Jabuticaba Productions
Skin of Glass
indigenous man

Jabuticaba Productions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to creating and distributing film, audio, visual, print, and electronic media, as well as campaigns, for educational, artistic, and noncommercial purposes.

Our films have been supported by organizations such as ITVS (Independent Television Service), LPB (Latino Public Broadcasting), IDA (International Documentary Association), and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Our recent documentary, SKIN OF GLASS, explores timely issues such as urban planning, homelessness, and displacement, which are impacting every big city in the world. We presented the story of SKIN OF GLASS at the Pop-Up Magazine Spring 2019 tour in seven cities along with women from around the world at the TEDWomen BOLD + BRILLIANT conference in Palm Spring. The film was broadcast on PBS Independent Lens in 2025.

Jabuticaba Productions has begun distribution and marketing efforts for SKIN OF GLASS. This will include the creation of educational materials, discussion guides, and an impact campaign. The film's educational campaign addresses “the cities of tomorrow,” taking into account the needs of the country’s most vulnerable residents, city dwellers who have been historically marginalized. To accomplish this, Jabuticaba Productions is partnering with relevant organizations, educational institutions, urban planners, and community programs to conduct a series of moderated screening events, guided conversations, and discussions with guest speakers. We have recently screened at Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania as part of this outreach.

DONATE

Your tax deductible donation can be made through Jabuticaba Productions, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Please send a check to:

Jabuticaba Productions
2600 10th Street, Suite 418
Berkeley, CA 94710

CONTACT

denise [at] jabuticabaproductions [dot] org

Board Members

Denise Zmekhol

Denise Zmekhol

President

Denise Zmekhol is a Brazilian-American journalist, an award-winning producer and director of documentary films and media projects that span the globe. Her projects have been recognized for their elegant visual style and deft storytelling. Her award winning documentary Children of the Amazon was supported by the Independent Television Service and broadcast on PBS, as well as on European and Latin American television. Denise co-produced and co-directed Digital Journey, an Emmy Award winning PBS series exploring emerging technologies in their social, environmental and cultural contexts. Recently Denise produced and directed the award winning film Skin of Glass that has been screened in festivals around the globe, and also presented the story of the film at the Pop-Up Magazine Spring 2019 tour in seven cities and with women from around the world at the TEDWomen BOLD + BRILLIANT conference in Palm Springs.

Alex da Silva

Alex da Silva

Vice President

Alex D. da Silva is a producer and cinematographer working in the film industry since 1986, specializing in both commercial and independent productions. Originally from Brazil, he relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1999. Since then, he has directed, shot, and produced numerous projects, including three feature-length documentaries that received critical acclaim and awards at festivals such as the SF International Film Festival, LA Film Festival, and Hot Docs, among others.

Following extensive experience in post-production, he joined Jim Capobianco at Aerial Contrivance Workshop in 2016 to support compelling storytelling in the independent worlds of film and animation. His producing credits include the 2D animation sequences for Walt Disney Motion Pictures’ Mary Poppins Returns and the Grammy Award-winning Philharmonia Fantastique

Vicente Franco

Vicente Franco

Treasurer

Vicente Franco is a Cinematographer and Director whose 40+ year career has been defined by a commitment to meaningful documentary storytelling and service to the craft. An Oscar and Emmy nominee and Peabody Award winner (he was also Cinematographer on 3 other Academy Award nominees), his work—including Daughter from Danang and numerous acclaimed PBS films—reflects a consistent focus on capturing social, cultural, and historical realities with integrity and care. Across hundreds of projects, Franco has prioritized collaboration, honesty, and the power of film to illuminate human experience, which remains at the heart of his contribution to the film industry.

Vicente was inducted into the Emmys Gold & Silver Circle in 2026.