THE Judges

TERESA FERNANDEZ

Teresa Fernandez is a Mexican-born filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer whose work explores family, identity, grief, and the quiet moments that connect generations. Raised in the Rio Grande Valley and now based in San Antonio, Texas, she draws on the humor, resilience, and traditions of Latino communities to craft stories that celebrate the complexity of everyday life while revealing the extraordinary within it.

Her films examine the intersection of culture, belonging, and human connection, blending emotional authenticity with warmth, humor, and moments of magical possibility. Across drama, comedy, and elevated genre, Teresa is committed to centering underrepresented voices without reducing them to stereotype, believing the most universal stories emerge from the most personal truths.

She is the writer and director of the award-winning short film The Light Between Us, honored with Best Microfilm, Best Song, and Best Young Actor at festivals across thecountry, and continuing to screen internationally. Teresa also works as a casting director on independent features and mentors emerging filmmakers throughout Texas.

Teresa is the CEO and co-founder of Fernandez Media Group, a production company developing inclusive, community-driven films, and serves as Chief Operating Officer of TJF Talent, guiding actors and storytellers in building sustainable careers in the industry.

VALENTE RODRIGUEZ

Valente Rodriguez was born in south Texas in 1964. He is the youngest of eight in a family of migrant farmworkers. He put himself through college by doing children’s theatre in south Texas. After graduating college in 1987 he went to Los Angeles to become an actor.

His first professional acting Job was a feature film called SALSA THE MOTION PICTURE in January of 1988. Since then, Valente has appeared in numerous Film/TV and Theatre productions – Film: Blood in… Blood out…, Mi Familia, Roosters, Erin Brockovich, Deep Blue Sea, Volcano, The Ugly Truth, It’s Complicated, McFarland USA. TV: Golden Girls, Mad About You, X-files, ER. He was a regular on the George Lopez show playing the part of Ernie. He was also a regular on Happily Divorced with Fran Drescher – playing the part of Cesar.

Along with being an actor Valente has written several theatre pieces that have been seen in LA.  He was a member of the Latino Lab in Los Angeles and has performed both their DAY OF THE DEAD show as well as the Christmas pageant “La VIRGEN”.  He has performed at numerous stages in LA and throughout The United States. He produced three films in the Rio Grande Valley (Texas), directing one of them, in 2010. He also went back to school, completing his Masters in Theatre in 2015.

Adrian Viña

Adrian Viña was born and raised in Edinburg, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley. Viña wanted to be a storyteller from a very young age. He was involved with drama and media tech in high school, while fostering a deep appreciation for film and television and daydreaming about working in Hollywood one day. He eventually studied film at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. While in school he co-wrote and directed a short film that later played at CineSol Film Festival. After graduating from SMU, Viña moved to Los Angeles to pursue screenwriting. He worked numerous positions in the industry. His writing career finally started while working at a literary management company, when he optioned his script SUCKERS to Alcon Entertainment. That same script was later picked up by Nickelodeon and made into their hit Halloween movie, LIAR, LIAR VAMPIRE in 2015. He then worked on numerous television and film projects, including BLURT! For Nickelodeon and COP AND A HALF: NEW RECRUIT starring Lou Diamond Phillips. Adrian also participated in the prestigious Disney Television Writing Program in 2020-2021 and has a Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting degree from California State University, Northridge.