Sabrina Avilés is an award-winning independent filmmaker, educator and the Founder/Executive Director of CineFest Latino Boston and most recently was awarded a Brother Thomas Fellowship in 2023.

Her credits include a short documentary called “Raising the Floor” about a basic income pilot implemented in Chelsea, MA during the pandemic, and series such as the Peabody award-winning PBS Series “Latino Americans.”

Born in NYC, and as a first-generation daughter of Puerto Rican and Dominican immigrants, she sees her life reflected in the stories she documents about Latinx communities. A graduate of Boston University’s film program, her goal as a documentary filmmaker is to tell in-depth stories, documented over a period of time, that require longer substantive conversations with the community, and that move beyond the headlines. By drawing attention to the issues Latinx communities face, she hopes her films will shift perspectives and foster a deeper understanding of the human experience.

She is currently working on a feature film about Chelsea, MA which explores the challenges and resiliency of the city through the stories of three of its leaders.