II Film Project Development Lab for Indigenous and Afro-Descendant Directors of Latin America Through Morelia Pro, the Morelia International Film Festival (FICM) and the Ibermedia Program, with the support of Netflix, carried out the 2nd Film Project Development Lab for Indigenous and Afro-Descendant Directors of Latin America.The FPDLIADLA was held from October 16 to October 20, 2024, within the framework of the Forum of Indigenous Peoples of the 22nd edition of FICM, with the objective of contributing to the professionalization and training of filmmakers belonging to different ethnic groups and nations.The 2nd Film Project Development Lab for Indigenous and Afro-Descendant Directors of Latin America was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Ibermedia Program, the Mexican Film Institute (IMCINE), SODEC, the Quebec Delegation in Mexico, the independent organization Cultural Survival, the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity and the U.S. Embassy in Mexico. SELECTED FILMMAKERS Aracely Méndez ¿Quién es Me'Lupe? (Who is Me'Lupe?)Documentary feature filmEthnicity: Maya TseltalCountry: MexicoSociologist, defender and audiovisual producer of Mayan Tseltal origin. She has collaborated in different social organizations and networks that work for the human rights of women in mobility and indigenous peoples. As a filmmaker, she has sought to approach cinema from a critical stance, in addition to an ethical and aesthetic proposal appropriate for indigenous peoples. In her work she reflects on the importance of making documentary films through self-representation and careful and collective processes. She directed the documentary The Sky is Very Pretty (2022), which has been shown in various communal and organized territories, festivals and film exhibitions worldwide, receiving several awards and prizes. Balam Benjamin Nieto Toscano CimarronesDocumentary Feature FilmEthnicity: AfromexicanCountry: MexicoAfro-descendant filmmaker from the coast of Oaxaca. He studied film directing at the CCC Film Training Center, was part of the fourth generation of the Ambulante Más Allá project, and currently collaborates with the El Cimarrón Cultural Center. Through fiction and documentary, he explores the life and history of the Afro-descendant communities of the Costa Chica region in Guerrero. He co-directed the short film Mutsk Wuäjxtë (Little Foxes), which has won several awards. He directed his first short film Amare, in which he explores the imprint of migration, art and Afro-descendant childhoods in his region. He has been the cinematographer on Ebony Bailey's Afromexpats and Diana Pinacho's Yo Aceitera. He is currently in post-production on his debut feature Soy Yuyé (I’m Yuyé) and in the development of his second feature film, Cimarrones. He attended the European Film Market during the Berlinale 2023 and received the Artistic Development Award at the International Afro Film Festival of Colombia. Clemen Villamizar Acosta Lo que se lleva la marea (Gone with the Tide)Largometraje ficciónEtnia: AfromexicanaPaís: MéxicoDirector and audiovisual producer with experience in fiction and documentary feature films, advertising campaigns and series for streaming. She has directed two short films and is currently developing her first feature film. Founder of the The CINEGRO Guerrero Film Network and member of the National Network of Afro-descendant Youth. She is a graduate in Digital Cinema and Postproduction, and an intern in Philosophy Studies at UNAM [National Autonomous University of Mexico]. She has received important awards and scholarships, such as: Scholarship for Young Creators-FONCA 2021 in Screenwriting for feature film, Stimulus Program for the Creation and Artistic Development of Guerrero (PECDA- 2018). She has taught workshops and been a consultant in: Workshop of Introduction to Documentary Creation in Acapulco (2019), the Itinerante School of Afro Cinema (2023). In addition, she has participated in the CINEFILIAS Screenwriting Lab (Colombia-2023). With a solid trajectory in the audiovisual industry, she continues to develop innovative projects committed to diversity and inclusion. Dante Cerano K ́urátsekwa Tsïtsïkiisti (Shame is a Flower)Fiction feature filmEthnicity: P'urhépechaCountry: MexicoDante found in cinema the vehicle to realize a dream inherited from his sculptor grandfather: to see how sculptures could move and speak, revealing their secrets. With a background in Human Sciences and Film, he has combined his passion for culture and art in various areas. He has been a university professor, cultural promoter and has won recognition for his short documentaries and fiction films, for his contribution to indigenous cinema. In addition to his work as a filmmaker, Dante is a traditional music producer and scholar, with his research focused on the literary folklore and traditions of indigenous peoples. He is currently directing the feature film Monumentos vivientes (Living Monuments) and is the founder of TV P'urhé, a Purepecha television channel that seeks to amplify the voices of his community and preserve its cultural heritage. Franz Ronny Quispe Fernández Wawa PampayFiction feature filmEthnicity: QuechuaCountry: PeruFranz Quispe is a passionate filmmaker and cultural manager. He is a graduate of Communication Sciences from the National University of San Cristóbal de Huamanga (UNSCH), one of the most prestigious universities in Peru. Since 2016, he coordinates the Microcine Chaski San Juan, an initiative that promotes community cinema in Ayacucho, contributing to the promotion of film art in the region. His career as an audiovisual producer and filmmaker has focused on projects that explore documentary and social cinema, addressing the reality and diversity of the country. In addition to his work in film, Franz is a landscape photographer and an independent audiovisual producer, with several short films and video clips in his portfolio. His mission is to continue learning and sharing his love for cinema with new generations, thus strengthening the film culture in his community and beyond. Gunzareiman Villafaña Torres Las hijas de Naboba (The Daughters of Naboba)Documentary short film, animationEthnicity: ArhuacaCountry: ColombiaArhuaca economist and audiovisual producer, with a master's degree in Creative Audiovisual Production. Since 2017, she has been an active member of the Yosokwi Collective, where she has played key roles in production and coordination of audiovisual projects. In 2020, she took over the role of audiovisual producer for the Yosokwi Collective, focused on creating indigenous audiovisual narratives from a female perspective. Her passion for storytelling and the defense of her culture drives her to tell stories that highlight the experience and wisdom of indigenous women. In addition, she has coordinated projects with the Cabildo Arhuaco de la Sierra Nevada, in alliance with organizations such as Conservation International and Mastercard, demonstrating skills in budgetary and administrative management. Her focus is on strengthening training spaces for young people, exploring formats, techniques and artistic languages to transmit learned knowledge. Through her work, she seeks to preserve and promote indigenous culture and empower women through audiovisual storytelling. Humberto Gomez Pérez TajimolDocumentary feature filmEthnicity: Maya TsotsilCountry: MexicoTsotsil filmmaker from Larráinzar, Chiapas, with a solid background in communication, arts and culture. His projects as a director include the short films Vayijeletik (2015), Jvobtik (2018), and Ñichim Chab (2021). In 2023 he premiered his debut film Ch'ul be, Senda sagrada (Ch'ul be, Sacred Path), which has had an extensive national and international run, including the Guadalajara International Film Festival and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. In 2014 he founded Satil Film, from where he has promoted the production of a documentary film that highlights the cultural richness of his community. As president of the Mayan-Zoques Writers Union A.C., he has contributed to the creation of several collective books, strengthening the Tsotsil identity and cultural heritage. Irati Dojura Mu Kar: mi raíz (Mu Kar: My Root)Documentary feature filmEthnicity: Emberá chamíCountry: ColombiaFilmmaker of the Embera Chamí people. She studied Audiovisual and Multimedia Communication at the University of Antioquia in Medellín. She has extensive experience as a researcher, director and audiovisual producer. Her first short film of fiction, Akababuru: Expresión de Asombro (Akababuru: Expression of Astonishment), was the winner of the Film Development Fund (FDC) in the category of short films of ethnic populations. She has also worked as an audiovisual workshop teacher in several indigenous film and video exhibitions in territories such as Antioquia, Nariño, La Guajira, Caldas and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. She has been the beneficiary of several grants for the strengthening of sustainable and cultural projects of indigenous peoples, promoted by, among others, the Carolina Foundation, the University of Salamanca and Cultura Survival. Irati is co-founder of the audiovisual collective Luminti, which focuses on territorial work with a community approach. Leyzer Chiquin El sueño del toro, el caballo y la serpiente (The dream of the bull, the horse and the snake)Largometraje ficciónEtnia: Maya poqomchi’País: GuatemalaGuatemalan writer, director and producer. Co-founder of the production company Cuenca Studios, where he has developed several projects such as La niña del arpa (The Girl with the Harp), La sombra de la casa (The Shadow of the House), El hilo y la pólvora (Thread and Gunpowder), and El buceo de las ranas (Diving Frogs) (Guatemala/Colombia co-production). These projects have been screened, financed and sponsored by: Cinelatino Toulouse, VLAF Canada, MAFIZ Malaga, Nuevas Miradas EICTV, SANFIC Chile, IMCINE, Redford Center USA, University of Liverpool, and Ibermedia. As a director, he seeks to value working with “non-actors”, because he believes that this is where they achieve spontaneous gestures that strengthen the narrative. As a filmmaker, he seeks to generate dialogues around stories that make people uncomfortable, and considers that cinema is a way of freezing stories that can transcend and transform this world over the years. Luzbeidy Monterrosa Atencio Ako’yolowaa (Covering the Soul)Documentary feature filmEthnicity: WayuuCountry: Colombia - VenezuelaDirector and screenwriter with experience in film and audiovisual projects. Her work Jülapüin Yonna was selected by the National Council for the Arts and Culture in Cinematography (CNACC) and obtained an international grant from the human rights organization MADRE. The project is currently in the final stage of post-production. His fiction debut feature, La danza del perdón (The Dance of Forgiveness), was selected for the Lab Macondo, organized by the Colombian Film Academy, the Gabo Foundation and Netflix. This project has gone through prestigious residencies in Canada and Colombia, and has participated in networking spaces at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. In addition, she co-directed Aipa'a - Yem, selected for the Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival (FICCI) 2023, where it won first place in the Diverse Festival. His short film Muu-Palaa was awarded with the Netflix-FICCI Diversity recognition in 2021. María Isaías Reyes Jerónimo Xabo Me’phaaDocumentary short filmEthnicity: Me'phaaCountry: MexicoMaría J. Reyes was born in La Montaña de Guerrero region, in Mexico, and belongs to the Mè ́phààà people, one of the four original people of the State of Guerrero. Since 2010, she has dedicated her time to the research and documentation of the oral memory, knowledge and wisdom of the indigenous peoples. She studied Language and Culture at the Intercultural University of the State of Guerrero. In 2014 she was part of the Juma Mè'phàà Seminar. Since 2015, she has been part of the Xtája Collective, where they work in photography, oral memory documentation, scripts, fiction, documentary and animation. The works that stand out are: the feature film Mixchantli (2012), Gòn' Ma'ñaán (Red Moon) 2018, Akùnmbaa (Heart of Earth) 2023, as well as photographic exhibitions in La Paz, Bolivia (2023). She is currently working on the filming of the documentary Xàbò Mè'phààà, a co-production between director Salvador Santana II ( Xtája Collective) and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), about the memory in defense of the territory in which the Juba Wajíín people live. Medhin Tewolde Serrano Diario de Assefaw (Assefaw's Diary)Documentary Feature FilmEthnicity: AfromexicanCountry: MexicoFilm director and producer of Mexican-Eritrean origin, currently living in Chiapas. She studied a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Sciences, a Master's Degree in Creative Documentary and a Master's Degree in Social and Humanistic Sciences. Her debut film is the feature documentary entitled Negra (2020), which has won sixteen awards, and has been screened at more than sixty film festivals and film shows. Her second film is the animated short Nyanga (2023), screened in more than thirty festivals and winner of eight awards. She is currently finishing the post-production stage of the documentary short Carabalí, and is working on the development of her second feature documentary Diario de Assefaw (Assefaw's Diary), with which she won the award for best project in the “Catapulta, atelier de producción” laboratory at FICUNAM (2024). Medhin is committed to making films on Afro-descendant issues in order to make their contributions visible and name their experiences. Mónica del Carmen Biñíi Dhxizáa (Zapotec Remnants)Documentary feature filmEthnicity: ZapotecCountry: MexicoZapotec actress, graduated from the National School of Theatrical Art in Mexico. In 2022 she won the Ariel Award for Best Actress for A Cop Movie, by Alonso Ruizpalacios, and the Ariel Award for Best Female Co-Actress. She was nominated, in the same category, for the Silver Goddesses for the film Asfixia by Kenya Márquez. In 2011 she won the Ariel Award for Best Actress, and was named Best Actress by the Online Critics Association of Mexico, and in 2010 she won the Best Actress Award at the XL International MODOLIST Film Festival in Kyiv, for her role in Leap Year, winner of the Camera d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. She has worked with directors such as Michel and Victoria Franco, Michael Rowe, Alonso Ruizpalacios, Kenya Márquez, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Patricia Arriaga Jordán, Julián Hernández and Roberto Fiesco. She has been a member of the Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences (AMACC) since 2011. Paola Gabriela Quispe Quispe Jichi, en busca del guardián de las aguas (Jichi, in Search of the Guardian of the Waters)Cortometraje ficciónEtnia: AymaraPaís: BoliviaTeacher, photojournalist and audiovisual producer with Aymara roots. She is currently studying Social Communication at the Higher University of San Andrés and is responsible for projects in the Network for Monitoring and Defense of Environmental Rights and Rights of Indigenous and Afro-descendant Peoples (REDAMPIC Bolivia). She is producer of El cuarto desordenado (The Messy Room), was an intern at AWASQA, a community journalism network, and directs the documentary Jichi, en busca del guardián de las aguas (Jichi, in Search of the Guardian of the Waters). In 2023, she was selected for the Warmis de Luz Photographic Residency and coordinated socio-environmental projects such as Guardians of Nature 2.0 and Warmis, guardians of water, awarded at the Bonito South American Film Festival in Brazil. In addition, she won the contest Desde nuestras raíces contamos historias (From our roots we tell stories) with the short film Cuando florezca el chuño (When the Chuño Flowers). His work focuses on the defense of the environment and the rights of indigenous peoples through visual narrative. Roxana Tello YuyarisunDocumentary short filmEthnicity: QuechuaCountry: PeruFilmmaker, manager and audiovisual curator. She is a social communicator from the National University of San Cristóbal de Huamanga (Ayacucho, Peru), and has postgraduate studies in Community-Based Cultural Policies at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO, Argentina) and Community Cultural Management at the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO, Argentina). She studied documentary creation at the International School of Film and TV (EICTV, Cuba), and has been a juror in several film festivals. Her fiction feature film project Antes de Uchuraccay (Before Uchuraccay) was selected in the workshop of New Peruvian Women Filmmakers, and Yuyarisun, her most recent documentary project, has already passed through the Hilando Miradas workshop. She is currently coordinator of the Microcine Nazarenas and the Microcine Network Ayacucho and workshop participant at the Cine 10 audiovisual residency in La Islilla, Piura. Werá Alexandre Kunhangue: A criação do universo (Kunhangue, the Creation of the Universe)Hybrid feature filmEthnicity: Guarani mbyaCountry: BrazilFilmmaker graduated in filmmaking in the Cinema nas Aldeias project. He worked as a photographer and editor in several projects of short films, feature films and series for television and specialized channels. As a director, his short films circulated in important festivals in his country, such as the São Paulo International Film Festival and the Visões Periféricas Festival, where he won the award for Best Film in the competition. Yuli Guanga Ortiz Kuankua PiDocumentary feature filmEthnicity: AwáCountry: ColombiaFilmmaker and audiovisual communicator of the Awá people. She studied at the Autonomous Indigenous University (UAIIN) of the Indigenous Regional Council of Cauca (CRIC) in Colombia. She has worked with different indigenous peoples of her country in the creation of proposals and products aimed to the visibility and strengthening of political and organizational processes through film and communication. She has worked collectively in the production and direction of some chapters of the documentary series Autonomías Territoriales (Territorial Autonomies), a program broadcast on Colombian television, now in its sixth season. Recently, in her region, she managed an intensive laboratory of documentary projects in development.
SELECTED FILMMAKERS Aracely Méndez ¿Quién es Me'Lupe? (Who is Me'Lupe?)Documentary feature filmEthnicity: Maya TseltalCountry: MexicoSociologist, defender and audiovisual producer of Mayan Tseltal origin. She has collaborated in different social organizations and networks that work for the human rights of women in mobility and indigenous peoples. As a filmmaker, she has sought to approach cinema from a critical stance, in addition to an ethical and aesthetic proposal appropriate for indigenous peoples. In her work she reflects on the importance of making documentary films through self-representation and careful and collective processes. She directed the documentary The Sky is Very Pretty (2022), which has been shown in various communal and organized territories, festivals and film exhibitions worldwide, receiving several awards and prizes. Balam Benjamin Nieto Toscano CimarronesDocumentary Feature FilmEthnicity: AfromexicanCountry: MexicoAfro-descendant filmmaker from the coast of Oaxaca. He studied film directing at the CCC Film Training Center, was part of the fourth generation of the Ambulante Más Allá project, and currently collaborates with the El Cimarrón Cultural Center. Through fiction and documentary, he explores the life and history of the Afro-descendant communities of the Costa Chica region in Guerrero. He co-directed the short film Mutsk Wuäjxtë (Little Foxes), which has won several awards. He directed his first short film Amare, in which he explores the imprint of migration, art and Afro-descendant childhoods in his region. He has been the cinematographer on Ebony Bailey's Afromexpats and Diana Pinacho's Yo Aceitera. He is currently in post-production on his debut feature Soy Yuyé (I’m Yuyé) and in the development of his second feature film, Cimarrones. He attended the European Film Market during the Berlinale 2023 and received the Artistic Development Award at the International Afro Film Festival of Colombia. Clemen Villamizar Acosta Lo que se lleva la marea (Gone with the Tide)Largometraje ficciónEtnia: AfromexicanaPaís: MéxicoDirector and audiovisual producer with experience in fiction and documentary feature films, advertising campaigns and series for streaming. She has directed two short films and is currently developing her first feature film. Founder of the The CINEGRO Guerrero Film Network and member of the National Network of Afro-descendant Youth. She is a graduate in Digital Cinema and Postproduction, and an intern in Philosophy Studies at UNAM [National Autonomous University of Mexico]. She has received important awards and scholarships, such as: Scholarship for Young Creators-FONCA 2021 in Screenwriting for feature film, Stimulus Program for the Creation and Artistic Development of Guerrero (PECDA- 2018). She has taught workshops and been a consultant in: Workshop of Introduction to Documentary Creation in Acapulco (2019), the Itinerante School of Afro Cinema (2023). In addition, she has participated in the CINEFILIAS Screenwriting Lab (Colombia-2023). With a solid trajectory in the audiovisual industry, she continues to develop innovative projects committed to diversity and inclusion. Dante Cerano K ́urátsekwa Tsïtsïkiisti (Shame is a Flower)Fiction feature filmEthnicity: P'urhépechaCountry: MexicoDante found in cinema the vehicle to realize a dream inherited from his sculptor grandfather: to see how sculptures could move and speak, revealing their secrets. With a background in Human Sciences and Film, he has combined his passion for culture and art in various areas. He has been a university professor, cultural promoter and has won recognition for his short documentaries and fiction films, for his contribution to indigenous cinema. In addition to his work as a filmmaker, Dante is a traditional music producer and scholar, with his research focused on the literary folklore and traditions of indigenous peoples. He is currently directing the feature film Monumentos vivientes (Living Monuments) and is the founder of TV P'urhé, a Purepecha television channel that seeks to amplify the voices of his community and preserve its cultural heritage. Franz Ronny Quispe Fernández Wawa PampayFiction feature filmEthnicity: QuechuaCountry: PeruFranz Quispe is a passionate filmmaker and cultural manager. He is a graduate of Communication Sciences from the National University of San Cristóbal de Huamanga (UNSCH), one of the most prestigious universities in Peru. Since 2016, he coordinates the Microcine Chaski San Juan, an initiative that promotes community cinema in Ayacucho, contributing to the promotion of film art in the region. His career as an audiovisual producer and filmmaker has focused on projects that explore documentary and social cinema, addressing the reality and diversity of the country. In addition to his work in film, Franz is a landscape photographer and an independent audiovisual producer, with several short films and video clips in his portfolio. His mission is to continue learning and sharing his love for cinema with new generations, thus strengthening the film culture in his community and beyond. Gunzareiman Villafaña Torres Las hijas de Naboba (The Daughters of Naboba)Documentary short film, animationEthnicity: ArhuacaCountry: ColombiaArhuaca economist and audiovisual producer, with a master's degree in Creative Audiovisual Production. Since 2017, she has been an active member of the Yosokwi Collective, where she has played key roles in production and coordination of audiovisual projects. In 2020, she took over the role of audiovisual producer for the Yosokwi Collective, focused on creating indigenous audiovisual narratives from a female perspective. Her passion for storytelling and the defense of her culture drives her to tell stories that highlight the experience and wisdom of indigenous women. In addition, she has coordinated projects with the Cabildo Arhuaco de la Sierra Nevada, in alliance with organizations such as Conservation International and Mastercard, demonstrating skills in budgetary and administrative management. Her focus is on strengthening training spaces for young people, exploring formats, techniques and artistic languages to transmit learned knowledge. Through her work, she seeks to preserve and promote indigenous culture and empower women through audiovisual storytelling. Humberto Gomez Pérez TajimolDocumentary feature filmEthnicity: Maya TsotsilCountry: MexicoTsotsil filmmaker from Larráinzar, Chiapas, with a solid background in communication, arts and culture. His projects as a director include the short films Vayijeletik (2015), Jvobtik (2018), and Ñichim Chab (2021). In 2023 he premiered his debut film Ch'ul be, Senda sagrada (Ch'ul be, Sacred Path), which has had an extensive national and international run, including the Guadalajara International Film Festival and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. In 2014 he founded Satil Film, from where he has promoted the production of a documentary film that highlights the cultural richness of his community. As president of the Mayan-Zoques Writers Union A.C., he has contributed to the creation of several collective books, strengthening the Tsotsil identity and cultural heritage. Irati Dojura Mu Kar: mi raíz (Mu Kar: My Root)Documentary feature filmEthnicity: Emberá chamíCountry: ColombiaFilmmaker of the Embera Chamí people. She studied Audiovisual and Multimedia Communication at the University of Antioquia in Medellín. She has extensive experience as a researcher, director and audiovisual producer. Her first short film of fiction, Akababuru: Expresión de Asombro (Akababuru: Expression of Astonishment), was the winner of the Film Development Fund (FDC) in the category of short films of ethnic populations. She has also worked as an audiovisual workshop teacher in several indigenous film and video exhibitions in territories such as Antioquia, Nariño, La Guajira, Caldas and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. She has been the beneficiary of several grants for the strengthening of sustainable and cultural projects of indigenous peoples, promoted by, among others, the Carolina Foundation, the University of Salamanca and Cultura Survival. Irati is co-founder of the audiovisual collective Luminti, which focuses on territorial work with a community approach. Leyzer Chiquin El sueño del toro, el caballo y la serpiente (The dream of the bull, the horse and the snake)Largometraje ficciónEtnia: Maya poqomchi’País: GuatemalaGuatemalan writer, director and producer. Co-founder of the production company Cuenca Studios, where he has developed several projects such as La niña del arpa (The Girl with the Harp), La sombra de la casa (The Shadow of the House), El hilo y la pólvora (Thread and Gunpowder), and El buceo de las ranas (Diving Frogs) (Guatemala/Colombia co-production). These projects have been screened, financed and sponsored by: Cinelatino Toulouse, VLAF Canada, MAFIZ Malaga, Nuevas Miradas EICTV, SANFIC Chile, IMCINE, Redford Center USA, University of Liverpool, and Ibermedia. As a director, he seeks to value working with “non-actors”, because he believes that this is where they achieve spontaneous gestures that strengthen the narrative. As a filmmaker, he seeks to generate dialogues around stories that make people uncomfortable, and considers that cinema is a way of freezing stories that can transcend and transform this world over the years. Luzbeidy Monterrosa Atencio Ako’yolowaa (Covering the Soul)Documentary feature filmEthnicity: WayuuCountry: Colombia - VenezuelaDirector and screenwriter with experience in film and audiovisual projects. Her work Jülapüin Yonna was selected by the National Council for the Arts and Culture in Cinematography (CNACC) and obtained an international grant from the human rights organization MADRE. The project is currently in the final stage of post-production. His fiction debut feature, La danza del perdón (The Dance of Forgiveness), was selected for the Lab Macondo, organized by the Colombian Film Academy, the Gabo Foundation and Netflix. This project has gone through prestigious residencies in Canada and Colombia, and has participated in networking spaces at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. In addition, she co-directed Aipa'a - Yem, selected for the Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival (FICCI) 2023, where it won first place in the Diverse Festival. His short film Muu-Palaa was awarded with the Netflix-FICCI Diversity recognition in 2021. María Isaías Reyes Jerónimo Xabo Me’phaaDocumentary short filmEthnicity: Me'phaaCountry: MexicoMaría J. Reyes was born in La Montaña de Guerrero region, in Mexico, and belongs to the Mè ́phààà people, one of the four original people of the State of Guerrero. Since 2010, she has dedicated her time to the research and documentation of the oral memory, knowledge and wisdom of the indigenous peoples. She studied Language and Culture at the Intercultural University of the State of Guerrero. In 2014 she was part of the Juma Mè'phàà Seminar. Since 2015, she has been part of the Xtája Collective, where they work in photography, oral memory documentation, scripts, fiction, documentary and animation. The works that stand out are: the feature film Mixchantli (2012), Gòn' Ma'ñaán (Red Moon) 2018, Akùnmbaa (Heart of Earth) 2023, as well as photographic exhibitions in La Paz, Bolivia (2023). She is currently working on the filming of the documentary Xàbò Mè'phààà, a co-production between director Salvador Santana II ( Xtája Collective) and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), about the memory in defense of the territory in which the Juba Wajíín people live. Medhin Tewolde Serrano Diario de Assefaw (Assefaw's Diary)Documentary Feature FilmEthnicity: AfromexicanCountry: MexicoFilm director and producer of Mexican-Eritrean origin, currently living in Chiapas. She studied a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Sciences, a Master's Degree in Creative Documentary and a Master's Degree in Social and Humanistic Sciences. Her debut film is the feature documentary entitled Negra (2020), which has won sixteen awards, and has been screened at more than sixty film festivals and film shows. Her second film is the animated short Nyanga (2023), screened in more than thirty festivals and winner of eight awards. She is currently finishing the post-production stage of the documentary short Carabalí, and is working on the development of her second feature documentary Diario de Assefaw (Assefaw's Diary), with which she won the award for best project in the “Catapulta, atelier de producción” laboratory at FICUNAM (2024). Medhin is committed to making films on Afro-descendant issues in order to make their contributions visible and name their experiences. Mónica del Carmen Biñíi Dhxizáa (Zapotec Remnants)Documentary feature filmEthnicity: ZapotecCountry: MexicoZapotec actress, graduated from the National School of Theatrical Art in Mexico. In 2022 she won the Ariel Award for Best Actress for A Cop Movie, by Alonso Ruizpalacios, and the Ariel Award for Best Female Co-Actress. She was nominated, in the same category, for the Silver Goddesses for the film Asfixia by Kenya Márquez. In 2011 she won the Ariel Award for Best Actress, and was named Best Actress by the Online Critics Association of Mexico, and in 2010 she won the Best Actress Award at the XL International MODOLIST Film Festival in Kyiv, for her role in Leap Year, winner of the Camera d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. She has worked with directors such as Michel and Victoria Franco, Michael Rowe, Alonso Ruizpalacios, Kenya Márquez, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Patricia Arriaga Jordán, Julián Hernández and Roberto Fiesco. She has been a member of the Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences (AMACC) since 2011. Paola Gabriela Quispe Quispe Jichi, en busca del guardián de las aguas (Jichi, in Search of the Guardian of the Waters)Cortometraje ficciónEtnia: AymaraPaís: BoliviaTeacher, photojournalist and audiovisual producer with Aymara roots. She is currently studying Social Communication at the Higher University of San Andrés and is responsible for projects in the Network for Monitoring and Defense of Environmental Rights and Rights of Indigenous and Afro-descendant Peoples (REDAMPIC Bolivia). She is producer of El cuarto desordenado (The Messy Room), was an intern at AWASQA, a community journalism network, and directs the documentary Jichi, en busca del guardián de las aguas (Jichi, in Search of the Guardian of the Waters). In 2023, she was selected for the Warmis de Luz Photographic Residency and coordinated socio-environmental projects such as Guardians of Nature 2.0 and Warmis, guardians of water, awarded at the Bonito South American Film Festival in Brazil. In addition, she won the contest Desde nuestras raíces contamos historias (From our roots we tell stories) with the short film Cuando florezca el chuño (When the Chuño Flowers). His work focuses on the defense of the environment and the rights of indigenous peoples through visual narrative. Roxana Tello YuyarisunDocumentary short filmEthnicity: QuechuaCountry: PeruFilmmaker, manager and audiovisual curator. She is a social communicator from the National University of San Cristóbal de Huamanga (Ayacucho, Peru), and has postgraduate studies in Community-Based Cultural Policies at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO, Argentina) and Community Cultural Management at the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO, Argentina). She studied documentary creation at the International School of Film and TV (EICTV, Cuba), and has been a juror in several film festivals. Her fiction feature film project Antes de Uchuraccay (Before Uchuraccay) was selected in the workshop of New Peruvian Women Filmmakers, and Yuyarisun, her most recent documentary project, has already passed through the Hilando Miradas workshop. She is currently coordinator of the Microcine Nazarenas and the Microcine Network Ayacucho and workshop participant at the Cine 10 audiovisual residency in La Islilla, Piura. Werá Alexandre Kunhangue: A criação do universo (Kunhangue, the Creation of the Universe)Hybrid feature filmEthnicity: Guarani mbyaCountry: BrazilFilmmaker graduated in filmmaking in the Cinema nas Aldeias project. He worked as a photographer and editor in several projects of short films, feature films and series for television and specialized channels. As a director, his short films circulated in important festivals in his country, such as the São Paulo International Film Festival and the Visões Periféricas Festival, where he won the award for Best Film in the competition. Yuli Guanga Ortiz Kuankua PiDocumentary feature filmEthnicity: AwáCountry: ColombiaFilmmaker and audiovisual communicator of the Awá people. She studied at the Autonomous Indigenous University (UAIIN) of the Indigenous Regional Council of Cauca (CRIC) in Colombia. She has worked with different indigenous peoples of her country in the creation of proposals and products aimed to the visibility and strengthening of political and organizational processes through film and communication. She has worked collectively in the production and direction of some chapters of the documentary series Autonomías Territoriales (Territorial Autonomies), a program broadcast on Colombian television, now in its sixth season. Recently, in her region, she managed an intensive laboratory of documentary projects in development.
Aracely Méndez ¿Quién es Me'Lupe? (Who is Me'Lupe?)Documentary feature filmEthnicity: Maya TseltalCountry: MexicoSociologist, defender and audiovisual producer of Mayan Tseltal origin. She has collaborated in different social organizations and networks that work for the human rights of women in mobility and indigenous peoples. As a filmmaker, she has sought to approach cinema from a critical stance, in addition to an ethical and aesthetic proposal appropriate for indigenous peoples. In her work she reflects on the importance of making documentary films through self-representation and careful and collective processes. She directed the documentary The Sky is Very Pretty (2022), which has been shown in various communal and organized territories, festivals and film exhibitions worldwide, receiving several awards and prizes.
Balam Benjamin Nieto Toscano CimarronesDocumentary Feature FilmEthnicity: AfromexicanCountry: MexicoAfro-descendant filmmaker from the coast of Oaxaca. He studied film directing at the CCC Film Training Center, was part of the fourth generation of the Ambulante Más Allá project, and currently collaborates with the El Cimarrón Cultural Center. Through fiction and documentary, he explores the life and history of the Afro-descendant communities of the Costa Chica region in Guerrero. He co-directed the short film Mutsk Wuäjxtë (Little Foxes), which has won several awards. He directed his first short film Amare, in which he explores the imprint of migration, art and Afro-descendant childhoods in his region. He has been the cinematographer on Ebony Bailey's Afromexpats and Diana Pinacho's Yo Aceitera. He is currently in post-production on his debut feature Soy Yuyé (I’m Yuyé) and in the development of his second feature film, Cimarrones. He attended the European Film Market during the Berlinale 2023 and received the Artistic Development Award at the International Afro Film Festival of Colombia.
Clemen Villamizar Acosta Lo que se lleva la marea (Gone with the Tide)Largometraje ficciónEtnia: AfromexicanaPaís: MéxicoDirector and audiovisual producer with experience in fiction and documentary feature films, advertising campaigns and series for streaming. She has directed two short films and is currently developing her first feature film. Founder of the The CINEGRO Guerrero Film Network and member of the National Network of Afro-descendant Youth. She is a graduate in Digital Cinema and Postproduction, and an intern in Philosophy Studies at UNAM [National Autonomous University of Mexico]. She has received important awards and scholarships, such as: Scholarship for Young Creators-FONCA 2021 in Screenwriting for feature film, Stimulus Program for the Creation and Artistic Development of Guerrero (PECDA- 2018). She has taught workshops and been a consultant in: Workshop of Introduction to Documentary Creation in Acapulco (2019), the Itinerante School of Afro Cinema (2023). In addition, she has participated in the CINEFILIAS Screenwriting Lab (Colombia-2023). With a solid trajectory in the audiovisual industry, she continues to develop innovative projects committed to diversity and inclusion.
Dante Cerano K ́urátsekwa Tsïtsïkiisti (Shame is a Flower)Fiction feature filmEthnicity: P'urhépechaCountry: MexicoDante found in cinema the vehicle to realize a dream inherited from his sculptor grandfather: to see how sculptures could move and speak, revealing their secrets. With a background in Human Sciences and Film, he has combined his passion for culture and art in various areas. He has been a university professor, cultural promoter and has won recognition for his short documentaries and fiction films, for his contribution to indigenous cinema. In addition to his work as a filmmaker, Dante is a traditional music producer and scholar, with his research focused on the literary folklore and traditions of indigenous peoples. He is currently directing the feature film Monumentos vivientes (Living Monuments) and is the founder of TV P'urhé, a Purepecha television channel that seeks to amplify the voices of his community and preserve its cultural heritage.
Franz Ronny Quispe Fernández Wawa PampayFiction feature filmEthnicity: QuechuaCountry: PeruFranz Quispe is a passionate filmmaker and cultural manager. He is a graduate of Communication Sciences from the National University of San Cristóbal de Huamanga (UNSCH), one of the most prestigious universities in Peru. Since 2016, he coordinates the Microcine Chaski San Juan, an initiative that promotes community cinema in Ayacucho, contributing to the promotion of film art in the region. His career as an audiovisual producer and filmmaker has focused on projects that explore documentary and social cinema, addressing the reality and diversity of the country. In addition to his work in film, Franz is a landscape photographer and an independent audiovisual producer, with several short films and video clips in his portfolio. His mission is to continue learning and sharing his love for cinema with new generations, thus strengthening the film culture in his community and beyond.
Gunzareiman Villafaña Torres Las hijas de Naboba (The Daughters of Naboba)Documentary short film, animationEthnicity: ArhuacaCountry: ColombiaArhuaca economist and audiovisual producer, with a master's degree in Creative Audiovisual Production. Since 2017, she has been an active member of the Yosokwi Collective, where she has played key roles in production and coordination of audiovisual projects. In 2020, she took over the role of audiovisual producer for the Yosokwi Collective, focused on creating indigenous audiovisual narratives from a female perspective. Her passion for storytelling and the defense of her culture drives her to tell stories that highlight the experience and wisdom of indigenous women. In addition, she has coordinated projects with the Cabildo Arhuaco de la Sierra Nevada, in alliance with organizations such as Conservation International and Mastercard, demonstrating skills in budgetary and administrative management. Her focus is on strengthening training spaces for young people, exploring formats, techniques and artistic languages to transmit learned knowledge. Through her work, she seeks to preserve and promote indigenous culture and empower women through audiovisual storytelling.
Humberto Gomez Pérez TajimolDocumentary feature filmEthnicity: Maya TsotsilCountry: MexicoTsotsil filmmaker from Larráinzar, Chiapas, with a solid background in communication, arts and culture. His projects as a director include the short films Vayijeletik (2015), Jvobtik (2018), and Ñichim Chab (2021). In 2023 he premiered his debut film Ch'ul be, Senda sagrada (Ch'ul be, Sacred Path), which has had an extensive national and international run, including the Guadalajara International Film Festival and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. In 2014 he founded Satil Film, from where he has promoted the production of a documentary film that highlights the cultural richness of his community. As president of the Mayan-Zoques Writers Union A.C., he has contributed to the creation of several collective books, strengthening the Tsotsil identity and cultural heritage.
Irati Dojura Mu Kar: mi raíz (Mu Kar: My Root)Documentary feature filmEthnicity: Emberá chamíCountry: ColombiaFilmmaker of the Embera Chamí people. She studied Audiovisual and Multimedia Communication at the University of Antioquia in Medellín. She has extensive experience as a researcher, director and audiovisual producer. Her first short film of fiction, Akababuru: Expresión de Asombro (Akababuru: Expression of Astonishment), was the winner of the Film Development Fund (FDC) in the category of short films of ethnic populations. She has also worked as an audiovisual workshop teacher in several indigenous film and video exhibitions in territories such as Antioquia, Nariño, La Guajira, Caldas and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. She has been the beneficiary of several grants for the strengthening of sustainable and cultural projects of indigenous peoples, promoted by, among others, the Carolina Foundation, the University of Salamanca and Cultura Survival. Irati is co-founder of the audiovisual collective Luminti, which focuses on territorial work with a community approach.
Leyzer Chiquin El sueño del toro, el caballo y la serpiente (The dream of the bull, the horse and the snake)Largometraje ficciónEtnia: Maya poqomchi’País: GuatemalaGuatemalan writer, director and producer. Co-founder of the production company Cuenca Studios, where he has developed several projects such as La niña del arpa (The Girl with the Harp), La sombra de la casa (The Shadow of the House), El hilo y la pólvora (Thread and Gunpowder), and El buceo de las ranas (Diving Frogs) (Guatemala/Colombia co-production). These projects have been screened, financed and sponsored by: Cinelatino Toulouse, VLAF Canada, MAFIZ Malaga, Nuevas Miradas EICTV, SANFIC Chile, IMCINE, Redford Center USA, University of Liverpool, and Ibermedia. As a director, he seeks to value working with “non-actors”, because he believes that this is where they achieve spontaneous gestures that strengthen the narrative. As a filmmaker, he seeks to generate dialogues around stories that make people uncomfortable, and considers that cinema is a way of freezing stories that can transcend and transform this world over the years.
Luzbeidy Monterrosa Atencio Ako’yolowaa (Covering the Soul)Documentary feature filmEthnicity: WayuuCountry: Colombia - VenezuelaDirector and screenwriter with experience in film and audiovisual projects. Her work Jülapüin Yonna was selected by the National Council for the Arts and Culture in Cinematography (CNACC) and obtained an international grant from the human rights organization MADRE. The project is currently in the final stage of post-production. His fiction debut feature, La danza del perdón (The Dance of Forgiveness), was selected for the Lab Macondo, organized by the Colombian Film Academy, the Gabo Foundation and Netflix. This project has gone through prestigious residencies in Canada and Colombia, and has participated in networking spaces at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. In addition, she co-directed Aipa'a - Yem, selected for the Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival (FICCI) 2023, where it won first place in the Diverse Festival. His short film Muu-Palaa was awarded with the Netflix-FICCI Diversity recognition in 2021.
María Isaías Reyes Jerónimo Xabo Me’phaaDocumentary short filmEthnicity: Me'phaaCountry: MexicoMaría J. Reyes was born in La Montaña de Guerrero region, in Mexico, and belongs to the Mè ́phààà people, one of the four original people of the State of Guerrero. Since 2010, she has dedicated her time to the research and documentation of the oral memory, knowledge and wisdom of the indigenous peoples. She studied Language and Culture at the Intercultural University of the State of Guerrero. In 2014 she was part of the Juma Mè'phàà Seminar. Since 2015, she has been part of the Xtája Collective, where they work in photography, oral memory documentation, scripts, fiction, documentary and animation. The works that stand out are: the feature film Mixchantli (2012), Gòn' Ma'ñaán (Red Moon) 2018, Akùnmbaa (Heart of Earth) 2023, as well as photographic exhibitions in La Paz, Bolivia (2023). She is currently working on the filming of the documentary Xàbò Mè'phààà, a co-production between director Salvador Santana II ( Xtája Collective) and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), about the memory in defense of the territory in which the Juba Wajíín people live.
Medhin Tewolde Serrano Diario de Assefaw (Assefaw's Diary)Documentary Feature FilmEthnicity: AfromexicanCountry: MexicoFilm director and producer of Mexican-Eritrean origin, currently living in Chiapas. She studied a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Sciences, a Master's Degree in Creative Documentary and a Master's Degree in Social and Humanistic Sciences. Her debut film is the feature documentary entitled Negra (2020), which has won sixteen awards, and has been screened at more than sixty film festivals and film shows. Her second film is the animated short Nyanga (2023), screened in more than thirty festivals and winner of eight awards. She is currently finishing the post-production stage of the documentary short Carabalí, and is working on the development of her second feature documentary Diario de Assefaw (Assefaw's Diary), with which she won the award for best project in the “Catapulta, atelier de producción” laboratory at FICUNAM (2024). Medhin is committed to making films on Afro-descendant issues in order to make their contributions visible and name their experiences.
Mónica del Carmen Biñíi Dhxizáa (Zapotec Remnants)Documentary feature filmEthnicity: ZapotecCountry: MexicoZapotec actress, graduated from the National School of Theatrical Art in Mexico. In 2022 she won the Ariel Award for Best Actress for A Cop Movie, by Alonso Ruizpalacios, and the Ariel Award for Best Female Co-Actress. She was nominated, in the same category, for the Silver Goddesses for the film Asfixia by Kenya Márquez. In 2011 she won the Ariel Award for Best Actress, and was named Best Actress by the Online Critics Association of Mexico, and in 2010 she won the Best Actress Award at the XL International MODOLIST Film Festival in Kyiv, for her role in Leap Year, winner of the Camera d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. She has worked with directors such as Michel and Victoria Franco, Michael Rowe, Alonso Ruizpalacios, Kenya Márquez, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Patricia Arriaga Jordán, Julián Hernández and Roberto Fiesco. She has been a member of the Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences (AMACC) since 2011.
Paola Gabriela Quispe Quispe Jichi, en busca del guardián de las aguas (Jichi, in Search of the Guardian of the Waters)Cortometraje ficciónEtnia: AymaraPaís: BoliviaTeacher, photojournalist and audiovisual producer with Aymara roots. She is currently studying Social Communication at the Higher University of San Andrés and is responsible for projects in the Network for Monitoring and Defense of Environmental Rights and Rights of Indigenous and Afro-descendant Peoples (REDAMPIC Bolivia). She is producer of El cuarto desordenado (The Messy Room), was an intern at AWASQA, a community journalism network, and directs the documentary Jichi, en busca del guardián de las aguas (Jichi, in Search of the Guardian of the Waters). In 2023, she was selected for the Warmis de Luz Photographic Residency and coordinated socio-environmental projects such as Guardians of Nature 2.0 and Warmis, guardians of water, awarded at the Bonito South American Film Festival in Brazil. In addition, she won the contest Desde nuestras raíces contamos historias (From our roots we tell stories) with the short film Cuando florezca el chuño (When the Chuño Flowers). His work focuses on the defense of the environment and the rights of indigenous peoples through visual narrative.
Roxana Tello YuyarisunDocumentary short filmEthnicity: QuechuaCountry: PeruFilmmaker, manager and audiovisual curator. She is a social communicator from the National University of San Cristóbal de Huamanga (Ayacucho, Peru), and has postgraduate studies in Community-Based Cultural Policies at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO, Argentina) and Community Cultural Management at the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO, Argentina). She studied documentary creation at the International School of Film and TV (EICTV, Cuba), and has been a juror in several film festivals. Her fiction feature film project Antes de Uchuraccay (Before Uchuraccay) was selected in the workshop of New Peruvian Women Filmmakers, and Yuyarisun, her most recent documentary project, has already passed through the Hilando Miradas workshop. She is currently coordinator of the Microcine Nazarenas and the Microcine Network Ayacucho and workshop participant at the Cine 10 audiovisual residency in La Islilla, Piura.
Werá Alexandre Kunhangue: A criação do universo (Kunhangue, the Creation of the Universe)Hybrid feature filmEthnicity: Guarani mbyaCountry: BrazilFilmmaker graduated in filmmaking in the Cinema nas Aldeias project. He worked as a photographer and editor in several projects of short films, feature films and series for television and specialized channels. As a director, his short films circulated in important festivals in his country, such as the São Paulo International Film Festival and the Visões Periféricas Festival, where he won the award for Best Film in the competition.
Yuli Guanga Ortiz Kuankua PiDocumentary feature filmEthnicity: AwáCountry: ColombiaFilmmaker and audiovisual communicator of the Awá people. She studied at the Autonomous Indigenous University (UAIIN) of the Indigenous Regional Council of Cauca (CRIC) in Colombia. She has worked with different indigenous peoples of her country in the creation of proposals and products aimed to the visibility and strengthening of political and organizational processes through film and communication. She has worked collectively in the production and direction of some chapters of the documentary series Autonomías Territoriales (Territorial Autonomies), a program broadcast on Colombian television, now in its sixth season. Recently, in her region, she managed an intensive laboratory of documentary projects in development.
