Xerophile

11/25/2025

La Orquesta is now streaming on POV Shorts and PBS! Deep gratitude to American Documentary and Opal Bennett for championing independent filmmakers, and to Latino Public Broadcasting for supporting our film from day one. We’re incredibly proud to share Juana and the orchestra’s story with a broader audience, especially at a time when public media and immigrant rights need our collective support more than ever.

https://www.pbs.org/pov/films/la-orquesta/

11/19/2025

An incredible time at DOC NYC with new friends, great films and three screenings of La Orquesta. Thanks for having us !

10/27/2025

That’s a wrap on the New Orleans Film Festival! It was wonderful to share La Orquesta alongside a lineup of amazing films, with our film’s subject and star, Juana, in attendance.

Thank you to and the festival’s programmers, screeners and staff. We’ll be back!

09/26/2025

La Orquesta is officially screening ! So excited to be part of this year's lineup, alongside so many incredible films. 🎬✨

08/16/2025

La Orquesta is headed to New Orleans!

Thank you for including our film in this year’s lineup and for celebrating Southern stories. We can’t wait to bring La Orquesta to NOLA this October!

07/03/2025

Huge thanks to for an unforgettable experience! We’re still buzzing from La Orquesta’s world premiere ✨️. It was an honor to share Juana and the orchestra’s story and connect with filmmakers telling bold, vital stories from around the world.

Premiering just blocks away from a military parade, as news broke of violence and state-sponsored raids, was surreal to say the least. But if DC/DOX reminded us of anything, it was the power of documentary film to speak truth to power and offer a vision for a more nuanced and empathetic world.

Thanks to everyone who came out to our DC premiere. More screenings soon—we’re just getting started.

05/29/2025

Hey Atlanta! Come see our short doc, La Orquesta, on the big screen Sunday, June 8th, 1pm at the historic Tara Theatre. Hosted by We Love Buford Highway, the screening will be followed by a Q&A with Executive Director Lily Pabian, Juana and students from the orchestra.

Admission is free but RSVP is appreciated! https://bit.ly/BHOPFilm

05/07/2025

Our film is an official selection at DC DOX Festival! We couldn’t be more proud that LA ORQUESTA will be screening this June in Washington, DC.

It’s been a joy working alongside our incredible filmmaking team, as well as Juana and the orchestra. We can’t wait to share their story with you.

Tickets are now on sale as part of Shorts Program #2: The Beat Goes On for Friday, June 13 at 3:00PM at the Regal Gallery Place in Washington DC: https://dcdoxfest.com/films/la-orquesta/

Directors/Producer/Editors: Monica Villavicencio and Stephanie Liu
DP: Kristian Melom
Additional camera: Joey Kopanski
Original score: Diego Rojas
Sound mix: Rachel Saldivar
Color: Robert Arnold
Title and poster design: Isela Ashburn

04/21/2025

Meet Juana Alzaga. A sought-after music teacher and conductor, Juana is tirelessly committed to her students. She’s led many school orchestras over her 40-year teaching career, but this one is different. The majority of her students’ families are immigrants from across Central and South America who’ve made new homes just outside of Atlanta, along Buford Highway — Georgia’s most diverse corridor. For most, this is their only opportunity for music education.

Learn more and watch the trailer for our film, La Orquesta, at the link in our bio. ✨️

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04/07/2025

A few weeks ago, we shared a special sneak preview of La Orquesta with the orchestra students and their families. Seeing their reactions was pure joy, and celebrating with this incredible community that we’ve come to cherish was a moment we’ll never forget. This film feels just as much theirs as it does ours.

Mark your calendars— will be hosting a screening and panel discussion for supporters at the Tara Theatre in early June. More details to come!

A huge shoutout to for the stunning poster! 🌟

04/02/2025

We're excited to share a first glimpse of our upcoming short documentary, La Orquesta! 🎬 The film tells the story of a youth orchestra for immigrant families in Georgia and its indomitable founder, Juana. Set for release by Latino Public Broadcasting, La Orquesta is a celebration of community, resilience and the transformative power of music.

Stay tuned for film festival announcements, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks and introductions to our talented filmmaking team. Follow along on our journey!

https://vimeo.com/1052088537?share=copy

A retired music teacher sets out to create a new youth orchestra, the first of its kind for immigrant families in Georgia.

04/02/2024

A few frames from our latest video for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Cardiology! 🎬

We worked with CHOA to craft a video that introduced prospective patient families to the physicians and services offered across the heart center's facilities.

DP: Joey Kopanski
Gaffer: Evan Williams