ELIZABETH AVELLÁN’s career as a producer took off after the Robert Rodriguez-directed EL MARIACHI won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 1993. The Venezuelan-born Avellán graduated from Rice University before moving to Austin in the mid-eighties to continue her studies in film and art. After the success of EL MARIACHI, Avellán produced DESPERADO (1995), FROM DUSK TILL DAWN (1996), THE FACULTY (1998), the hit series of SPY KIDS films and ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO (2003), making her a leading name among women film producers. She was co-founder of Los Hooligan Productions and is vice president of Austin-based Troublemaker Studios, which in 2005 released FRANK MILLER’S SIN CITY and THE ADVENTURES OF SHARKBOY AND LAVAGIRL IN 3-D. Avellán’s strong social conscience is evident in her philanthropic activities as well her documentaries IN AND OUT OF FOCUS (2002) and THE TRUTH IN TERMS OF BEAUTY (2006). Elizabeth Avellán is currently working on Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming release GRINDHOUSE.
