TEAM

NATALIA LUQUE BARRIOS

Natalia is a Chilean writer-director. She graduated with highest honors from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and received a ANID Chile Scholarship that enabled her to complete a Master of Fine Arts in Film at Columbia University.

Her films tell stories of women in their working place, tapping into the close relationship between provider and customer to explore ways in which human connection and empathy can be a catalyst for change.

Her fiction short films have screened at over 50 international film festivals such as Telluride Film Festival, PÖFF Shorts, Torino Film Festival, Palm Springs Shortfest, and Havana International Film Festival. Her latest work, Así Dicen (2023), won Best Short Film CCAS Award at Rencontres Cinélatino de Toulouse and Best National Short Film at Chiloé Film Festival.

As a television writer, she has contributed to series such as La Chúcara (TVN) and Negocio de Brujas (Gigante Azul), and served as showrunner's assistant on La Casa de los Espíritus (FilmNation, Amazon Prime Video), scheduled for release in 2026. In 2023, she co-founded Hiedra Films and co-wrote the animated series Boca Sucia (Marmota Studio) and Anita Ranita (Formidable Studio) alongside Leticia Akel.

She is currently in the financing stage of her debut feature film, Señorita de Buena Presencia, recipient of the 2024 Chilean Audiovisual Production Fund. The project has participated in international markets including ECAM Forum (Spain), Nouveau Marché FNC (Canada), Guadalajara Co-Production Meeting (Mexico), and Cinelab (Chile), among others.

Natalia has taught screenwriting at Columbia University, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and Universidad Diego Portales.

LETICIA AKEL ESCARATE

Chilean director and screenwriter. She holds a degree in Film from Universidad Católica de Chile and a Master’s degree in Film from Columbia University.

Her short films have been screened at numerous international film festivals, including Cinélatino Rencontres de Toulouse, Huesca International Film Festival, Festival de Biarritz Amérique Latine, Palm Springs Short Fest, and Bogoshorts. Her latest short film Yaya (2023) screened at over 35 film festivals and received 13 awards, including the Pedro Sienna Award from the Chilean Film Academy for Best Short Film.

Leticia co-wrote the feature film Sayen: La Ruta Seca (Fabula, Amazon), and the animated series Boca Sucia (TVN) and Anita Ranita (Formidable Studio). She is currently co-writing the feature film in development The Flames of a Thousand Fires (Oro Films), selected for Cine Qua Non Lab, Torino Film Lab Next, EAVE Puentes, and ALGA Laboratorio.

Leticia has taught at Columbia University, Universidad Católica de Chile, and Escuela de Cine de Chile. In 2023, she co-founded the script consulting company Hiedra Films.