator for Global Foundation for Democracy and Development and the Institutional Relations Director for the DR Global Film Festival, a project she has been involved with since its inception, four years ago. Previously Asunción has been engaged in public affairs, public-private partnerships, and international development with governmental agencies and private sector.

Sebastián Silva

Sebastián Silva is a multifaceted artist whose body of work includes painting, illustration and popular music, born in 1979 in Santiago, Chile.

After attending a prestigious catholic school, he studied filmmaking at the Escuela de Cine de Chile for a year. After leaving film school he went to Montreal to study animation, but eventually he wound up selling shoes. That same year, he made the first gallery exhibition of his illustrations and started a band called CHC (the band has recorded three albums).

On his second illustration show, a man convinced him of seeking Spielberg himself to pitch a project. He flies off to Hollywood. The mission is a failure. He starts two more musical projects, “Yaia” and “Los Mono”, which would later be picked up for distribution by Sonic360 and published in the US and the UK.

He gets a new exhibition, this time in New York, and writes the script for La Vida me Mata, his first feature film. Upon his return to Chile, he records a solo album and produces La Vida me Mata. He writes a script about his trip to Hollywood, and then writes La Nana, which was produced immediately after finishing the script, in February 2008.

Currently Sebastián Silva is in New York, writing a new script in a workshop and applying for an artist visa. Sebastián Silva’s first film, La Vida Me Mata (http://www.lavidamemata.cl), released in 2007, has won the following awards in Chile:

• Circle of Art Critics of Chile - Best Film of 2007
• Pedro Sienna Awards 2007: Best Film, Best Editing (Danielle Fillios), Best Special Effects (Mario Villalobos / Ismael Cabrera), Best Secondary Performance (Claudia Celedón), Best Makeup (Carolina Lizana).
• SANFIC Film Festival 2007: Audience Award, Best Actress (Amparo Noguera)
• Valdivia International Film Festival 2007 - Special Mention Award

La Nana is Sebastián Silva’s second film.

Marlon Soto

Marlon Soto was born in Baní, Dominican Republic. He studied film production at Brooklyn College, from 1995 to 2000. Worked freelance in Santo Domingo for several years, as a nonlinear editor and director of commercials, before joining the National Film Office (DINAC) in 2006 as technical sub-director. In the past few years, Mr. Soto has also served as programmer of the videoteca Jean Luis Jorge for the Ministry of Culture and as part of the jury of the FUNGLODE short film contest. He is the actual director of the DINAC.

Nina Streich

Executive Director, Global Peace Film Festival.
Nina Streich began her career as a film editor, cutting trailers and TV spots for over 100 motion pictures including American Gigolo, The Elephant Man and Raiders of the Lost Ark. She has produced several documentaries including "In Our Hands" and "Talking Nicaragua." She has been actively involved in politics and is a veteran of many political campaigns.

In the early 1990s, she was the Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting in the Dinkins Administration, after which she began working in the management of film festivals including the Nantucket Film Festival and the Newport International Film Festival. In 2003, she started the Global Peace Film Festival in Orlando, FL. This festival has expanded and now has an annual event in Japan; and is developing festivals in other countries including a "Hope and Harmony Film Festival" in Eilat, Israel & Aqaba, Jordan. She is also a principal in a producer's rep company, Tele-Fest Representation, with entertainment attorney Ned McLeod, presenting completed projects for distribution, and story concepts for television development.

Genna Terranova

Senior Programmer, Tribeca Film Festival.
Currently Genna Terranova serves as Senior Programmer at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City co-chaired by Robert DeNiro and Jane Rosenthal, where she has worked for the last two years. She and the festival team are programming the inaugural Doha Tribeca Film Festival in Doha, Qatar, October 29th to November 1st. Prior to TFF she was Vice President of Acquisitions at the Weinstein Company, where her role included acquiring projects and completed films, overseeing these projects through all stages of production, marketing, publicity and distribution. At her time at TWC she oversaw TWC's Latin American Film Fund in association with Costantini Films, where she worked closely with Eduardo Costantini Jr. on the fund's acquisitions and productions. Terranova brought the fund the Brazilian hit, TROPE DE ELITE or ELITE SQUAD directed by Jose Padilha (BUS 174), and served as an Executive Producer.

The LATAM fund also released Israel Adrian Caetano's CRONICA DE UNA FUGA with IFC films and the Academy Award winning, The Queen in Latin America. In addition, she was instrumental in acquiring the Sundance hit LA MISMA LUNA with Fox Searchlight Pictures, directed by Patricia Riggen, Patrick Creadon's crossword documentary WORDPLAY, and Duncan Tucker's TRANSAMERICA. 
Previous to joining the Weinstein Company, Terranova worked in Acquisitions at Miramax Films as well as in publicity and marketing for Cowboy Pictures. She has produced two award winning short films and is a Cornell University alumnus. Genna Terranova currently lives and works in New York City.

Katie Trainor

Katie Trainor is currently the Film Collections Manager at the Museum of Modern Art. A graduate of the L. Jeffrey Selznick School of Film Preservation at the George Eastman House, with prior work at the Harvard Film Archive, The IFC Center NYC, and MoMA, and as a Co-Founder for the Center for Home Movies/ Home Movie Day she is familiar to many in the archival field. She is a long standing member and active participant of the AMIA (The Association of Moving Image Archivists). .

Charlotte Vick

Content Editor, Ocean in Google Earth.
Charlotte Vick has worked with the OCEAN in Google Earth for the last two years, She works with noted oceanographer, Dr. Sylvia Earle, and her Deep Search Foundation and directs RVLL Ocean Endeavors providing communications, technology, resource management and economic development expertise. She has participated in the evolution of online media since 1996. Living most of her adult life on islands, Charlotte has a passion for finding ways to improve life in and around coastal communities. Charlotte graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and did additional studies at the University of Hawaii in ocean sciences. Her career has included government service at the state, national and international levels as well as extensive work in marketing and communications for business, industry and non-profit organizations. She is keen to aid in applying emerging web-based technology, sustainable ocean and energy solutions in island environments.

Elena Vilardell

Technical Secretary, Ibermedia.
Born in Valencia, Spain, holds  a BA in Philology with Majors in Hispanic Philology, Spanish Literature and Audiovisual Languages obtained in 1984.  She also has a Diploma in History and Movie Aesthetics from the Universidad de Valladolid, 1989.
Elena has worked as Coordinator of the Film Classroom at Universidad de Valencia and has given several seminars on film, besides being Coordinator of several publications of different institutions, such as: Jacques Rivette “La Regla del Juego”, edited by the Spanish Film Library and by the Film Library of the Generalitat Valenciana in 1991; “La Fiamma del Peccato” (l’eros nel cinema) edited by the Museum of Cinema di Torino, the Cineteca Nazionale de Roma and the Cinémathèque Française. She is also the writer of several articles for the Journal of Film Preservation, quarterly magazine edited by the FIAF (International Federation of Film Archives).

Since 1991 she worked in the Movie Film Library of the Generalitat Valenciana performing diverse duties in the Departments of Programming, Management and International Relations, works that she combined with her role of Member of the Editorial Committee of the Film Library Archives Magazine.  From August 1998 to date, she has worked as Technical and Executive Secretary of the IBERMEDIA Program, multilateral financial fund that promote the film industry, created in November 1997 by  the VII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government.   

Cynthia Weisner

Weisner Distribution.
She is the founder and president of Weisner Distribution, dedicated to distribute and raise awareness among Puerto Rican audiences of available international titles. Weisner Distribution purchases an annual average of 20 titles and has successfully distributed more than 200 during the last nine years. Weisner has agreements with WalMart, Sams, Costco, Walgreens, Borders and Blockbuster.

Albert Xavier

Filmmaker.
Albert Xavier earned his first credits as a television producer with "Fashion Emergency" for E! Entertainment Television and "GalaScene" for Univision Networks. He made his directorial debut on the Latin episodic series hit, “Resurrection Blvd.”(2000) for Showtime Networks.

These experiences lead Albert to independently write, produce and direct his first feature Dominican film, “Red Passport/Pasaporte Rojo” which is being distributed by Maverick Entertainment worldwide. "Red Passport," was screened in more than 45 countries, including Italy, Cuba, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Poland, France, Peru, London, Dominican Republic, Japan, Argentina, Belize and Panama. The film won the Audience Award at LcCinemaFe at Lincoln Center. Albert has been awarded the Best Short Film Award for "A Different Man" at The International Film Festival of Belize which debuts the Latin Billboard award winner recording artist Amarfis Aquino and Michelle Mendez.

Addition to his reel, he has produced and directed a series of short films, entitled, “Wake of the Fallen Sun”, “Morning Breath” and “Por Ella”. Two of his short films have been picked for television broadcast on the BET and Bravo networks. In the Latin music video industry, Xavier directed music videos for various artists like: La India, Frankie Negron, King Chango, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Fulanito, Amarfis and Oro Solido to name a few. His most recent music video was honored with a Latin Billboard 2006 award of “Best Tropical Airplay” for "Lamento Boliviano” performed by merenguero recording artist Amarfis. In the advertising market, Albert has directed a series of industrial commercials for Nike, Umbro, Diesel Clothing and Macy's. His production company has been commissioned by ESPN to produce live sporting events throughout the United States and does behind the scenes coverage for Fashion Week in NYC, London, Miami and LA.

In 2006 Belier Entertainment Pictures, created a subdivision for multimedia projects- Belier Digital Media (BDM) and signed prominent healthcare industry accounts in the United States and Africa. BDM has grown to serve accounts like: Continuum Health Partners, New York Presbyterian, Stony Brook Medical, NY Downtown, Hackensack Medical, Culver City Medical in LA and other private clinics in the US. He has been shooting and producing HIV related fundraising medical videos in Africa, Mexico and Russia for the non-profit organization, Doctor’s of the World. These videos are purposely produced to better healthcare and create HIV awareness in developing countries. This year, his second feature film entitled, “Hermafrodita”, premiered at the Chicago Latino Film Festival and won the Audience Choice Awards. The film also participated at March Du Film in Cannes and the International Film festival of Sao Paulo, Brazil and is slated to premiere in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico in October 2009.

Xavier is currently directing a television reality show at MTV for P. Diddy entitled the “Last Train to Paris” and it is set to premiere January 2010. His next feature film, slated for February 2010, will be produced in the Dominican Republic and is a musical feature film about the life and success of Los Hermano’s Rosario. To view reels and clips of Albert Xavier’s work, visit the official website: www.albertxavier.com / www.hermafroditathemovie.com