I’m proud to share how my Stage 32 Certification equipped me with the skills to produce and release Paradise Falls: A Christmas Story, a film that has set a historic record for Central American cinema.

The certification gave me essential knowledge, from project management to international distribution, that helped me navigate the complexities of a global release with confidence. Thanks to those tools, Paradise Falls: A Christmas Story achieved an unprecedented milestone: premiering in 11 countries within a single month.

The film was released in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Spain. With this record, our director, Manu Canales de la Vega, became the Central American filmmaker with the most simultaneous commercial theatrical releases in history, a milestone I’m proud to share with him and my team at Café Cinema.

What’s Next: When Wine Meets Coffee

Building on that achievement, I’m thrilled to announce the start of production on my next project, When Wine Meets Coffee. It’s a romantic comedy about Claire, a meticulous Californian sommelier, and Alex, an instinctive coffee roaster, whose worlds collide and teach them the beauty of embracing the unknown.

This film marks Café Cinema’s second English-language production and the launch of our new division, Boulevard Films International, which will focus on creating impactful English-language stories for global audiences.

The techniques I mastered through Stage 32 Certification have been vital in refining my approach to producing high-quality, globally appealing content. They’ve given me the confidence and precision I need to lead projects like this and expand my reach as a filmmaker.

How Stage 32 Certification Helped Me

Stage 32 Certification wasn’t just about theory. It gave me practical producing and management skills that I applied directly to my projects, industry-standard knowledge of contracts, delivery, scheduling, and financing, and a global perspective that helped me think beyond my region and plan for international markets.

What I love about Stage 32 Certification is that once you complete it, you’re not only learning, you’re also building visibility, and you’re included in a global database searchable by studios, producers, and film commissions.

Stage 32 offers two levels of Certification:

Master Certifications are designed to give you a complete command of a specific discipline. Each track is made up of multiple courses, with a test at the end of each one, ensuring you graduate with a master-level understanding. Current options cover the full spectrum of below-the-line filmmaking, from Production Accounting, Line Producing, and TV/Feature Production Management to Script Supervising, Location Management, Production Coordinating, Assistant Directing, Post-Production Supervision, and more.

Individual Certifications focus on specific skill sets. These are standalone courses where you’ll dive deep into a single area of expertise and receive certification upon completion and testing.

For me, that meant not just learning new skills, but knowing I had the recognition and credibility to put them to work. This isn’t just education, it’s a pathway to being discovered and hired in today’s global entertainment industry.

Final Thoughts

Paradise Falls: A Christmas Story taught me that Central American stories have a global place on the big screen. And with When Wine Meets Coffee, I’m excited to take everything I’ve learned and keep pushing boundaries.

If you’re looking to take the next step in your career, whether that’s producing, line producing, script supervising, location management, or post-production, Stage 32 Certification can give you the skills and credibility to make it possible.

With the foundation provided by Stage 32, I’m eager to continue growing as a filmmaker and to keep representing Central America on the global stage.

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