Crew
Jennifer Greco
Director
Jennifer is a writer, director and producer graduated from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Her Colombian roots are her biggest inspirations for storytelling. Jennifer's vision is looking through the lenses of real-life stories that highlight social-cultural issues and women's empowerment. She is also passionate about telling underrepresented stories that can create a positive social impact like Esmeralda.
Jennifer has a wide-range of experience working in the industry from Showtime, Fox, PRG, London Alley and Gro Creative. In 2021, she had the opportunity to work on Hannah Lux Davis’ commercials and learn from her artistic skills. Most recently, she Coordinated the Ralph Lauren Spring Fashion show and Candy Crush Commercial featuring Saweetie and the Jonas Brothers. Most recently, she Coordinated the Ralph Lauren Spring Fashion show and Candy Crush Commercial featuring Saweetie.
Nifemi Adegboye
Producer
Nifemi is currently based in New York, and is a New York University graduate with a BFA in Film & Television Production with a minor in Business in Entertainment, Music, & Television at Tisch School of the Arts. She has experience with short film and commercial production, production design, live broadcast production, and producing with Ark Media & HBO, CMG Studios, Amazon, and various independent film productions.
She is a determined artist focusing primarily on developing herself as a producer, screenwriter, and cinematographer. "Birds & Bees," her most recently released short film that explores the experience and impact of police violence on Black children, was selected as a finalist at NYU's Film Fusion Festival.
Her current focus is on honing her skills in producing and project management. She has a passion for working with like-minded individuals creating art that speaks on the Black experience. She’s now working as an Art department Manager at Walter Schupfer Management, a leading creative management agency
Camila Alonso
Producer
Camila is a Colombian film and Television producer with over 7 years of experience. Many of her productions have been nominated for multiple awards nationally and internationally. She has the knowledge, skills, and experience to plan the logistics of any production during all its phases.
She believes that it’s important to portray not only a testimony, but a broader problem that is experienced everyday with indifference. “All of us in one way or another have been victims of this and making it visible is the best way to prevent it”. Camila advocates for women’s rights and women in film.
Thorsten D. Meier
Executive Producer
German by birth, European by heart, Thorsten D. Meier speaks five languages and has lived and worked in many countries around the globe. Already an established industry trendsetter as the Founder of Life in Motion Group, one of the world’s premier full-service concierge and event-management agencies with global offices, Meier brings decades of experience as a 360° Fulfillment Specialist to several well-known promotional firms, athletes, corporations and celebrities.
After beginning his career in hospitality at luxury five-star hotels, Meier quickly ascended to Global Managing Director of Leading Group Sales/The Leading Hotels of the World. He also worked in various operational, sales and senior executive management roles with hospitality luxury brands.
Serving on multiple companies’ and industry boards, Mr. Meier is a recognized expert in the luxury hospitality, global event production world, a proven manager, coach, and international speaker. He is delighted to be part of Esmeralda as an Executive Producer.
Matt Weaver
Executive Producer
GRAMMY, EMMY, & TONY NOMINATED PRODUCER. Matthew Weaver, a veteran producer of television, film, and theater is known for his creative ideas, strong relationships, and commitment to diversity in front of and behind the camera. He is a proud Tony (ROCK OF AGES), Emmy (CHEF’S TABLE), and Grammy Nominee (I’LL SLEEP WHEN I’M DEAD).
Throughout Matt’s impressive career, he has sold over 50 film and television projects and produced content with every major studio. MediaWeaver has developed and produced not only scripted projects for film and television but also full-length documentaries, digital series, sports programming, and theatrical productions.
Weaver’s theatrical films include Rock of Ages, We’re the Millers, The Heartbreak Kid, Hesher, and Pretty Persuasion. As an established documentary producer, Matthew has produced several critically and commercially successful feature-length docs including the acclaimed Jiro Dreams of Sushi and I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead about ubiquitous DJ Steve Aoki.
Since 2015, Matthew Weaver has executive produced the well-known PrimeTime Emmy Award-nominated documentary series Chef’s Table, which was Netflix’s first original non-scripted series and is now in its sixth season. His most recent streaming projects Apple’s premier documentary series, HOME and the 2022 Oscar shortlisted, A BROKEN HOUSE.
Stacie LeBlanc
Executive Producer
Stacie LeBlanc, JD, MEd is co-founder of The UP Institute, a think tank for upstream child abuse solutions and the executive director of UP for Champions, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) providing programs and services to child maltreatment professionals.
Ms. LeBlanc began her career as a child abuse prosecutor more than 25 years ago. She opened Child Advocacy Centers in rural and urban parishes in Louisiana, became the chief of the Felony Child Abuse Division, and began the Family Violence Program.
Ms. LeBlanc serves on several state and national boards including as Immediate Past-President of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children. Founding Director of the New Orleans Children’s Advocacy Center and Audrey Hepburn CARE Center. Stacie also regularly teaches on the prevention of child sexual abuse.
Ms. LeBlanc has received numerous recognitions for her advocacy and was recognized for 11 successful legislative amendments. Most recently, Stacie is the 2022 recipient of the Distinguished Contribution to Child Advocacy Award by the APA Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice.
Juliet Adelman
Line Producer
Juliet Adelman is a recent graduate of NYU Tisch with a BFA in Film and Television and two minors in the Business of Entertainment as well as Spanish. She has experience in producing, marketing, publicity and distribution. She is passionate about supporting and believing women, which is why the story of Esmeralda resonates so deeply with her. She has interned at the Producers Guild of America, MUBI, NEON, and most recently worked as a publicity liaison for the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
Jessica Cochran
1st Assistant Director
Jessica Cochran is a Chinese-Indonesian American producer based in New York City and raised in Florida. A 2022 graduate from the NYU Undergraduate Tisch Film and Television program, she strives to cultivate films and sets that are compassionate and inclusive, as well as focusing on uplifting stories and voices that challenges audiences, while also fostering empathy.
Working in both documentary and narrative, Jessica has served as a Production Coordinator on Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV, premiering at Sundance 2023, a Production Coordinator for WNET and Thirteen Productions, a Production Assistant on Eat The Rich: The GameStop Saga currently streaming on Netflix, as well as worked as a Production Coordinator at Ummah Chroma Creative Partners, including working on OUT / SIDE OF TIME, a short film that is a part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in the exhibition Before Yesterday We Could Fly: An Afrofuturist Period Room. She is currently a freelance Production Coordinator and Producer.
Kailynne Lee Chiu
Associate Marketing Producer
Kailynne is an undergraduate pursuing Film and TV Entertainment at New York University Tisch School of the Arts. A producer and director based in New York and Taipei, she has learned the art of visual entertainment while working in various commercials and shorts and attending regional film competitions.
Kailynne is passionate about telling empowering stories of women. She believes that the story of Esmeralda’s could help the untolds break their silence and change the social issues across all communities.
Carlos del Castillo
Director of Photography
Carlos is a Colombian cinematographer, director, and writer. He has 20 years of experience working in the industry, creating art in more than 70 different countries.
His work has won multiple recognitions of some of the most important festivals in the world: Toronto, Cannes, Berlin, Tokyo, London, New York, among others. His two latest films “Between Sea and Land” and “El Niño De Los Mandados”, have won 50 international awards, three of them in the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.
Carlos believes Esmeralda is a very deep human story that discusses complex topics related to love and forgiveness. The kind of films he loves to make.
Ivan Parra
Production Designer & Art Director
Trained in Italy, and graduated in performing arts. Ivan is a specialist in the creation, transformation and adaptation of spaces for cinema, theater and television.
Ivan has a successful career in the industry, with his work being recognized since 2010 with multiple international awards for his Production Design and Art Direction in several films. Narrating Esmeralda’s story through artistic spaces is opening up about the sensitivity of the human being, connecting with deep emotions, and the meaning of forgiveness. It is a universal message that lives within each one of us.
Simon Geisker
Production Sound Mixer
Simon is Esmeralda's production sound mixer. Offset he is a New York-based producer and sound designer, who recently graduated with a B.F.A in Film & TV Production from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
His films often explore environmental themes and he is currently working towards finishing his first feature-length documentary, Grounded: The Roots of Revolution. He believes filmmaking can be an effective way to spur social change and is proud to join a creative team that's telling a powerful story that will create social impact..
Andrea Cardona
Boom Operator
Andrea is a sound mixer and boom operator with more than 8 years of experience in Film and TV. She has been part of many productions from fiction to documentaries streamed on regional Colombian TV networks such as Telecafé and Señal Colombia as well as Argentinian networks.
Many of the films she has been part of have been at different festivals around the world. In recent years she has been very interested in the sound atmosphere that, like the image, creates the sound universe of the stories.
Laura Lao
Script Supervisor
Laura is a filmmaker graduated from the Catholic University of Pereira with over 7 years of experience in Directing, Scripting, and Editing. Some of her most notable Film and TV projects are the fiction series Leonor, Mil Colmillos, and Cimarrona.
Her first directing short doc Kilometro 7, received a grant by the Secretary of Culture from Pereira, and received various awards at the film festival Las Montañas and Ferfilm. Laura’s most recent feature film Utopía, was selected by the Talent Campus Buenos Aires in the directors category.
Sandra Alonso
Wardrobe Stylist
Sandra is an actress, broadcaster, and plus size model. She has over 20 years of experience working in Film and TV as wardrobe designer/stylist, production coordinator, and actor coach. Sandra is proactiv and capable of positively assuming challenges during any productions as well as managing multiple teams.
Angela Rios
Makeup Artist
Angela is Professional makeup artist graduated from the Colombian Makeup School, with 5 years of experience. She has a range of experience working in the film industry as well as with different artists and influencers.
Angela’s most recent work has been in music videos with the Colombian artists, Jhon Alex Castaño, Jeison Perez and Alkilados. She currently works as an ambassador for the Divva brand by the Colombian influencer and businesswoman Luisa Fernanda W and recently was part of the makeup artist for Ignite, Colombia
Angela also teaches courses on Skin care and different levels of makeup, as well as specializes in VFX Makeup.
Casting Director
Johana Castaño
Johana Castaño is a Colombian actress with 13 years of experience in theater, film, and television, her latest project on television was “the Bronx” which was made by Foxtelecolombia for Telemundo
She has participated in many independent film projects and currently, she has a film production company called Rojo Productions actively operating in Miami and NYC with a social purpose for women, and contributing to stand out their work and supporting women in their projects through digital media.
Also, she conducts acting workshops in Miami through her production company leading film teachers, from Colombia such as Juan Pablo Felix, casting directors such as Juan Pablo Rincon, and theater directors such as Lucho Velasco.
Milena Roa
On Set Child Psychologist
Milena is the Founder of the Jahdiel Foundation and Co-Founder of Benéfica, both located in Colombia. She recently finished her studies in Social Psychology at UNAD, Florida. Milena is passionate about working with people who seek to contribute social change in the lives of the most vulnerable, especially children.
She currently manages remotely all the Jahdiel Foundation workshops and educational training sessions with children and parents. She also works as a volunteer with the city of Miami, visiting homes for the elderly and children through the Full Life Church.
She firmly believes that the basis of love for Jesus helps to lift up the most needed and it is through the love for others that people come together to help the most needed to see a light of hope and freedom within their lives and fulfillment of their dreams.
Andrea Calao
Casting Associate Director
Colombian actress and filmmaker. Andrea investigates the decolonization of racialized female bodies, through the portrait of her experiences and poetry in massive formats. Esmeralda's story is not only beautiful but absolutely necessary. It develops the narrative that problematizes the most important relationship of every woman: hers with her body; and her body with who gave birth to her. Esmeralda is a transgressive, loving and inspiring story for a contemporaneity that cries out the word, healing.
Andrea is trained as an actress and dancer at the B.F.A. of Performing Arts from the Pontifical Javierian University and as Director/Writer in the Film and TV program of Tisch School of the Arts at the New York University.
Julie Zhao
Co-Producer
Julie is a French-Chinese independent producer. Previously, she worked at WME Independent, Cinetic Media, and was a Development Assistant at Mighty Oak (a women and queer-owned 2D animation studio based in Brooklyn). She has worked on narrative and commercial projects in LA, Shanghai, and NYC. Through film, she hopes to amplify Asian voices and expand representation in front and behind the camera.