Eli Zavala is a Latinx actress, filmmaker, and media entrepreneur based in New York City. Eli is a woman of many talents and passions. Her journey into film began after she graduated from law school where she decided to change her career path and discovered her passion for the film industry. Eli is an accomplished actress who has taken on many roles, including her star role in the feature film Still the Earth Moves directed by Pablo Chavarría Gutierrez. Most recently, Eli shines bright in the lead role of her short film El Carrito. Beyond her dedication as an actress and producer, she is devoted to the importance of great storytelling that challenge creative boundaries while emphasizing the importance of diversity and fair representation of minorities on screens across the globe. She founded La Filmadora, a home for storytellers of underrepresented backgrounds and works as a creative executive at Splinter Pictures, a NYC based film production company focused on creating highly artistic and character-driven stories. Furthermore, Eli has embraced the position of chairwoman of Cinematográfica y Escénica de México a LatAm, non for profit with the mission of bringing better representation and fighting misrepresentations of minorities on the screen. Continue reading below to learn more about Eli and her remarkable strides as multitalented media entrepreneur.

Where are you based?
In New York City!

What lead to your passion of performing and film?
The possibility of creating stories that have the power to be the building of understanding and to explore the deepest truths of human nature.

This month your short film “El Carrito” will be playing at the SXSW Film Festival! Can you tell us about the film and your role as Nelly?
Nelly is the lead character in the story. She is an immigrant woman that trust nobody, until life makes her realize that she can rely on others if she just opens a little bit.

How did you prepare to take on the role of Nelly?
I relied on the community of street vendors here in NYC. I shadowed one of them and even got to be part of a community kitchen where I witnessed the bond that food vendors have among themselves; the bustle of prepping and cooking in a kitchen like this and the hustle that comes after when you hit the streets.

What was your inspiration for the film? What do you hope viewers take away from it?
The inspiration came from life itself. From walking in any major city where there are street vendors hustling and trying to make an honest living. Perhaps, one thing that viewers can take from this film is that life can be hard, but oneself do not necessarily have to be tougher than life, that there is support around us if we allow ourselves to trust even just a little bit in the community we are in (being that a workplace, family, a neighborhood… more likely than not, we can find solidarity out there in the open).

You founded La Filmadora, a home for storytellers of underrepresented backgrounds (and a special hub for Hispanic & Latinx storytellers) with a focus on creating and promoting content that is always culturally authentic. What led you to create this platform? Can you tell us a bit more about the work they do?
La Filmadora came to be from the necessity to create a space where cultural authenticity and artistry could merge, so that new narratives and better representation of minorities on screen could happen. Especially respectful representations of minorities, of traditions and customs, stories that could steer away from stereotypes and be truly authentic as they are creative.

Additionally, you are a creative executive at Splinter Pictures, a NYC based film production company focused on creating highly artistic and character-driven stories. What does storytelling mean to you? How do you see the impact of communicating individual and shared experiences in your work?
Storytelling, for me, is the possibility of creating narratives where the human nature can be explored and exposed. It is through storytelling that we can express individual and collective experiences that can become bridges of understanding either with oneself, or with others.

Jejune loves that you are dedicated to social issues and giving back. You are the Chairwoman of Cinematográfica y Escénica de México a LatAm, a non-profit with the mission of bringing better representation and fighting misrepresentations of minorities on the screen. Can you tell us more about their work? What do you hope to communicate to others about better representation and fighting misrepresentations of minorities on and off screen?
Cinematográfica y Esénica de México is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the expression and development of stage arts and cinematography. It has several initiatives that go from programs to develop narratives to allow female empowerment on the screens, to provide spaces for art exhibitions, screenings and support academic and professional development for artists and communities. Better representation has to do with diversity, with authenticity with fighting misrepresentations by steering away from stereotypes, with portraying the richness of cultures, customs, and humanity overall without prejudices.

Representation has improved a lot over the years, what do you feel still needs improvement?
That’s absolutely true, representation has improved, but the work is not yet done, quite the contrary is just the beginning. There’s still a lot of ground to cover to keep bringing and building a better representation of minorities, being that of women, immigrants, LGBTQ+, indigenous, disabled, neurodivergent people, people of color, etc. The work is far from done!

How have you been staying positive during shelter in place? Are you back to normal now?
I’ve been focusing on work so much, that these past few weeks have felt almost like a cocoon where, fortunately, projects, businesses and career have been morphing into something greater than before. I’m not yet 100% back to normal but is getting there.

What is your motto in life?
I have several: “Do whatever is going to bring you peace of mind”, “life is very short, so make the most of it”, “credit where credit is due”, “march to the beat of your own drum”.

To learn more about Eli Zavala, please follow her via the below platforms:
Website: El Carrito
IMDB: Eli Zavala
Instagram: @eli__zavala

Photography by Nara Gaisina.

Eli Zavala - Marching to the Beat of Her Own Drum