María José Solera

María José Solera, founder of Art Mood (2001), is an economist with an MSc from IESE and a postgraduate degree from French business school ESCE in Foreign Trade. After extensive experience in the marketing departments at multinational corporations HENKEL and JOHNSON WAX, she decided to take a sabbatical that would end up changing her life.

On the plane to Nicaragua to work with an NGO, she met Carlos Bosch, who she kept in touch with during her time volunteering in Nicaragua. Later, after returning to Barcelona, Carlos Bosch approached her to participate in a project to create the second half of television documentary, but this time for the big screen. María José got involved in the project as the executive producer and the film got made.

The result of that project was "Balseros", a film shown in cinemas in Spain and abroad that won numerous international awards.

Once the film finished its tour of Spain, María José Solera founded Art Mood as the international distributor for the film and took it to the most prestigious festivals in the world, including the 2004 Academy Awards Ceremony.