Cristela Reyes(I)

Born and raised in Los Angeles by Mexican immigrant parents, Cristela grew up heavily inspired by Chicano poets like Sandra Cisneros and Luis J. Rodriguez, who used the power of storytelling to rehabilitate Mexican-American youth within the Northeast San Fernando Valley and help them reconnect with their Indigenous roots. After graduating from Arizona State University with an M.A. in Global Affairs and Management, she went on to intern at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Blumhouse, where she got a 360-degree view of the production process from creative development to post. During that time, she also worked as a freelance Writer-Producer and consultant, where she completed five independent short films with successful film festival runs and produced and moderated five large-scale conferences and industry panels within the Animation space. Cristela is in the process of wrapping up her first major picture at Walt Disney Studios as a Production Trainee and hopes to continue her creative journey within the entertainment industry.