Xerophile

03/07/2025

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.

29/05/2025

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

07/05/2025

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

21/04/2025

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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07/04/2025

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! 🌟

02/04/2025

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.

02/04/2024

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

26/03/2024

Interview frames from our latest collaboration with Wholesome Wave Georgia, who recently received a transformational grant from the City of Atlanta. We worked with Wholesome Wave to capture the impact of their work across the city, from supporting local farmers to increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables in food deserts.

DP: Kristian Melom
Client: Wholesome Wave Georgia

22/03/2024

Recent frames from our latest project with Georgia Organics, featuring Jamila Norman of Patchwork City Farms and Evan Neal of Chattahoochee Queen. Shot by the super talented Kristian Melom.

We collaborated with Georgia Organics to develop and produce their Farmer Toolkit Series, which offers small and organic farmers hands-on tutorials from seasoned farmers across the state. The USDA-funded series, which covers topics such as tool maintenance, soil health and building beds, enabled Georgia Organics to amplify the impact of their farmer education work.

04/01/2024

We are thrilled to be awarded funding from Latino Public Broadcasting for our newest project, La Orquesta, which will tell the story of the incredible Buford Highway Orchestra Project and its tireless leader Juana.

Thank you to We Love Buford Highway and LPB for their support. We're excited to begin production in 2024.

Congratulations to the 10 other projects slated for production this year!

🎉 LPB is excited to announce newly funded projects slated for production in 2024! Included are two projects funded by the Current Issues Fund, which supports films that explore contemporary social justice issues and have the potential for civic dialogue beyond broadcast. The remaining projects are supported by LPB’s Public Media Content Fund, Digital Media Fund, and an additional project supported as part of PBS’s 2024 election programming.

🗣️ “We’re delighted to announce the funding of this great lineup of projects,” says LPB Executive Director Sandie Viquez Pedlow. “From the Bronx to Hollywood, Colorado to Kentucky, Nebraska to Georgia, these new films spotlight the breadth of the Latino experience throughout the U.S., taking viewers to communities that have for too long flown under the media radar. We look forward to working with this talented group of filmmakers and bringing these unique stories to a wide audience on PBS.”

🏆 CONGRATS TO THE FILMMAKERS 🏆

PUBLIC MEDIA CONTENT FUND
🎥 Backside
Director: Raúl Paz-Pastrana; Producers: Gabriella García-Pardo, Patricia Alvarez Astacio

🎥 They/Dream
Producer/Director: William D. Caballero

🎥 She Wrestles
Producer/Director: Charles Fairbanks; Producer: Lucila Moctezuma

🎥 Untitled Ricardo Montalban Project
Director: Hugo Perez; Producer: Joel M. Gonzales

CURRENT ISSUES FUND
🎥 The Franchise
Producer/Director: Virgilio Bravo

🎥 Si Pudiera Quedarme/If I Could Stay
Co-Directors: Florencia Krochik & Theo Rigby

DIGITAL MEDIA FUND
🎥 Juan Po
Director: Maria Victoria Ponce

🎥 Juana Pelos
Director: Maria Mealla

🎥 La Orquesta
Co-Directors: Monica Villavicencio & Stephanie Liu

🎥 What to Expect
Writer/Producer/Director: Gabriela Garcia Medina
Writer/Producer: Vicki Syal

SPECIAL PBS 2024 ELECTION PROGRAMMING
🎥 Latinos ‘24
Directed by: Bernardo Ruiz; Produced by Bernardo Ruiz & Andres Cediel

Click here to learn more: https://bit.ly/3v4El1T

25/07/2023

👋 Hi, We’re Monica and Stephanie – friends-turned-creative collaborators. We bonded as new hires on Twitter’s live video team in San Francisco but after a few years, we were itching to get back to our roots: telling stories. In 2019, we left our jobs. This company was our leap of faith.

Swipe through to learn more!

20/07/2023

Story, strategy, production, training.

At heart, we’re creative problem-solvers who marry heartfelt storytelling with strategy to maximize impact. And whatever the project, we always find ways to sprinkle in a little poetry and play.

Swipe through to learn more!