Christina Soto is an award-winning photographer/filmmaker/playwright, born and raised in New York City whose work often focuses on women's issues as well as her Cuban heritage. Her photography has been in numerous juried and group shows throughout the region as well as New Mexico, and has won awards from the Perkins Center for the Arts in Moorestown, N J., the Old Church Cultural Center Gallery, Demarest, N.J.
Two of her films, "High Voltage" and "Perros Sin Amor" werer both screened at the 2009 SBX Film Festival New York . The still image "Perros Sin Amor" was selected by the Immigrants Foundation Annex of the United Nations . In Octobor 2009, her "Muñeca" play is being produced by the Manhattan Repertory Theatre Company .
Since 1993, Christina has worked on over 20 Independent Latino films working hand in hand with a variety of talented directors. Most recently, Christina wrote and produced Muñeca, a feature film/play which had its World Premiere at the 2008OLAFEST, Orlando Latin American Art Festival. In June, it also screened at the 2008Reel Rasquache Film Festival, Los Angeles, California and New Filmmakers, Latinas in Cinema: Filmworks Beyond the Glass Ceiling New Latino Filmmakers, Anthology Film Archives, NY. In 2008, Christina wrote/directed/produced High Voltige, a short film which also screened at the 2008 Reel Rasquache Film Festival, Los Angeles, California.
In 2006, Christina wrote/directed/produced the short film, Perros Sin Amor. After an overwhelming response in 2007, Perros Sin Amor was selected to screen at film festivals in California and Boston including the JC Museum, The Women Of Color Film Festival, Boyle Heights Latina Extravaganza, Reel Rasquache Film Festival, and the Boston Latino International Film Festival. In 1994, she worked on the star stellar short film, El Deseo, with Lauren Velez and Franky G. Shortly after, she was then hired to work as a script supervisor for the Spanish language blockbuster film, Nueba Yol (released theatrically worldwide in 1995.) which was the highest grossing film ever in the Dominican Republic. In 1996 she was hired for the film In Search of a Dream, (released theatrically in 1997.) The first ever Spanish-language S.A.G. film to be shot in the United States.
At this point, Christina took a leap of faith to pursue her career in filmmaking.Actively involved with her local film community, she curated the Latino Filmmakers Showcase at the Jersey City Museum which screened in May 2005. For the third year, she has collaborated with the Jersey City Museum, as the founder and organizer of the Hudson County Youth Video Program for both middle and high school students.
Christina was selected to participate in the 2005, Columbia University's playwright's workshop OUR WORD as well as the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre Beginner's Playwright Unit.
She continues writing screenplays, exhibiting her photography and pre-production of her next feature film, Perros Sin Amor. She was previously educated in Behavioral Science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York and the Film Video Arts, in New York City.
Roderick D. Giles is a two-time Emmy Award-nominated cameraman and director. In 2000, the New York Foundation for the Arts named him an Artist Fellow for which he received a grant designed specifically to further his creative development. Giles's short film, 'The Date' has won a number of festival awards and the film was recently licensed to HBO Networks in a two-year non-exclusive licensing deal. The network is broadcasting it on HBO Comedy, HBO Zone, and Cinemax. In December 2001, Giles directed the dark comedy short "Hung Up", starring David Eigenberg ("Sex and the City") and Yvette Freeman ("ER"). In his 12-year career, Giles has worked on over 30 films. A Harlem, New York resident, he currently teaches video production at Lehman College, C.U.N.Y.
Mario Lopez has directed two feature films. He currently resides in Guttenberg, New Jersey.
Denise Garcia was born and raised in Brooklyn, and graduated from the School of Visual Arts as an advertising major. In 2003, she took post-production classes and intensive editing courses. She then went to work as a post-production assistant on various projects such as IFC's "Film School." Currently, she freelances as an assistant editor, splitting her time between Atlas Media Corp. and Broadway Video, while cutting music videos and films in her spare time - most recently, Christina Soto's feature film Muñeca and short film "Perros sin Amor."
Ramone Delossantos, was born in the Dominican Republic and graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
Pedro J Padilla graduated from the Northwestern University School of Communication with a bachelor's degree as a Radio/Television/Film major in 2006. He operates a post production suite, specializing in color correction and general finishing to a variety of formats. He is also a cinematographer, with experience shooting High Definition and Film. www.pedrojpadilla.com