Mónica Esmeralda León

Mónica Esmeralda León is a Mexican actress and producer. León executive produced Adios Vaya Con Dios (2014), the first feature film to credit a community as the movie's director. León dedicated the directorial title to the neighborhood community using the expression 'La Raza,' the cinematic style today coined as La Raza filmmaking. León founded Ave Fenix Pictures the first Latino movie studio in Chicago and the Midwest. She is known as the first woman and Latina in the Midwest who started their own production companies. In 2016 León's second film Arise from Darkness opened Film Invasion Los Angeles, receiving nominations for Best Screenplay and Best Feature Film. The movie received three four star reviews praising its distinctive paranormal art house approach. León's 2018 film Black Ruby premiered in London and Rome. León was recognized as the Next Generation of Hollywood's Rising Stars for 2019.