LUZ Work-in-Progress Lab
The LUZ Work-in-Progress Lab is an opportunity for local and international filmmakers to present their films at various stages of the production process to a panel of industry experts, and in doing so, grow their professional network and gain access to critical resources.
Past LUZ Work-in-Progress Labs:
2022 Lab, featuring Esperanza Fights Zombies (Leslie Rivera), Abuelita Outside (Miasarah Lai), and Divided Attention (Stephanie Ramones) [watch here]
2021 Lab, featuring Dear Sofia (Melanie Silva), Mataron a Pedro (Kristian Mercado), InVade (Eunice Levis) and Nació Simón (Pati Cruz) [watch here]
2020 Lab, featuring Ave Maria (Tristan Seyek), We Still Here (Nos Tenemos) (Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi) and Perfume de Gardenias (Macha Colón)
2019 Lab, featuring Untitled Immigrant Rights Documentary (Kristal Sotomayor) and La Lucha Sigue (The Fight Continues) (Melissa Beatriz)
Past collaborators include:
Undocumented Filmmakers Collective → A collective of undocumented artists who use creative means to amplify their voices and the voices of others who are experiencing similar perils.
University of Pennsylvania’s Cinema Studies Department → The University of Pennsylvania’s Cinema Studies department pioneers and strives to better understand the ever changing landscape of film. By using historical, technical, and theoretical approaches, the Cinema Studies program at the University of Pennsylvania is at the forefront of academics.
Scribe Video Center → A Philadelphia based non-profit organization which seeks to explore all forms of video art as a means for social change. The Scribe Video Center uses electronic media to document and advocate for cultural diversity.
Past panelists include:
Angel Manuel Soto → Angel Manuel Soto is a critically acclaimed Puerto Rican filmmaker. His first film, La Granja, won Best Opera Prima at the 2015 Guadalajara Film Festival. Soto has had films premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and one of his VR projects premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2018. Recently, Soto directed Charmed City Kings, which can be found on HBO Max.
Macha Colón → Macha Colón began her filmmaking career by being a documentary editor for Tami Gold. One of the projects she worked on for Tami Gold, Another Brother, won a CINE Golden Eagle Award, a Gold Hugo Award at the Chicago International Film Festival, and a World Gold Medal at the New York International Film Festival. Colon was the editor for Mi Santa Mirada, which was the first Puerto Rican film to ever compete in Cannes’ Palme D’Or Short Film section.
Patricia Vidal Delgado → Patricia Vidal Delgado is a writer and director whose work has been screened internationally. Delgado’s work has garnered 8 wins and 32 nominations at film festivals. Delgado’s feature film, La Leyenda Negra, premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.
Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi → Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi is an internationally-known and award winning filmmaker. He is the founder of FistUp TV, a media platform dedicated to uplifting and telling the stories of underrepresented people. He is also the co-founder of Defend Puerto Rico, a multimedia project that aims to celebrate Puerto Rican diversity.
Eunice Lewis “EL” Wuel → Eunice “EL” Wuel began her career in the Spanish language newspaper industry. She has worked for organizations such as the New York Post and Corbis. EL has written and directed many commercial projects. Her current project, an episodic series titled “InVade” has moved to the second phase at Sundance Film Festival’s Episodic Lab.
Neyda Martinez → Neyda Martinez is an Associate Professor at the New School’s Media Management department. Martinez has had an extensive career in film which has included projects such as the Peabody award-winning docu-series LATIN AMERICANS and American ReFramed.
Leslie Rivera → Leslie Rivera is an award winning filmmaker whose work centers around the human condition. Rivera was a winner at the Philadelphia Film Festival’s Philly Pitch and was a semi-finalist at Sundance Screenwriter Lab. Rivera is an avid educator.