Lorena R. Valencia is a Mexican writer-director based in New York. She holds an MFA in Film from the City College of New York and a BFA in Design and Visual Communication from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
Her MFA thesis film Cuanacaquilitl (Dandelion, 2022) received the 2022 National Board of Review Student Award and is an Official Selection in several international film festivals, including the Morelia International Film Festival, the Atlanta Film Festival, the Human Rights Arts & Film Festival, the New York Latino Film Festival, and the NewFilmmakers Los Angeles Film Festival. Lorena is also a member of the New York Women in Film and TV organization (NYWIFT) and was a nominee for the 2021 BAFTA-NY Jeff Hunter Charitable Trust award as well as a recipient of the 2020 Dr. David M. Milch Foundation award and the 2021 Bert Saperstein Communication award.
Lorena is passionate about both narrative and documentary storytelling and is interested in addressing issues such as reproductive rights, identity, and belonging. Currently, Lorena is directing “Mi Ranchito,” a documentary short film that explores resilience and love for the land, while she is developing her debut feature film, "Mayahuel."