Festival Co-Director / Co-Founder

Christian Ponce is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Maravilla, a New York-based organization dedicated to raising public awareness of Latin America through film and the arts. He’s Co-Founder and Director of the Ecuadorian Film Festival in New York-EFFNY, Managing Director of the Venezuelan Film Festival in New York-VEFFNY, and a dedicated arts proponent.

Festival Co-Director / Co-Founder

Nandar Godoy is from Quito, Ecuador, where she earned her first degree in Architecture at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito and is licensed to practice in Ecuador. She moved to New York in 2006 where she received a degree in Interior Design at NYU and a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Interior Environments from the New York School of Interior Design.

Nandar has over 10 years of experience in new construction and renovation work for high-end residential interiors, ground up residential projects, and commercial buildings.  She is interested in tectonics as an art form and passionately believes humanity is the crucial element in creating spaces that are both engaging and functional.  Her feel for design and strong project management skills have made her stand out as a female leader in the industry.  Nandar is a LEED Green Associate and is currently in the process of obtaining her NY state license.

Nandar has been recognized for her love of community, culture, and philanthropy, supporting several non-profit organizations.  She is a co-founder of MARAVILLA, a New York based independent organization dedicated to raising awareness of Latin America and its people through film and the arts.  Through MARAVILLA Nandar has initiated many programs, most notably the Ecuadorian Film Festival and the Venezuelan film festival in New York.

Programming Director

Content curator, film promoter, filmmaker, distributor, critic and author. Directed “Blomberg Secrets” (2014) a documentary feature winner of the DOCTV Latinoamerica Award. Has directed, devised and programmed several film and music festivals. Co-founded OCHOYMEDIO, an independent and alternative film theatre and cultural center in Quito. He served there, for 12 years, as director of programming. Has written extensively about film, being published in numerous periodicals. Is the author of “Verde, pinton y maduro: los 25 años de El Pobre Diablo” (2016), “De Taitas y de Mamas” (2013), “El tiempo de Alfaro” (2009), “Velasco, retrato de un monarca andino” (2006) and “El ojo del siglo” (1996).  Has produced radio programs for many years.

Advisor

Eva Zelig is an award-winning TV and video producer whose work has appeared in major U.S. TV networks. She won several awards, including two Emmy awards, two CINE Golden Eagle, Cable ACE Award, Gold Apple/National Educational Media Network, Pinnacle Award, Gold Medal/International Film & TV Festival of New York. Her documentary, An Unknown Country, which screened at the first Ecuadorian Film Festival in New York, EFFNY2015, tells the story of European exiles who found refuge in Ecuador after escaping nazi persecution in the period of world war II.

Advisor

As Founder and Director of the Venezuelan Film Festival (launched in New York City in 2013), Irene Yibirin is a tireless advocate of the arts and their importance in everyday life. Aside from her leadership role at the Venezuelan Film Festival (VEFFNY), where she spearheads the festival’s creative vision and direction, she is also Co-Founder and Director of Development at Maravilla, a New York-based organization dedicated to raising public awareness of South America through film and the arts.

Festival Coordinator

Recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management with minors in Film Studies, Digital Media Production, and Finance from Manhattanville College. Interned in multiple NYC-based companies in business development positions and NYC Film Festivals. Recipient of Manhattanville’s William K. Everson Prize for Writing on Film in 2019. Discussion leader and organizing committee member at Manhattanville’s International Film Festival in 2017 & 2018. He aims his future professional career towards the film distribution industry.

Director of Community Affairs

Digital Strategist with 10+ years of experience specialized in communicating, connecting, and influencing target audiences. By establishing solid, lasting, and cross-industry connections beyond the traditional customer-company dynamic, I create communication strategies that harness the power of local and international thought leaders or influencers, always following one common thread: community empowerment.

Logistics Coordinator

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Image / Graphic Design

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