Log line: A young girl growing up in Mexico during the 1960’s is forced to confront the traumas of her childhood in order to survive.
Mission:
The mission of Helado is to tell a haunting and emotionally resonant story about a young girl confronting generational trauma, abandonment, and the psychological cost of survival. Set in 1960s Mexico and blending elements of psychological thriller and magical realism, the film uses genre as a lens to explore the inner world of a child forced to navigate a hostile environment—both real and supernatural.
Through Estrella’s journey, Helado aims to shed light on the quiet, often overlooked experiences of young Latina girls growing up in broken households, and to give voice to the emotional complexities that arise when family becomes a source of danger rather than safety. The film creates space for audiences—especially women and survivors of trauma—to see their pain reflected in a story that is both culturally specific and universally human.
The project is committed to centering Latinx talent both in front of and behind the camera, and to contributing to a more inclusive landscape in psychological and supernatural storytelling. Ultimately, Helado is a story about reclaiming power from the darkness.
BIO:
Melissa Rodriguez is a seasoned Director and Producer with over 12 years of experience in narrative and unscripted films, commercials, radio, and digital content. She has led national and digital campaigns for major brands like Apple, Pepsi, Verizon, Bomb Pop and El Pollo Loco, managing projects from concept to delivery from budgeting to post-production.
Melissa's narrative short film, Helado, garnered international recognition after premiering at Shorts México, the largest Latin American festival dedicated to short films. The film's success qualified it for consideration by the AMACC (Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences). As it concludes its festival circuit, Helado has won audience choice awards at the Festival of Cinema NYC and Yofi and is now distributed on FilminLatino, Mexico's leading platform for independent cinema.
Her recent projects include Wild Animals (2024), a narrative short starring Larry Fessenden, which Melissa produced, and Fix Mi Casa (2025), a design-renovation TV series she produced and directed for Freedom Studios Inc. She also produced Behind the Pose (2024) and contributed to projects for Apple Inc., such as producing and editing content for Apple Music: Travis Mills, Zane Lowe and Nicki Minaj's Queen Radio.
Beyond her production work, Melissa is dedicated to fostering the next generation of filmmakers. She shares her expertise through teaching roles at Manhattan Youth's film camp, a program serving underprivileged youth in NYC, and at her Alma mater, SUNY Purchase, as well as Montclair State University.
Helado
- Feature Film
- Director: Melissa Rodriguez
- Writer: Melissa Rodriguez
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Log line: A young girl growing up in Mexico during the 1960’s is forced to confront the traumas of her childhood in order to survive.
Mission:
The mission of Helado is to tell a haunting and emotionally resonant story about a young girl confronting generational trauma, abandonment, and the psychological cost of survival. Set in 1960s Mexico and blending elements of psychological thriller and magical realism, the film uses genre as a lens to explore the inner world of a child forced to navigate a hostile environment—both real and supernatural.
Through Estrella’s journey, Helado aims to shed light on the quiet, often overlooked experiences of young Latina girls growing up in broken households, and to give voice to the emotional complexities that arise when family becomes a source of danger rather than safety. The film creates space for audiences—especially women and survivors of trauma—to see their pain reflected in a story that is both culturally specific and universally human.
The project is committed to centering Latinx talent both in front of and behind the camera, and to contributing to a more inclusive landscape in psychological and supernatural storytelling. Ultimately, Helado is a story about reclaiming power from the darkness.
BIO:
Melissa Rodriguez is a seasoned Director and Producer with over 12 years of experience in narrative and unscripted films, commercials, radio, and digital content. She has led national and digital campaigns for major brands like Apple, Pepsi, Verizon, Bomb Pop and El Pollo Loco, managing projects from concept to delivery from budgeting to post-production.
Melissa's narrative short film, Helado, garnered international recognition after premiering at Shorts México, the largest Latin American festival dedicated to short films. The film's success qualified it for consideration by the AMACC (Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences). As it concludes its festival circuit, Helado has won audience choice awards at the Festival of Cinema NYC and Yofi and is now distributed on FilminLatino, Mexico's leading platform for independent cinema.
Her recent projects include Wild Animals (2024), a narrative short starring Larry Fessenden, which Melissa produced, and Fix Mi Casa (2025), a design-renovation TV series she produced and directed for Freedom Studios Inc. She also produced Behind the Pose (2024) and contributed to projects for Apple Inc., such as producing and editing content for Apple Music: Travis Mills, Zane Lowe and Nicki Minaj's Queen Radio.
Beyond her production work, Melissa is dedicated to fostering the next generation of filmmakers. She shares her expertise through teaching roles at Manhattan Youth's film camp, a program serving underprivileged youth in NYC, and at her Alma mater, SUNY Purchase, as well as Montclair State University.