Valeria Contreras(IV)
- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Valeria Contreras is a bilingual, Mexican-American writer, director, and producer. Her work is inspired by her binational upbringing alongside the U.S.-Mexico Border in her hometown of El Paso, Texas, as well as the experience she gained leading projects on cross-border relations, immigration, and healthcare policy in local government.
As a writer/director, Valeria is interested in reframing the conversation about the U.S.-Mexico Border in media. Her first short film, "Homesick," is a modern-day tale of two star-crossed lovers, separated by a global pandemic and the U.S.-Mexico Border. The film was selected for various festivals including the Atlanta Film Festival (Oscar Qualifying Festival), Philadelphia Latino Arts and Film Festival, Iberoamerican Film Festival, and the Femme Frontera Filmmaker Showcase which included screenings in the UK and Australia.
As a creative producer, Valeria champions global, underrepresented narratives, in hopes of using the power of story to advance social change. Valeria has produced a slate of short films that explore various social issues, ranging in genre from drama to comedy to horror. She has successfully secured financing via production grants for two short films (3Pas Studios Production Award for Underrepresented Filmmakers and Katharina Otto-Bernstein Mentorship and Development Prize). These films highlight the narratives of Latinx communities on screen and include an international production titled "No es mi nombre," filmed in Colombia. She received the Michael Hausman/Buffalo Mike Filmhaus Foundation Award for Excellence in Producing from Columbia University.
Valeria is also an entrepreneur and founder of Valcon Comics, a small business specializing in the publication of bilingual, educational comics for kids. Through this venture, Valeria published "El Cartoon," a free, monthly comics newspaper distributed across borders.
Valeria received a BA with Honors in International Studies and a minor in Visual Arts from the University of Chicago. She recently completed an MFA in Film and Creative Producing with Honors at Columbia University in the City of New York, where she also served as the University Senator for the School of the Arts. She was the first Senator from the School of the Arts to lead the Student Affairs Committee as Co-Chair and served two consecutive terms. She was recognized as a Columbia Alumni Association Scholar for her advocacy work.
As a writer/director, Valeria is interested in reframing the conversation about the U.S.-Mexico Border in media. Her first short film, "Homesick," is a modern-day tale of two star-crossed lovers, separated by a global pandemic and the U.S.-Mexico Border. The film was selected for various festivals including the Atlanta Film Festival (Oscar Qualifying Festival), Philadelphia Latino Arts and Film Festival, Iberoamerican Film Festival, and the Femme Frontera Filmmaker Showcase which included screenings in the UK and Australia.
As a creative producer, Valeria champions global, underrepresented narratives, in hopes of using the power of story to advance social change. Valeria has produced a slate of short films that explore various social issues, ranging in genre from drama to comedy to horror. She has successfully secured financing via production grants for two short films (3Pas Studios Production Award for Underrepresented Filmmakers and Katharina Otto-Bernstein Mentorship and Development Prize). These films highlight the narratives of Latinx communities on screen and include an international production titled "No es mi nombre," filmed in Colombia. She received the Michael Hausman/Buffalo Mike Filmhaus Foundation Award for Excellence in Producing from Columbia University.
Valeria is also an entrepreneur and founder of Valcon Comics, a small business specializing in the publication of bilingual, educational comics for kids. Through this venture, Valeria published "El Cartoon," a free, monthly comics newspaper distributed across borders.
Valeria received a BA with Honors in International Studies and a minor in Visual Arts from the University of Chicago. She recently completed an MFA in Film and Creative Producing with Honors at Columbia University in the City of New York, where she also served as the University Senator for the School of the Arts. She was the first Senator from the School of the Arts to lead the Student Affairs Committee as Co-Chair and served two consecutive terms. She was recognized as a Columbia Alumni Association Scholar for her advocacy work.