Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Luna.
Diana, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Throughout my life, I have always been attracted to everything having to do with the arts. As a kid, some of my fondest memories are the Sundays I would spend with my dad going to museums, concerts, and small-town festivals. As a teenager, I would never miss the annual film festival of la Cineteca Nacional in Mexico City, where I am proudly from. I subsequently attended drama school, produced theater, moved to Toronto, and chased love in Vermont. Years later, I found myself working in Los Angeles, developing higher education programs that provide the skills to artists to successfully develop their careers in the non-profit and for-profit business worlds.
I don’t believe in the starving artist concept, I have worked hard to advocate for the relevance of arts and culture in our community, as well as make the arts inclusive and seen as a dependable source of income. This is how I came to be invited by Hola Mexico Film Festival, the largest Mexican film festival outside of Mexico and UNAM-LA the largest and oldest Latin-American university; to put together a 10-day intensive program that connects emerging Latino filmmakers with the big players of the Mexican and Hollywood filmmaking industry. I enjoy seeing how young talented filmmakers come together as friends throughout the week, have an “aha” moment and later find professional opportunities they never considered prior. I care deeply about this project, as a Mexican woman, I feel an obligation to help other Latinx connect, to support each other and make our creative voices be heard. My hope is for Tomorrow’s Filmmakers Today to one day become a focal point of successful filmmakers that will change the way we see Latinx in the filmmaking industry.
Has it been a smooth road?
In my opinion, the Latinx community is at an incredible moment of opportunity. The social and political climate brings attention to all forms of expression and we need to take advantage of that. I have learned that success comes through collaboration.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Tomorrow’s Filmmakers Today (TFT) is a ten-day fellowship, professional development program that brings together Latinx filmmakers based in Los Angeles for an immersive experience aiming to connect them to resources for career advancement and to develop a creative community of like-minded individuals by engaging with top leaders in the Mexican and Hollywood film industries.
Every year we select only 20 participants through a rigorous selection process. We want to make sure that the selected participants are ready to be part of our network and the opportunities provided.
The program is a partnership between Hola Mexico Film Festival, the largest Mexican film festival outside of Mexico and UNAM-LA, the representation of largest and oldest university in Latin America.
80 Latinx filmmakers have now been part of TFT. The program occurs every year in June during the Hola Mexico Film Festival and opens the application in January.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Every stepping stone of our TFT alumni is a success to all the Latinx filmmaking community, their success motivates me to continue this journey. Witnessing the friendship, support, and the opportunities the TFTs find in the program continually renews my passion for this project Our program is possible thanks to our supporters, an
d I am proud and thankful for these large organizations for believing in Tomorrow’s Filmmakers Today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.holamexicoff.com/tomorrows-filmmakers/
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Gisela Prishker
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