SELECTIONS
Awards 2023
FILM FESTIVAL 2023
About us

Selection Committee

Alicia Carreno

⭐Selection Committee Chair (2023)⭐

Growing up in a family of artists, Alicia Carreno experienced a lifestyle that led to great imagination and creativity.

As a child, she

always knew that performing and story telling would be her calling.

Her aspirations have led to multiple opportunities in film and music.

As of today, Alicia- also known as artist

AiA, is signed music with label 50/50 Global under BMG/Sony publishing.

She also, co-produced and starred in several films and collaborated

on other projects; Including award winning film ‘Bonk’,  and the opening song for the TV series, ‘Dream Factory’.

Her most recent roll is playing “Kiki” - a troubled wife of a mobster in ‘The HitMen’ by Anthony N. Galizia Sr.  and Danny Klapadoras.

When Alicia is not working on a project, she teaches yoga and spends quality time with her loved ones.

Alicia Carreno,  gives all credit to her family, love, and most importantly God!

~Her greatest inspiration!

‍Valeria A. Avina

Selection Committee Chairwoman

Queer Mexican artist, Clown,Director, Producer and Voice Coach based in NYC, born and raised in Durango, Mexico. MFA from The University of Iowa, and a BA from Graceland University. She is a Certified Assistant teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework and The Fitzmaurice Institute Regional Coordinator of Latin America. Currently she teaches vocal technique at Fordham University. Proud member of Intar UNIT52, BBR Productions, The Dramatist Guild, NALIP, Cayenne Film Festival, FLOW Film Festival, and El Colectivo LGBTTTIQ from Durango,Mx.

Valeria has performed in prolific companies and festivals such as All for One Theater, Dixon Place, Drama League, INTAR, Danisarte, Teatro SEA, Bushwick Starr, The Tank, The Lark, Noor Theater, La Micro Theater, Shakespeare in the Park (IA), Judson Church, Human Rights Festival, International High school for health and science, Michael Chekhov Theater Festival CT, So-Fi Festival, LATEA, The Flea, AS220 Providence RI, The ONE Festival (Teatro Círculo) and, Planet Connections Festivity. In 2017, she was nominated at The Planet Connections Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play for her role in Victory Girls by Kristina Poe. 

Some of her TV/Film credits are commercial for the NBA, Target, Cadillac, Revlon, Enfamil, Stratus, Fidelis Care, Indriver, NJM Insurance, Mastercard and an episode for Ralph Friedman TV Series, The perfect Murder and POSE (FX).

Currently, she will performed HONDURAS by Sara Farrignton, Directed by Evan Zes  at The ONE Festival  in their One Care Initiative, released a short film called “Your are enough” soon to be released at Fuerza Fest 2021, “Do You Believe Me Now” a political piece to expose the problem of feminicides in Mexico;  A short Theater piece in collaboration with Nedelka Sotelo and George Day called “What if. She is also producing along her fellow Mexicans Georgina Escobar and Jacqueline Guillen their Series “Hechas” Official Selection for the Latino Film Festival 2020 and Berlin Lift Off Festival 2021.  

Maryam Khodabakhsh

Selection Committee Chair

Maryam Khodabakhsh is an Iranian film director. She's known for WORLD CUP (2021) short film. She has won many awards in international film festivals. She is a director, screenwriter and editor. She believes that each of us has a voice and that our mission as human beings in this world is to find our unique voice and deliver it to people to help them .One of these ways is cinema.