International Production Team

QUEEN B! is a collaborative production involving a team of Asian-American, Filipino and Brazilian professionals who have produced international, award-winning film and television productions.

Executive Producer is Lydia Benitez-Brown who led the first Asian co-production of Sesame Street for the Children’s Television Workshop of New York, which later became the long-running and much loved "Batibot" children's TV program (Prix Jeunesse & NY Film Festival winner). She also helped set-up ITV/Radio One, the first commercial TV station in Tanzania and produced/directed documentaries on Gertrude Mongella (Chairperson of the UN Conference on Women in Beijing) and "Children of the Mines" and "Children of the Plantations" for the International Labour Organisation in Geneva.

Rii Kanzaki (a video artist who teaches at Emerson College in Boston) heads the technical team which includes: Ivi Vitoriano (a talented Brazilian videographer) and Beto Sporkens (an experienced TV producer/director) from Brazil; Raymond Lee (of UFO Productions, producer of "The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros" and other independent feature films) and Nana Buxani (an internationally exhibited photojournalist) from the Philippines. Carmen L. Vicencio, a producer now working with BET J in New York was instrumental in supervising some of the early location shooting in New York and Sao Paulo. Additional technical support was provided by Daniel Badilla. The production has also welcomed the contributions of young filmmakers Ian Sotzing, Sam Ashton and Mark Brown in the U.S. and France.

Mayee Fabregas, now heads the Philippine production team with experienced director Noel Anonuevo  providing professional support. Mayee was formerly Executive Producer for EMedia, ABSCBN Foundation and Bantay Bata Foundation.

Jo Atienza who heads the writing team is a US-based film and television practitioner, whose latest credits include Nora Aunor's "Care Home" for which she was assistant director and writer.

Mayee, Jo and Noel are all Batibot alumni and Lydia Brown is thrilled to be working with them once again!

Recently, Bessie visited Taal Lake with Brazileiros Thiago Andrade and Alan Bianco Martini, Mr. International 2007 and Noel and the crew covered their every move!

"Queen Bessie" welcomes Filipinas Pictures as its Philippine production unit with Manie Magbanua, Jr. as Director of Photography, Nestor Fuentes, Jr. (Audioman), Adonis dela Cruz (Lightman) and Glenn Ternal (gaffer) shown with Director Noel Anonuevo during a recent shoot in Batangas.