Ever wonder who is behind the scenes of the Latino Film Market?
Meet the Latino Film Market Team
Arilyn Martínez Cora
FOUNDER/DIRECTOR
Arilyn Martínez Cora is an entrepreneur, educator, and filmmaker from Puerto Rico. She has over a decades worth of experience in producing and directing projects in the United States and Puerto Rico. Arilyn is dedicated to empowering women through education and media. She co-produced the TV show special Empowering Women In Media Panel—a collaboration with the company Girl Love Yourself Now and Manhattan Neighborhood Network. Understanding the lack of representation of Latino/x stories, she founded the Latino Film Market Festival to fulfill this gap, and to ensure that Latino/x creatives have the opportunity to access resources to sustainably produce films.
Martinez Cora is founder and director of the Latino Film Market Inc, (LFM). LFM is a woman-run 501c3 non-profit that provides information regarding film distribution to Latino/x filmmakers, since its creation in 2017. Through LFM, Martinez Cora has assisted in selling 5 short-films and 1 feature film.
Arilyn holds two Bachelor’s degrees, one in Theatre Arts from the University of Puerto Rico, and the other in Film Production from Brooklyn College. She also has a Masters degree in Marketing from the University of Phoenix, and is enrolled at the City College of New York. In the past, Arilyn has worked as a teaching artist for the non-profit, Reel Works and has taught classes about filmmaking at Boricua College. Currently, she is developing a web series, in addition to a documentary on stories centering the lives of Afro-Latinx women. Martinez Cora is currently working to expand the Latino Film Market Festival’s reach to several Latin American countries, aiming to include a wider selection of international projects.
Laura Rosado
Treasure & ARTISTIC COORDINATOR
Laura Rosado is a native New Yorker from the Bronx who serves as our treasurer and artistic coordinator. With a keen interest in music and background in public relations she strived to incorporate her cultural identity throughout her professional endeavors. Rosado received her bachelors of arts from Fordham University, and went on to earn a public relations certificate from the New York University School for Professional Studies. Rosado’s interest in pop culture began while attending Fordham University, leading her to pursue an internship at Sony Music and Columbia Pictures. Upon graduating, she worked for Latinvision Media in their public relations department, acquiring experience interviewing several artists/talent such as; Jhoni the Voice, Francheska, and Lin Manuel Miranda.
Currently, Laura is the C.E.O for Powerhouse One Entertainment, and the entertainment host of "Que Pasa New York with Laura Rosado," an entertainment and cultural show presented on the Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) channel.
Josephine Luna
SECRETARY
Josephine Luna has extensive experience in the communications and administrative field. After graduating from LaGuardia College
Secretarial Science Associates program, she worked as a legal secretary for ROPES & GRAY LLP and as a secretary for the Riverbay Corporation. In addition, Luna previously served as a multilingual interpreter at the Bronx’s Board of Elections office.
Luna’s commitment to serving her community led her work at the district offices for council members Andy L. King, and Helen Rosenthal. Throughout Luna’s tenure as council aide to Andy L. King, she utilized her dual language ability to write copy for newsletters and other forms of external communications. Her expertise in events coordination helped to further expand the outreach efforts of council member Andy L. King.
Most recently, she worked at Helen Rosenthal’s district office, where she provided translation services, and conducted research to aid the needs of her respect council members consituents.
As a proud Dominican, and a community organizer, Josephine Luna’s dedication to building bridges between multiple communities, has led her to join the team as the Latino Film Market’s secretary.
George Luis Acevedo
FINANCIAL ADVISOR
George Luis Acevedo was born in Brooklyn and raised in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Herbert H. Lehman College in Mass Communications. Throughout his career he held management positions with several wine and spirit companies,and has served as a consultant for several non-profit organizations. In the past, Acevedo sat on the board of several non-profits including Latina 50 Plus, the Bronx Council for the Arts, and the Bronx Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Under his direction, the Bronx Women’s Business Resource Center gained recognition as the best small business center by the Empire State Development Corporation. Acevedo also founded a promotion company, Ace Promotions, which assists small businesses and community organizations with marketing.
Luz Ahmed
Volunteer
Luz Ahmed serves as a volunteer for the Latino Film Market Festival. Outside of LFM, Ahmed is a community activist and dedicates her time to working with survivors of interpersonal violence. One non-profit Luz is a part of is Milagro Days, a non-profit organization providing specialized professional development for survivors of domestic violence.
Krystal Paulino is a Dominican-American New York City Native from East Harlem. In 2021, she graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelors in Women, Gender, and Sexuality. Throughout her undergraduate career, she mentored first generation students, volunteered with local non-profit organizations in Charlottesville, and was a part of several organization that highlighted Caribbean and Latin American students in higher education.
After graduating from the University of Virginia, she completed a Masters of Science at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy. Combining her interest in public policy and social justice, she completed research, wrote mock policy briefs about education inequality, and its impact of low income students. During her time at graduate school, she worked at the University of Pennsykvanis;s office of Equity and Inclusion. While working there, Paulino created the first glossary for first generation law students, and conducted policy research on behalf of the Equity and Inclusion office.
Vanessa Paulino is a Dominican-American, East Harlem native, and a first generation college graduate, She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Advertising/Public Relations, with a minor in Cinema Studies from the City College of New York. Throughout her time in undergrad, Paulino directed short films, and penned essays pertaining to film analysis and criticism.
Her passion for filmmaking and film criticism influenced Paulino to work with other film festivals across New York City, after graduating from City College. She has worked with the Winter Film Festival, the Lower East Side Festival, and most recently, the Latino Film Market Festival. With her knowledge of copy writing, and the cinematic landscape of New York City, she has assisted the Latino Film Market Festival in website copywriting, editing, events assistance, and in the promotion of the Latino Film Market Festival.