Monica & David
Logline
Two adults with Down Syndrome embark on their new lives as a married couple amidst much love and some trepidation from their friends and family.
Ali Codina
Director, Producer
MONICA AND DAVID marks Ali Codina’s directorial debut. Ali spent the past four years at the Miami International Film Festival as Programmer and Outreach Manager, working closely with Festival director, Nicole Guillemet. Codina developed and ran the Festival’s outreach program, created off-season programming, and located new talent for the Festival program, particularly from Latin America. Her film experience began
seven years ago in independent production in New York. She has served as a story consultant for several independent film projects. Codina is also involved with fundraising and advocacy for non-profits, including the Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade and Coconut Grove Cares. She began working with Down syndrome adults 12 years ago at a social program for disabled adults with her cousin Monica.
Paola Gutiérrez-Ortiz
Producer
Paola is an independent documentary filmmaker, born in Colombia and based in New York City. She worked in the production and post-production of several award winning feature documentaries, including: HOME FRONT, ROMÁNTICO, SHOW BUSINESS, DANCE CUBA and LA TROPICAL. Recently Paola edited two films for the HBO series ADDICTION, to be released in 2007. She is currently producing her first documentary, ALEK, about the life of a six-year-old child with autism. Paola has a Masters Degree in Documentaries from the Media Studies Program at The New School University; and a Masters Degree in Development of Latin America from the United Nations at the University of Andalucía, Spain. Before becoming a filmmaker, Paola worked for seven years as an Economist in San Juan, Puerto Rico.