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Ayerím Villanueva is a Dominican–Costa Rican filmmaker, producer and sound recordist based in Costa Rica. Her work spans film development and production, documentary and fiction filmmaking, direct sound, and audiovisual production services, with a particular interest in auteur and independent cinema.

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She studied Film Directing, Screenwriting and Production at Universidad Veritas in Costa Rica and has continued her professional training through international workshops and development programs in Latin America and the Caribbean, including the International School of Film and Television (EICTV) in Cuba.

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In 2017, she founded Ocho y Medio Audiovisual, an independent production company based in Costa Rica that develops and produces film and audiovisual projects, while providing production and technical services for local and international productions. Through the company, she works with filmmakers and creative teams across Central America, the Caribbean and international markets. As a sound recordist, she has worked on Central American feature films including Medea (Alexandra Latishev) and Güilas, among other fiction and documentary productions. Her experience also includes audiovisual production, location work and international production support.

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Her short film Elena (2017), which she wrote and directed, screened at more than 30 international film festivals and received the Jury Prize at the Nahia Film Festival in Spain, the Audience Award at the Central American Film Festival in Vienna, and a Special Jury Mention at the CIBA-CILECT international film school showcase in São Paulo, Brazil.

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She is currently completing post-production on the feature documentary Aba, which she produces, while developing the fiction feature Dos Veranos and the documentary Haymo. Her projects have received support from film funds and industry programs in Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, including the CRFIC Industry Fund, the Fauno Fund and Fonprocine.

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Alongside her work in film production, Villanueva is a university lecturer in film, photography and audiovisual communication. Her professional practice combines filmmaking, production and sound, with a focus on developing and supporting independent cinema and international audiovisual collaborations.

 

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Filmography

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Director / Writer

Elena, Shortfilm, 23mins, Costa Rica, Rep. Dominicana, España, Portugal, 2017
Screened at more than 40 international film festivals.​

Huellas, shorfilm, 10mins, Costa Rica, 2016

These Days,  Experimental Short, Costa Rica, 2016

Nostalgia, Short Film, Costa Rica, 2014

Rosario, Short Film, Costa Rica, 2014

Un montón de sueños, Short Film Serie, Costa Rica - Chile 2021

Haymo, Feature Documentary, In Development, 2026

Dos Veranos, Fiction Feature Film, In Development, 2026

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Producer

Aba, Feature Documentary, In Post-Production 

Dos Veranos, Feature Film,  In Development

Haymo, Feature Documentary, In Development

Elena, Short Film, 2017

A bunch of dreams, Short film Serie, 2021, Costa Rica-Chile

Huellas, 2016, Documentary Short

These Days, 2016, Experimental Short

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Sound Recordist feature films

Güilas, Dir. Sergio Pucci, Feature film, 2018

Medea, Dir. Alexandra Latishev, Feature film, 2018

Women Who Were Present ,  Dir. Patricia Howell,  Feature film, 2016

Path of Love, Dir. Patricia Howell, Feature film, 2019

Black Traces, Dir. Eliana del Rosario, Feature film, 2022

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 Editor

Women Who Were Present ,  Dir. Patricia Howell,  Feature film, 2016

+ Others