Monica Lopera, born to Colombian parents in Miami, Florida, on September 10, 1985, is an accomplished actress whose journey in the world of entertainment began at an early age. Her passion for acting ignited when she enrolled in a children’s theater school at just six years old, right in her hometown of Medellin, Colombia. Recognising her innate talent and unwavering determination, Monica embarked on a path to refine her skills, eventually taking her to the UK.
Monica’s breakthrough moment arrived when she secured the role of Clara Arango in the renowned soap opera “Francisco the Mathematician” (Spanish: “Francisco El Matemático”). This iconic role marked the beginning of her television career, which includes notable appearances in series like “Killing Eve” and “Borgia.”
Monica’s talents extend beyond television, as she has also made her mark on the silver screen. In the 2016 film “Between Two Worlds,” she showcased her comedic prowess while sharing the screen with actor Chris Mason.
In 2019, Monica ventured into the world of voice acting, lending her voice to the character Gabriela in “Thomas & Friends,” and in the beloved children’s animated series “The Adventures of Paddington,” where she breathed life into the character Sofia.
Rógan Graham is a film programmer for the BFI Southbank, with an interest in films Black and women filmmakers as illustrated in her 2025 film season Black Debutantes. Graham previously worked as a film writer for publications such as Little White Lies, i-D, The Cut and Polyesterzine. She has served on the juries for Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, and Indie Memphis Film Festival.
Carlos Barba Salva is a Cuban filmmaker. He has worked as a producer and assistant director in Cuba, Mexico and the United States, collaborating with directors such as Jorge Perugorría (Strawberry & Chocolate) and Humberto Solás (Lucía).
His body of work includes more than twenty documentaries, several paying tribute to his mentor Solás, among them Memories of Lucía(2003), Un hombre con éxito (2006), Gibara, Open City (2008) and Humberto (2013). His fiction films include the short 25 Hours, winner of Best Short at the Latino and Native Film Festival in New Haven and Best Cuban Story at the Cuban American Film Festival, and presented at the Cannes Short Film Corner. His film Las Polacas received the Special Jury Coral Award and the Audience Cybervote Award at the Havana International Festival of New Latin American Cinema, as well as awards in Seattle, Florida and Connecticut. He also co-wrote the screenplay Mi Virgen de la Caridad with Enrique Pineda Barnet (I Am Cuba).
In 2020, he directed Humberto & Lucía for The Criterion Collection as part of Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project. His has also received several distinctions, including Best Documentary at the Tiburon International Film Festival in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Special Award at the Gibara Film Festival, and the Honorary Guamo Award from his hometown. Currently in post-production is his documentary Adorable Truths, while he develops his next short film, You Can’t Die.
Helen Piercy is an award-winning author, animator, lecturer, researcher and curator with a passion for visual storytelling and creative practice. Her films have screened at festival worldwide including Edinburgh International Film Festival, Stuttgarter Filmwinter, Encounters and Poitiers Film Festival, among others.
Her work explorers how animation can communicate complex ideas in accessible, engaging ways, connecting audiences across cultures and communities.
As an educator and researcher, Helen develops projects that bring together industry, academia and artistic practice, creating opportunities for collaboration and learning.
Jaime Estrada-Torres is an acclaimed film editor, post-production specialist and educator whose extraordinary career spans some of the most influential films and filmmakers of the past four decades.
Jaime began his career in London’s Soho in 1984, before working as second assistant editor to Ray Lovejoy on Homeboy and Tim Burton’s Batman. In 1990, he edited his first 35mm film, the award-winning documentary 400 Veces Jujuy, directed by Miguel Pereira.
He later joined Avid Technology, working as a consultant on major productions including Tomorrow Never Dies, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Eyes Wide Shut and Band of Brothers.
In 2003, his work on Nick Broomfield’s Biggie & Tupac earned the prestigious Grierson Award for Best Feature Documentary.
From 2005 to 2016, Jaime was Head of Editing and Post-Production at the London Film School, and he has continued to collaborate with independent filmmakers around the world.
Lia Chapman is a multifaceted, award-winning Dominican filmmaker and actress whose international career spans more than two decades. Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City, she graduated with honours in Film Directing from UCLA in Los Angeles.
As an actress, Lia has delivered powerful performances across the United States, Spain, and the Caribbean in acclaimed projects including Before Night Falls (Julian Schnabel), Shameless (developed by John Wells), Roble de Olor (Rigoberto López), El Rey de La Habana (Agustí Villaronga), and Canguros (José Miguel Ganga). She has collaborated with renowned filmmakers and industry figures including Fernando Trueba, Isaki Lacuesta, Mariano Barroso, and Antonio Banderas.
Driven by a commitment to diverse storytelling, Lia expanded her career into writing, directing, and producing, with celebrated directorial works including the award-winning short films Broken Angels and In My Mother’s Arms.
Currently working between Madrid and Santo Domingo through her production banner, Mis 3 Hermanas, Lia has also recently expanded her creative ventures with her new production company, De Tú a Tú Films.
