President of the 2024 Belize International Film Festival jury, Ilana Luna is an Associate Professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies at Arizona State University, a writer, translator, and cultural advocate whose scholarly works include Adapting Gender: Mexican Feminisms from Literature to Film (SUNY Press, 2018) and the co-translation and critical edition of Fatefully, Faithfully Feminist: A Critical History of Women, Patriarchy, and Mexican National Discourse (Vanderbilt UP, 2024). She was a finalist for the 2020 Sarah Maguire Poetry-in-Translation Prize in the UK and is a 2023 recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship in the US. Since 2016, she has been on the board of Cardboard House Press, an Arizona-based bilingual poetry publisher, where she assumed a lead editorial role in 2023.
Luna’s work extends into film, where she has served as a programming assistant for the Latino CineMedia segment of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and was on the jury of the Mérida International Film Festival’s In Lak’ech section. From 2017 to 2021, she co-led programming for the Femme Revolution Film Fest in Mexico City, which champions women’s representation in film.
Newton Barabara, CEO of Newton Barabara Studios LTD in Nigeria, is a seasoned media professional with expertise spanning film, television, theatre, and social impact initiatives. Known for his versatility, he has excelled as an Executive Producer, Director, Screenwriter, Actor, and more. His acclaimed productions, including Unacceptable, Katakata, and Halfway to Heaven—a collaboration with the Abbey Theatre, South Dublin County Council, and the IOM—demonstrate his talent for creating compelling stories that resonate with audiences. Newton’s commitment to social impact is reflected in his work with global organizations such as UNICEF, USAID, DFID, and Women For Women International, producing dramas, documentaries, and Theatre For Development projects addressing vital health and social issues. A graduate of the Colorado Film School and a former South East Zonal Co-coordinator for the Directors Guild of Nigeria, Newton leverages his storytelling skills to inspire and empower audiences toward positive change.
Mary Wells is an award-winning independent film Director, Writer and Producer from Jamaica and the USA, who has some thirty years experience in television and film production. As the first woman from Jamaica to produce a feature narrative for her debut film Kingston Paradise, Mary was awarded ‘Best Diaspora Feature’ in the Africa Movie Academy Awards 2014, among others. In recent years, she completed an animated mini drama series for young adults and children in Jamaica, Ms. Sugga. In 1999, her short, Now Jimmy! was awarded “Outstanding Documentary from the Caribbean” in the Sheryl Lee Ralph Film & Music Festival and was also screened at the prestigious Toronto Int’l Film Festival, 2002. She studied Television Production and the Theatre Arts in Washington DC, USA and is currently in development for the Moya’s Love film project, which will be her second feature set in Jamaica.
Laurence Marianne-Melgard is an author from the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, holding a Master’s degree in Journalism. Passionate about stories and more specifically those dealing with cultural heritage, education and youth, she has published various stories within the field of children’s literature with editors such as BAYARD, NIMBA and AKOMA MBA. Her writings explore regularly the very special connection that she holds with Africa, where she has lived for a couple years. Her pen name is Laurence Marianne. Since 2021, she writes for the Camerounese digital platform Muna Kalati which promotes the access to literature for the young public. Laurence proposes various mediation activities that deal with the art of telling stories in schools and libraries. She studies film Directory at the French cinema school EPICES and has been a member of the Jury during the 28th FEMI (Regional and International Film Festival).
Louise Jannin is a student in directing at the Preparatory School for Film Initiatives (Epices). Formerly a student of Modern Literature at Roger Toumson University, she has a foundation in modern literature that is useful when writing a screenplay. She wants to become a director and screenwriter and has already directed a few short films, including one for the baccalaureate. Louise does not only write screenplays, she also writes short stories and serial novels. She worked a few times with “Death in Paradise” during the year 2024 and was a Jury member at the 28th edition of the regional and international film festival (FEMI) in the short documentaries category.
Fanny Coco-Viloin is a law professional deeply committed to the arts, especially film. Driven by her passion and curiosity, she has gained hands-on experience in the industry, taking on roles from extra to production manager. In 2023, she worked as a script supervisor on season 2 of *Le Cinéma de Guizmo et Mr Clap*, further honing her production skills. Active in film festivals in Guadeloupe, like *Nouveaux Regards* and *Festival International des Droits Humains Monde en Vues*, she also serves as a mediator. Fanny enriches her knowledge through training, including a 2024 character creation workshop at JNAI. She blends her legal expertise with her love for film, committed to fostering cultural growth in Guadeloupe and beyond.
