Jessica Pantoja

Jessica Pantoja (she/her) is a Mexican cinematographer and NAUI-certified underwater camera operator with an MFA in Cinematography from AFI. Her work spans documentaries, commercials, and art films, with credits for VICE, Vogue, Zoe Saldana's Latinx digital news platform, BESE, and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. Jessica crafts intimate, immersive visuals that honor the human stories at their core. Jessica's passion for storytelling and nonverbal communication motivates her to work in different fields of filmmaking and photography, pushing her creative boundaries constantly to create unique content every time.

Jazz Franklin

Jazz Franklin (she/her) is an activist, grassroots organizer, and documentary camera assistant/operator with over 15 years in community organizing. Her credits include House of Tulip (Time Magazine), My Amazing Cheap Date, and short films on environmental justice in the US Gulf South. Jazz brings a people-first approach to capturing authentic, urgent narratives.

Julia Nacario

Julia Nacario (they/she) is a 1st AC and Director based in the San Francisco Bay Area, dedicated to LGBTQIA2S BIPOC storytelling and community solidarity. Their short doc Painted Ones (2024) opened the 20th International Queer Women of Color Film Festival. Julia is currently working as the Engagement Coordinator at the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project.

Cheshire Lee

Cheshire Lee (they/them/theirs) is a queer, non-binary Chinese-American director, filmmaker, and photographer based in Denver passionate about working with other BIPOC and queer creatives behind the camera. Specializing in adventure and high-angle filmmaking, Cheshire works across commercial, narrative, and documentary projects. Their practice centers on expanding representation in outdoor media and redefining who belongs in these spaces.

Jane Macedo Yang

Jane Macedo Yang (she/they) is a queer Chinese-Cambodian/Mexican-American DP and filmmaker based in Brooklyn. As the daughter of a refugee and immigrants, she aims to highlight underrepresented stories and voices. A Jackson Wild and newportFILM Lab Fellow, Jane works at the intersection of vérité and stylized visuals, with credits including the feature doc PARASTOO (in production). They create imagery that bridges intimate character studies with cinematic scope.

Alicia Rodriguez

Alicia Rodriguez (they/them) is a Boricua cinematographer and documentarian whose work explores diaspora, survival, and reclamation. Rodriguez is a second-generation Boricua to Nuyorican parents, and their experience with diaspora informs much of their work and approach to storytelling. A Princess Grace Award recipient, Alicia’s credits include A Diasporic Boricua, Hess, and the in-production feature The Young Won’t Forget. They combine vérité aesthetics with a deep sense of cultural and historical context.

Jules Rico