This Film will be showing in Block 8 as part of “Las Jefas” Block.
Saturday October 7, 2017 | 8:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Click the button below and select Block 8 to buy tickets for this screening.
Director Biography
Elaine Del Valle was born and raised in Brownsville Brooklyn New York. Elaine is a WGA-East Writer, and owner/operator of Del Valle Productions, Inc.- a full service production company, certified by The Council as a Minority Business Enterprise. She is a proud member of NYWIFT, NAMIC AWNY, NALIP, HOLA, SAG-AFTRA, AEA & NATAS.
Elaine Del Valle began her career in Entertainment in 1994 as an actress. She studied acting at Carnegie Hall under the legendary Wynn Handman, where she wrote and developed her own true coming of age story as a one woman stage play, Brownsville Bred.
Brownsville won several festivals and awards before being picked up for full production, enjoying “the most successful run” in the 34 year history of New York’s legendary Nuyorican Poets Cafe and eventually bringing her to the prestigious 59E59 Theaters for her Official Off Broadway Debut.
Elaine went on to write and produce scripted comedy web series Reasons Y I’m Single (available on Amazon Prime). Her work became noted for its insights into the urban experience, quality productions, and casting of on camera talent.
Del Valle has since cast and/or produced many short films, features, stage-plays, documentary, commercial and series. Her clients include Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, Flama, Time Inc., HBO and more.
In 2015 Elaine was responsible for pitching and later negotiating a “first of its kind” deal for interstitial programming to the HBO LatinoNetwork. Her original web series production of Gran’pa Knows Best, directed by William D. Caballero began airing on the Network in September 2015 on HBO.
Producing Caballero again, Del Valle was awarded the 2016 Bronze Telly Award for her work on (World Channel/PBS series) The Smallest Step. In 2017 Del Valle’s short film production, VICTOR & ISOLINA was an official 2017 Sundance Film Festival Selection. As the official winner of an Academy Award Qualifying festival, Victor & Isolina is now in pursuit of the 2018 Oscar.
Elaine also received the 2015 Madrina Award at Prime Latino Media. She was named “Trendsetter” at the 2013 MultiCultural Media Forum.
Elaine is currently adapting her one woman play into a feature film script which she hopes to produce and direct.
FINAL DECISION, is Elaine’s first short film; She wrote, produced, directed, and edited it.
Director Statement
Having cast and produced many projects for others, I am so proud to finally have a short film I can call my directorial debut. I began my career as an actress, but it was through my writing of my autobiographical stage play that I was able to transform and empower my career. I began writing and taking on the many hats in production out of necessity, but in doing so, I discovered my greatest strengths and loves. My production mission has been “to empower female and ethnically diverse voices in front of and behind the camera”…After having produced so much for so many, finally, with this script, I knew, in my heart, that it was my turn. The idea for this film, FINAL DECISION, came over me as a way of helping a friend through severe depression from loss. My father died when I was a teenager, but ever since then, I have felt that I have had a presence guiding me to better things…the heart of this film stems from that belief, and I hope that it can comfort all people dealing with the death of a loved one.
I gathered my production team and made a straight offer to my colleague, the wonderful actor BERTO COLON (Orange is the New Black, Show Me A Hero), but when I found Elyn Jaime Jenkins (in Atlanta) through an eco-casting process, I knew this film would fulfill all of its potential. It is my greatest honor to introduce this six year old “Elyn Jaime Jenkins” to the film world. She is an absolute star!
I am in love with directing now and learned so much from this project and process…so many things I know I will bring to every project hereafter. It is my hope that this will launch my career as a female Latina Director–something that I have come to deeply understand is severely lacking in our entertainment–Not just in hollywood, but in all of our independent arts. I am so proud to present to you FINAL DECISION.
UPDATE: Elyn Jaime Jenkins was recently cast to star in a 2017 Pilot Nicki, where she will play the young Nicki Minaj.
Berto Colon was just cast as a star in an ABC Pilot.
Elaine Del Valle won a Best Actor award at Miami Filmgate 2017 for her role as Meg in this Film.
