Draft:Oceanlily

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Oceanlily (born May 17, 1985, as Dilia Josefina Pacheco Méndez) is a Dominican filmmaker, screenwriter, actress, and producer.[1] She gained recognition for her debut feature, Girasol (2017), which won Best Feature Film at the Toronto Independent Film Awards,[2] and its re-edited version, Flor del Sol (2018), which received the Best Feature Film award at the Dominican Film Festival in New York.[3]

Oceanlily has described psychological thrillers as her preferred genre, stating, "Thriller psicológicos son mis favoritos, porque me encanta poner a la gente a pensar." She links her artistic drive to the example of her grandfather, businessman Víctor Méndez Capellán, founder of Grupo Vimenca, explaining that his perseverance fuels her own pursuit of creative projects.[4]

Discussing Flor del Sol, she highlighted the contributions of cinematographer Benjamin Echazarreta and composer Luichy Guzmán, noting that their work gave the project "a new dimension."[4] Critics also emphasized the improved technical quality of the remastered version.

Early life

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Born Dilia Josefina Pacheco Méndez, she is the granddaughter of Josefina "Finetta" Saba de Méndez (1938–2020) and Víctor Méndez Capellán (1928–2023), founder of Grupo Vimenca and author of Si yo pude, tú también.[5][6]

Méndez Capellán's rise from orphaned street shoe-shiner to successful entrepreneur profoundly influenced Oceanlily's worldview. She began working at Vimenca as a child, starting as an office messenger, advancing to copy clerk, and reaching customer service before age 14. She has described her grandfather as "my real university," noting that his leadership methods directly influenced her approach to film directing and production.[4] This mentorship inspired her to create Girasol (2017), citing her grandfather's story as inspiration for Girasol, aiming to depict Dominican resilience and entrepreneurship."[4]

Méndez Capellán served as Grand Marshal of the 2011 Dominican Day Parade in New York City in recognition of his contributions to Dominican migration. Dominican press has described him as a key figure in the diaspora, crediting his travel agency, Agencia de Viajes Vimenca, with facilitating large-scale migration to the United States through affordable installment plans, "Viaje ahora y pague después".[7][8][9][10] She is one of four siblings in the Pacheco Méndez family.

Education

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Oceanlily graduated from Carol Morgan School in Santo Domingo.[11] She began her university studies at Loyola University New Orleans majoring in Mass Media Communications, but was displaced after two weeks by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.[12][13] She continued her studies at the University of Colorado Boulder for two years studying Marketing,[14] before returning to the Dominican Republic to complete her degree.

She graduated from Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra with a Licenciatura in Social Communication, specializing in Risk Communication.[15] Her thesis focused on an educational campaign about food industry manipulation of consumer behavior, reflecting her early interest in the intersection of media, psychology, and social influence that would later characterize her filmmaking approach. PUCMM is home to the Semana Más Corta, the Dominican Republic's longest-running university film festival.[16]

Career

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During her studies at PUCMM, Pacheco Méndez served as producer of the sixth edition of Semana Más Corta, the university's film festival, in 2013.[17] Her short film Javier (2013), about a woman who "loses contact with her own reality, mixing the real with the imaginary," marked her first exploration of psychological dissolution themes that would later define her feature work.[18]

From 2007 to 2014, Oceanlily served as Marketing Director for Vimenca S.A., which operated over 300 Western Union locations in the Dominican Republic.[19][20] She later worked as Floor Director for Nuria, an investigative journalism program on Canal 9.

In 2013, she founded PMS Productions, a film production company based in the Dominican Republic.[21]

In an interview with Nota Clave, Oceanlily explained that she remastered Girasol into Flor del Sol after being dissatisfied with the film's audio and music quality prior to its initial release, noting that the international cut reflected new artistic decisions and an original score by Luichy Guzmán.[4] She stressed the importance of debuting internationally with a work that would support her future projects and the Dominican–Romanian co-production Vlad.[4]

Oceanlily participated in the "Women in Film" panel at the 2018 Dominican Film Festival, discussing challenges faced by women in the Dominican film industry and approaches to addressing social issues through cinema.[22]

She has been profiled in interviews such as Nota Clave, where she spoke about her philosophy of cinema as a tool to provoke thought,[4] and in radio coverage highlighting her planned Dominican–Romanian co-production on the Dracula mythos.[23] Her international reach was also noted by Variety in 2018.[24]

In 2023, Pacheco Méndez began production on Ella, a psychological thriller designed for international distribution and potential franchise expansion. The film, which explores themes of trauma and reality dissolution similar to her 2013 short Javier, marks her return to directing after focusing on screenwriting projects.[25]

For Ella (2025), Oceanlily also appears as an actress, with Listín Diario crediting her as both screenwriter and actress in the film.[26]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
2013 Javier Director Psychological short film[27]
2013 Documentary about Semana Más Corta Co-Director (with Evelyn Díaz) Documentary about PUCMM's film festival[28]
2017 Girasol Director, Writer Biographical drama based on the life of Víctor Méndez Capellán and his book Si yo pude, tú también [29]
2018 Flor del Sol Director, Writer Remastered/re-edited version of Girasol; won Best Feature Film at the Dominican Film Festival New York [30] [31]
2022 Mass Effect Screenwriter Science fiction pilot; screenplay semi-finalist at Rhode Island International Film Festival
2025 Ella Director, Writer, Producer Psychological thriller; Post Production [32][33]

Awards and nominations

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Awards

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  • 2017: Toronto Independent Film Awards – Best Feature Film (Girasol)[34]
  • 2018: Dominican Film Festival New York[35] – Best Feature Film (Flor del Sol)[36] [37]

Nominations

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  • 2017: Premios Platino – Best First Feature (Girasol)[38]
  • 2017: Premios La Silla – Best First Feature (Girasol)[39]
  • 2022: Film Invasion Los Angeles – Official Selection, Screenplay (Mass Effect)[40]

Reception

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Girasol (2017) received positive attention from Dominican critics for both its narrative and technical achievements. [41] El Nacional highlighted the film's portrayal of Víctor Méndez Capellán's rise as "a lesson in life and perseverance," while praising its cinematography and production values.[42] Hoy described the film as "good local cinema and a lesson in life," underscoring its inspirational tone.[43] [44]

The remastered edition, Flor del Sol (2018), was awarded Best Feature Film at the Dominican Film Festival in New York, where it was commended for bringing a Dominican success story to an international audience.[45] [46]

Critics have noted that Girasol and its remastered version Flor del Sol frame Méndez Capellán’s story as both a tale of entrepreneurship and as a narrative of diaspora, highlighting the impact of his company in enabling Dominican migration.[47]

Flor del Sol was selected for the Dominican Republic showcase at the Ibero-American Film Festival of Huelva in Spain.[48]

Coverage of Ella (2025) in Dominican press described it as "a psychological thriller created to be intentionally expansive," with Listín Diario noting its surrealist elements and exploration of trauma.[49] El Caribe emphasized its international cast and its positioning as a Dominican film with global aspirations.[50]

References

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  1. ^ ""Ella", thriller psicológico creado para ser expandido intencionalmente". Listín Diario (in Spanish). November 22, 2023. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  2. ^ "Past Seasons Archive". Toronto Independent Film Awards. 2017. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  3. ^ "Flor del Sol gana premio en Festival de New York". El Caribe. August 9, 2018. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Entrevista a Dilia Pacheco: "Me encanta poner a la gente a pensar"". Nota Clave (in Spanish). July 23, 2018. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  5. ^ Méndez Capellán, Víctor (2011). Si yo pude, tú también. Santo Domingo: Méndez Méndez. ISBN 978-9945-00-392-5. OCLC 863665215. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  6. ^ "Fallece doña Finetta Saba, esposa del empresario Víctor Méndez Capellán". N Digital. September 7, 2020. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  7. ^ "Víctor Méndez Capellán: el huérfano que rompió la barrera de la pobreza". El Día (in Spanish). April 24, 2017. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  8. ^ "Víctor Méndez Capellán y Grupo Vimenca". Revista Mercado (in Spanish). 2017. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  9. ^ "Víctor Méndez Capellán, Fundadores". Revista Mercado (in Spanish). 2017. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  10. ^ "Víctor Méndez Capellán: la historia de sacrificio detrás del hombre de éxito". Listín Diario. February 14, 2023. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  11. ^ "Carol Morgan School". Carol Morgan School. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  12. ^ "Loyola University New Orleans". Loyola University New Orleans. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  13. ^ "Hurricane Katrina". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  14. ^ "University of Colorado Boulder". University of Colorado Boulder. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  15. ^ "Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra". PUCMM. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  16. ^ "Semana Más Corta 2025 de PUCMM culmina con premiación a sus mejores cortos". PUCMM. March 22, 2025. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  17. ^ "Palacio del Cine proyecta audiovisuales de la PUCMM". Hoy (in Spanish). July 9, 2013. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  18. ^ "Cortometraje: JAVIER". Cinema Dominicano (in Spanish). 17 January 2013. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  19. ^ "Send Money to Dominican Republic from the US". Western Union. Retrieved 2025-09-21. Cash pickup is available within minutes from more than 300 Dominican Republic agent locations
  20. ^ "Dilia Pacheco Méndez - Director, filmmaker and producer". Stage 32. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  21. ^ "PMS Productions". ConnectAmericas. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  22. ^ "Dominican Film Festival in New York City". Edge Hotel NYC. 25 July 2018. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  23. ^ "La directora dominicana Dilia Pacheco dirigirá película en Rumania sobre Drácula". 12 y 2 (in Spanish). 2018. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  24. ^ Hopewell, John (May 16, 2018). "Dominican Dilia Pacheco on Romanian-Dominican Co-Prod 'Vlad'". Variety. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  25. ^ "Ella: una película dominicana con mira internacional". Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  26. ^ ""Ella", thriller psicológico creado para ser expandido intencionalmente". Listín Diario (in Spanish). November 22, 2023. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  27. ^ "Cortometraje: JAVIER". Cinema Dominicano (in Spanish). 17 January 2013. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  28. ^ "Palacio del Cine proyecta audiovisuales de la PUCMM". Hoy (in Spanish). July 9, 2013. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  29. ^ Méndez Capellán, Víctor (2011). Si yo pude, tú también. Santo Domingo: Méndez Méndez. ISBN 978-9945-00-392-5. OCLC 863665215. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  30. ^ "Flor del Sol gana premio en Festival de New York". El Caribe (in Spanish). August 9, 2018. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  31. ^ "Flor del Sol de la directora Dilia Pacheco, mejor película". N Digital (in Spanish). July 30, 2018. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  32. ^ "Ella, thriller psicológico creado para ser expandido intencionalmente". Listín Diario (in Spanish). November 22, 2023. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  33. ^ "Ella: una película dominicana con mira internacional". El Caribe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  34. ^ "Past Seasons Archive". Toronto Independent Film Awards. 2017. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  35. ^ "Flor del Sol de la directora Dilia Pacheco, mejor película". N Digital (in Spanish). July 30, 2018. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  36. ^ "Flor del Sol gana premio en Festival de New York". El Caribe (in Spanish). August 9, 2018. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  37. ^ "7th Dominican Film Festival New York anuncia las películas ganadoras". Impacto Latino (in Spanish). July 30, 2018. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  38. ^ "Flor de Azúcar y La Familia Reyna encabezan preselecciones por RD para los IV Premios Platino". Diario Libre (in Spanish). 2017. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  39. ^ "Flor del Sol de la directora Dilia Pacheco, mejor película". N Digital (in Spanish). July 30, 2018. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  40. ^ "Mass Effect by Dilia Josefina Pacheco Méndez". Film Invasion Los Angeles. 2022. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  41. ^ "Girasol sorprende por calidad y diseño". El Nacional (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  42. ^ "Película Girasol trata vida de Víctor Méndez C". El Nacional (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  43. ^ "Girasol, buen cine local y una lección de vida". Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  44. ^ "Girasol, la historia de Víctor Méndez Capellán en el cine". CinemaDominicano (in Spanish). March 2017. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  45. ^ "Flor del Sol gana premio en Festival de New York". El Caribe (in Spanish). August 9, 2018. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  46. ^ "Cinco películas integran ciclo de cine dedicado a República Dominicana". Diario de Huelva (in Spanish). November 5, 2018. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  47. ^ same sources as above
  48. ^ "El Ciclo de Cine dedicado a República Dominicana incluirá cinco películas" (in Spanish). Festival de Huelva. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  49. ^ "Ella, thriller psicológico creado para ser expandido intencionalmente". Listín Diario (in Spanish). November 22, 2023. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  50. ^ "Ella: una película dominicana con mira internacional". El Caribe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-09-21.
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