Sponsored in part by
FILMMAKER SPOTLIGHT
This year’s Nogales International Film Festival is proud to welcome an incredible lineup of filmmakers joining us from across the United States, Mexico, and right here in Arizona. Our Filmmaker Spotlight celebrates the creative voices behind the stories on screen—featuring bold new talents, award-winning directors, and visionary storytellers whose work reflects the diverse cultures and communities of the borderlands and beyond.
Throughout the festival, you'll have the chance to meet these artists in person—at screenings, Q&As, panels, and parties. From Sonora to Tucson, Los Angeles to Mexico City, these filmmakers are bringing powerful perspectives, fresh ideas, and unforgettable films to Nogales. Come celebrate their work, hear their stories, and be part of the conversation.
Edward Enriquez-Cohen
Edward Enriquez-Cohen is a proud Latine LGBTQ+ producer, publicist, actor, and activist with 25 years in entertainment and advocacy. He is the founder of Olive Productions and Publicity, with acting credits on Will & Grace, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Amazon’s Daddy Daughter Trip. As a producer, his recent films Bibi and El Tesoro, part of the Film on the Fence screening, star Oscar-nominated actress Adriana Barraza. In publicity, Edward has championed Latine and Latin American talent, representing figures like Barraza, director Patricia Riggen, and activist Dolores Huerta. He also serves as Talent Producer for NALIP. A longtime advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, immigrant justice, and domestic violence awareness, Edward is especially dedicated to supporting survivors and fighting for gun reform.
Cristian Proa
Cristian Proa is a Mexico City-born filmmaker known for his visually poetic storytelling and experimental edge. A writer and director with a rich background in international cinema, Cristian has studied under renowned mentors like Alejandro Jodorowsky and Fernando Meirelles. His standout film Mephisto, a haunting visual journey through myth, identity, and the shadow self, has gained critical attention for its daring aesthetic and philosophical depth and will be projected at Film on the Fence.
As the founder of Muestra de Cine 1910, Cristian has helped showcase the work of 70+ directors across Mexico, the U.S., Germany, Chile, Argentina, and Spain. His previous films, including Despertar, Cyclope, and Escafandra, have screened at major venues like Art Basel, Museo Soumaya, and Cineteca Nacional. His work has earned him jury spots at international festivals and recognition as a cultural ambassador.
​​​
Luis Fernando Pacheco is a Sonoran filmmaker known for exploring northern Mexico’s rich musical and cultural heritage. His debut documentary Sonora Punk (2011) spotlighted the punk scene in the region, and his latest project, Señor Apache, pemiering an advance workprint at NOGAIFF, is a road movie and rockumentary tracing the rise, fall, and redemption of legendary borderland rock band Los Apson. Through interviews, archival footage, and fictional recreations, Pacheco crafts stories rooted in identity, memory, and the search for transcendence.
Luis Fernando Pacheco
Nicolás Gutiérrez Wenhammar
Nicolás Gutiérrez Wenhammar is a Mexican filmmaker, cinematographer, and screenwriter known for his compelling explorations of social justice, memory, and cultural identity. He studied directing and screenwriting in Barcelona and is the founder of the audiovisual production company Cauce Cine. His films have been showcased at major international festivals including FICM, FICUNAM, DOCSMX, San Sebastián, L’Alternativa, and Sitges. Gutiérrez Wenhammar is also a collaborator on the transmedia documentary project Señor Apache, a road movie and rockumentary about the legendary Mexican band Los Apson.
Jaime Villa Galindo
Documentary filmmaker, editor, and post-producer. Graduate of Film School Arte7 and holds a degree from CCC (Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica). Founder of Jacalito Films, a studio based in the Sonoran Desert, Mexico. He received Foprocine funding on two occasions: for his debut feature Los niños de la Cruz (Kids from Nowhere) and his second feature film El Llanto de las Tortugas (The Crying of the Sea), which won Best Film at Docs Puebla and the FAUNA Tepoztlán Animal Festival, as well as an Honorable Mention at the 28th José Rovirosa Award by the UNAM Film Archive for Best Mexican Documentary. Co-director of documentary short Desolación. Member of the Independent Colourists Guild and the Mexican Association of Film Editors.
Victoria Arellano Rivera
Producer and post-production coordinator at Jacalito Films, a production company recognized in 2024 by Revista Encuadres as one of the most important film companies in Mexico. In 2023, she premiered El Llanto de las Tortugas (The Crying of the Sea), her third feature film as a producer. Her filmography includes the feature films Los niños de la Cruz (Kids from Nowhere) and El hombre bufalo. She studied Economics at the University of Sonora and learned filmmaking as a self-taught artist. In 2015, she directed her first short film, Manita, and in 2023, she co-directed the documentary short Desolación.
Noelia Roel
Noelia Roel is a versatile actress and producer known for her dynamic performances and thoughtful storytelling. With a background in both film and theater, Noelia brings depth and authenticity to every role she takes on. As a producer, she is passionate about developing bold, character-driven narratives that highlight underrepresented voices and explore themes of identity, resilience, and human connection.
Her recent work spans independent film and international co-productions, where she has taken on both lead roles and creative leadership behind the camera. Noelia's commitment to craft and collaboration has earned her recognition on the festival circuit and continues to position her as a rising talent in the global film community.
Whether in front of the camera or behind the scenes, Noelia Roel is dedicated to pushing boundaries and championing stories that matter.
Denisse A. Duron
Denisse A. Durón is a Mexican film producer, editor, and founder of Hola Films, based in Hermosillo, Sonora. A graduate of the Universidad de Sonora, she has been active in the film and television industry since 2004, starting with the TV program “Dilatante” on Telemax. Her work spans documentaries, shorts, and feature films, often focusing on regional and socially conscious storytelling.​
Durón produced the feature film La Vida En Gris (2023), directed by Josian López, a drama exploring identity and redemption through parallel universes. She also produced The Devil’s Pitch (2021) by Luis Horacio Pineda and the documentary Por donde pasa el río (2009), which examines the communities along the Sonora River.​
Committed to fostering regional cinema, Durón continues to develop and support film projects that highlight the cultural and social narratives of Sonora and beyond.
Mike Wilson
Mike Wilson is a Tohono O’odham tribal member, human rights activist, and central figure in the film Long Walk of Carlos Guerrero. A former Presbyterian lay pastor and longtime advocate for migrant rights, Wilson is known for his courageous efforts to set up lifesaving water stations along migrant corridors on O’odham land, despite opposition from tribal and church leadership. His real-life humanitarian work—rooted in a lifetime of resisting injustice against Native communities—anchors the film’s powerful exploration of border, sovereignty, and survival.