We recently had the chance to connect with Jacqueline Ayala-Alonzo and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Jacqueline, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Yes! I recently directed my second short film, “Do You Trust Me?” and I’m honestly so proud of myself for finally taking that leap into directing once again. I’ll be honest, I was a bit scared that I wouldn’t be able to lead my team, but throughout prep and production, I felt supported by my family and my team of producers: Denise Diaz, Josslyn Glenn and Arianna Lemus and I believe that we each learned a lot from each other. I was also proud that our cast and crew were 99.9% Latino and I hope we become an example that Latinos can create their own stories if we want to and do not need permission to do so. It’s currently in post-production and we are all very excited to see how far the film will take us in the festival circuit next year. Overall, I’m not only proud of my team, but also in me for pushing myself to make this film a reality. At times I doubted myself, but this story was very important to me and while it made me feel vulnerable, I knew it had to be told on the big screen.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m an award-winning film director and producer of Guatemalan and Mexican descent born in Los Angeles, CA. My film journey began before I even knew anything about making films. I had always thought that making movies was an impossible dream, I loved going to the movies with my mom and we always stayed behind to read all the names in the end credits. In school, while math was my favorite subject, I also enjoyed writing in my English classes. When I got to college, I majored in journalism, but there was something calling me to the theater department, so I decided to minor in theater. I would say my junior year of college, I took a filmmaking class and I fell in love with it. From there, I wanted to learn more about how to make films and how to create my own stories. My Latino heritage is very important to me, so I make sure that all my scripts include or are fully in Spanish, bringing authenticity to the big screen. My first film, “La Siguanaba” will always be the one that makes me the proudest and it will always be the one that started it all. I’m grateful that the film took my team and I to 12 festivals and won the “Community Filmmaker Award” at COAWFF 2023 and the “Audience Favorite Award” at NWFFest 2024. In between that film and my most recent film, “Do You Trust Me?” I’ve gotten the opportunity to produce and be part of various projects. “Do You Trust Me?” is currently in post-production and I hope it will take us to various places across the country and internationally in its festival circuit in 2026. I’m also an active member of Chicana Director’s Initiative, Women in Media, Women in Film, Latinas Acting Up and NALIP.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My mom and grandma have always believed in me and I’m grateful that they let me choose my career when I went to college. They raised me and have been witnesses to my ups and downs. Their unconditional love has been the key to my success so far. They have given me the courage to step into who I am and to tell stories that honor where I come from and to move through the world with heart. Long before I ever called myself a director, they were the ones who saw the storyteller in me: the girl who paid attention, who felt deeply and who dreamed in images and words. When I directed “Do You Trust Me?,” I carried them with me every step of the way. Their love taught me how to lead with empathy, how to find strength in vulnerability and how to believe in something before it fully exists. In many ways, this film is for them: for the generations of women who made it possible for me to see myself clearly, to take up space and to tell stories that honor where I come from. They saw me before I could see myself and because of that, I finally can.
When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
Being able to watch episodes of my favorite shows were one of the things that helped me when I was sad because it always made me laugh. Some of my favorite shows growing up were “Kim Possible,” “The Proud Family,” Danny Phantom” and “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” Even now, that’s still something I do because it feels so nostalgic to go back to those simpler days and as an avid anime fan, I like to throw in some of my favorite anime episodes as well. I enjoy a cute little romance anime from time to time and the ones I like to rewatch are: “Say I Love You,” “Kimi Ni Todoke” and “Fruits Basket” and if I need a little more humor, I will rewatch “Haikyu!” As a young adult, it is always nice to rewatch something that brought me joy as a child even when things get sad or scary and it’s something I will always do.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m committed to creating a film based on my grandma because I know there is so much more to her story than what she has told me so far. I feel like I have barely scratched the surface as to who she is and how she has remained humble and resilient despite everything she has gone through. It is also my way of honoring who she is and people will get to know why I call her the strongest woman I know. My goal is to create this film within the next 5 years and because there is so much to unfold, let this project be my first feature that I direct. There’s a quiet strength in her that I’m constantly trying to understand. The way she carries her memories, the way she still finds grace in small moments, it all feels cinematic to me. This will be a story that not only explores my grandma’s life, but also reflects the generations of women who came before me. I know it will challenge me in every way, but that feels right. After all, telling her story is also, in many ways, a way of finding my own.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m immersed in a story, whether it’s one I’m telling through film or one I’m discovering about the people I love. There’s a quiet clarity in those moments, a sense that everything else can wait while I focus on what truly matters. Sometimes it’s when I’m listening to my grandma share a memory I’ve never heard before or watching the way she carries herself with humility and strength. Other times, it’s when I’m on set, seeing an idea take shape, feeling the collaborative energy of a team bring a vision to life. In those moments, I am reminded why I tell stories: to hold onto what matters, to uncover what is hidden and to celebrate the people and moments that shape us in ways we do not always realize until we see them fully.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jacquelineayala943.wixsite.com/mysite
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacqueline_ayala/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-a-085980117/
- Other: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm13349851/
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