Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, Marie Jamora is a filmmaker, producer, and television director whose work spans independent film, television, mentorship, and arts leadership. She is among the first Filipinos admitted to the Directors Guild of America and has directed episodes of Queen Sugar (OWN), Matlock (CBS), Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Paramount+), The Cleaning Lady (FOX), and Fire Country (CBS). She also served as Producer-Director for Ava DuVernay’s untitled limited series for Starz starring Joshua Jackson and Lauren Ridloff. Marie wrote, directed, and produced the feature film Ang Nawawala (What Isn’t There), which premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival. Her short film Flip the Record won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short at the Urbanworld Film Festival and was shortlisted for the 90th Academy Awards®.

In addition to her creative work, Marie is deeply involved in artist mentorship and leadership development within the film community. She holds an MFA in Film from Columbia University and has taught at the AFI Conservatory and Sundance Collab. She previously served as a leader within the Directors Guild of America Women’s Steering Committee mentorship program, is a Board Member of the Slamdance Foundation, and was the 2025 Guest Artistic Director for AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women. As Founder and President of Cinema Sala Foundation, Marie provides artistic and curatorial leadership, strategic direction, and mentorship initiatives that support emerging filmmakers and culturally relevant storytelling.

Mallorie Ortega is a writer, director, and producer whose work focuses on storytelling across film, television, and musical media. She is best known for the feature musical The Girl Who Left Home, developed through the THEatre ACCELERATOR program under the mentorship of Tony Award-winning Broadway producers. She holds both an MFA in Film and Television Production and an Executive MBA from the University of Southern California. Her background combines creative development with organizational leadership and strategic planning. She participated in the Rideback Rise Writer’s Circle Fellowship in 2025 and previously completed the Television Academy Foundation Directing Program and Aaron Kaplan’s First Jobs Program. Most recently, Mallorie served as Producer and Producing Director for the television pilot FAM BAM, featuring Charlene deGuzman, Trevor Salter, Eugene Cordero, and Liza Soberano. In addition to her creative work, she actively mentors emerging filmmakers and consults with first-time feature directors and producers navigating independent production.

As Co-Founder and Vice President of Cinema Sala Foundation, Mallorie supports organizational strategy, artist development initiatives, educational programming, and community engagement efforts that foster emerging creative voices and culturally relevant storytelling.

Jason McLagan is an independent film producer and award-winning animation director whose work spans narrative film, animation, and international independent cinema. He served as Executive Producer on Family Style (Warner Bros./Stage 13, HBO Max), and has produced and supported films featuring diverse storytellers across global communities, including Harana, Flip the Record (Grand Jury Prize, Urbanworld Film Festival), Happy Ending (Krakow Film Festival), and Hook Up 2.0 (Tribeca Film Festival), as well as co-producing the Tribeca-premiered feature film Ride or Die. His animation work includes Terra Cotta Warrior, a finalist in the Student Academy Awards.

In addition to his creative work, Jason brings over a decade of nonprofit leadership experience as Co-Founder and Executive Director of Cinema Sala Foundation, where he oversees programming, organizational development, strategic partnerships, and artist-centered initiatives supporting emerging filmmakers, particularly from the Philippines and its global diaspora. His work bridges independent film production and community-based cultural programming, with a focus on expanding access, visibility, and opportunity for underrepresented voices in cinema.

Francis Cullado is an arts administrator and cultural leader with more than two decades of experience supporting Asian American media arts organizations and community-centered cultural programming. He currently serves as Executive Director of Visual Communications, a nationally recognized Asian American media arts organization dedicated to developing and supporting the voices of Asian American and Pacific Islander filmmakers and storytellers.

Francis began his service with Visual Communications in 2002 as a Getty Multicultural Undergraduate Intern and has since held multiple leadership positions, including Development Director, Operations Director, and Festival Operations Director. His work has focused on organizational development, fundraising, festival operations, artist support, and community engagement within the independent arts and media landscape.

He holds both a B.A. and M.A. in Asian and Asian American Studies from California State University, Long Beach, with an academic focus on cultural arts, history, and human geography. As Secretary and Board Member of Cinema Sala Foundation, Francis contributes expertise in nonprofit governance, strategic planning, and culturally responsive arts leadership.

Louise Barretto is a producer and production manager whose experience spans film, television, music media, editorial production, and live events. Prior to relocating to Los Angeles, she worked as a television producer for MTV Philippines’ weekly program Timeout. She later co-produced No Vows, No Cows, a Film Independent Project Involve 2022 short film.

Louise has produced projects across multiple creative disciplines, including music videos for artists such as Iggy Azalea, Aidan Bissett, and Elle E.D., as well as editorial and commercial campaigns for publications including Wonderland, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, and The Wrap. Her advertising production work includes campaigns for Stoli Vodka and ShoeDazzle. She currently serves as Production Director for ABOOKOF Magazine.

Her recent film Taga screened at both the Sundance Film Festival and Tribeca Festival. At Cinema Sala Foundation, Louise manages production logistics, event coordination, operational planning, and program implementation, supporting the organization’s public programming and community engagement initiatives.

Cynthia San Luis is a Los Angeles-based actress and arts advocate whose work spans television, theater, and community-centered cultural programming. Originally from the Chicagoland area, she is classically trained and has appeared in television productions including Miracle Workers (TBS/MAX), The Family Business, and Aaron Sorkin’s The Newsroom.

Her stage work includes productions with the Geffen Playhouse, A Noise Within, and IAMA Theatre Company, as well as performances in Antony and Cleopatra and Hamlet. Most recently, Cynthia starred as Maria Clara in #Don’t, a contemporary adaptation of José Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, presented at the Hollywood Fringe Festival.

As Social Media Manager and Community Outreach Liaison for Cinema Sala Foundation, Cynthia leads audience engagement, digital communications, and community outreach efforts that strengthen relationships with artists, audiences, and partner organizations. Her work supports culturally responsive engagement strategies that help broaden participation and visibility for Cinema Sala’s programs and initiatives.

Bianca Catbagan is a Filipino director & photographer based in Los Angeles. She heads development at the independent film collective Indie Pop Films and volunteers her time at Cinema Sala.

Bianca’s films are visually driven and place emphasis on the faces and stories of women. Her films have screened at Outfest Fusion, Vancouver Queer Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest London, Asian American International Film Festival in New York, and others. Her screenplay, 2AM in Tokyo, has been chosen as one of the projects for the Torino Film Lab's Next Feature program. She was a Cinematography Fellow at the CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy and a participant at the Reykjavik International Film Festival’s Talent Lab where her film was nominated for a Golden Egg. She was most recently the Audio Series and Originals Coordinator of The Gotham Film & Media Institute. She received her MFA in Directing and Screenwriting from Columbia University.

Andrea A. Walter (she/they) is a British Filipino filmmaker based in Los Angeles. They graduated with a BA in Film from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, studying cinematography under the mentorship of Michel Hugo, ASC. They are currently being mentored by Lilly Wachowski.

Andrea made their directorial debut with the feature film Empty by Design (2019), which they wrote, directed, and shot in their hometown of Manila. Their work has been showcased on various streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Twitch.tv, as well as at numerous film festivals including SXSW, CAAMFest, LAAPFF, and HIFF. Andrea is attached to direct two projects in development: The Girl from Saint Malo with producer Gary Luchessi and Bigfoot Woods written by ‘09 Outfest Best Screenplay winner Bruce Pavalon. Andrea’s latest screenplay, Syncopation, was selected for the Stowe Story Narrative Labs in 2023.

Jennielyn “Jen” Abrot is a Filipino American producer, actress, filmmaker, and philanthropist whose work spans independent film production, arts advocacy, and community-centered cultural programming. She is the founder of JAR Entertainment and previously worked as a Development and Creative Executive overseeing independent film projects including Lovelace, Solitary Man, Trust, and As Good As Dead. She is currently in post-production on a feature film project based in the Philippines.

In 2023, Jen founded the first Filipino Film Festival at Occidental College in Los Angeles, creating a platform celebrating Filipino and Filipino American storytelling through film and community engagement. In addition to her creative work, she is an active advocate and philanthropist focused on health awareness and community support initiatives.

Born and raised in the Philippines, Jen trained in theater at California Institute of the Arts and earned a B.A. in Art History and Visual Arts with an emphasis in Film and Media Studies from Occidental College. As an Advisory Board Member of Cinema Sala Foundation, she supports the organization through artist advocacy, community outreach, and strategic engagement initiatives that promote Filipino and diasporic storytelling through the arts.