Alejandra Amarilla is a Paraguayan-born filmmaker best known for originating and executive producing Landfill Harmonic, the documentary about young musicians playing instruments made from discarded materials. She is also publicly known as the former wife of basketball star Steve Nash, with whom she shares three children.
Her professional story connects filmmaking, children’s opportunities and a desire to bring greater attention to Paraguay. Although coverage often focuses on her marriage, interviews and production records provide a fuller account of her creative contribution. Those sources document her work more clearly than many personal details repeated in online biographies.
Quick Bio
| Field | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Name | Alejandra Amarilla |
| Profession | Filmmaker and executive producer |
| Birthplace | Asunción, Paraguay |
| Known for | Originating and executive producing Landfill Harmonic |
| Major works | Landfill Harmonic, Unleashing Creativity |
| Former spouse | Steve Nash |
| Children | Three |
Who Is Alejandra Amarilla?
Alejandra Amarilla’s public identity combines documentary production with support for social causes. The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital recognises her as a producer and connects her filmmaking to children’s causes in Paraguay and arts programmes in Arizona.
Her role in Landfill Harmonic was particularly significant because she helped initiate the project. She wanted to tell a story about her home country and worked with experienced filmmakers to develop that idea into a feature documentary. Understanding that contribution gives readers a clearer picture of her career than describing her solely through a famous former partner.
Early Life and Paraguayan Background
Alejandra Amarilla was born in Asunción, Paraguay. In a 2013 interview with PHOENIX magazine, she discussed leaving the country when young because her father, an economist, worked with the United Nations. Her childhood included moves between countries in South America and the Caribbean.
She described growing up in a family interested in music and cinema. Those interests later found a practical outlet in documentary work. As a young adult, she moved independently to New York, beginning another chapter in a life already shaped by different countries and cultures.
Her connection with Paraguay remained important. In later interviews, she explained that she wanted international audiences to understand more about the country and the challenges facing some of its communities.
Career Beginnings in Arts-Based Filmmaking
One of Amarilla’s early documented projects was Unleashing Creativity, a short documentary associated with Free Arts of Arizona. The organisation uses artistic activities to support children facing difficult circumstances.
The Environmental Film Festival’s biography and the official Landfill Harmonic website describe her as a co-director of the short. The project connected filmmaking with the practical work of a community organisation, establishing a direction that would continue in her later documentary.
Rather than beginning with a long series of commercial screen credits, her documented career developed around particular causes. Art, childhood and access to opportunity became recurring subjects.
Alejandra Amarilla’s Career and Landfill Harmonic
Finding the Story in Paraguay
The development of Landfill Harmonic began in 2008, when Amarilla approached producer Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus about making a documentary concerning underserved children in Paraguay.
During their research trip in 2009, they learned about Favio Chávez and children playing instruments constructed from discarded materials. Amarilla met Chávez and saw the instruments herself. That encounter gave the proposed documentary a specific subject.
Associate producer Gisella Duarte helped with the research in Paraguay. The project therefore grew through collaboration between people with local knowledge and filmmakers working internationally.
Developing a Feature Documentary
The team returned to Paraguay to film in 2010 and continued following the orchestra over several years. Early production materials describe subsequent visits that recorded the children’s progress and the group’s expanding opportunities.
This extended approach mattered. A documentary filmed over years could show changes in the musicians’ lives, rather than presenting a single performance as the complete story. It also allowed the filmmakers to build relationships with participants.
In an interview with writer Susan Kouguell, Peñaranda-Loftus described filming between July 2010 and September 2014. She explained that Amarilla remained involved in maintaining the story’s direction as the production developed.
Her Responsibilities Behind the Camera
The official film website credits Amarilla as founder, executive producer and story concept creator. In her interview with Paraguay’s ABC Color, she described raising finance, initially contributing her own funding and overseeing the film’s development.
She also discussed her involvement in creative decisions and her wish to present Paraguay authentically. Securing sufficient funding was difficult, especially during the early stages of an independent production.
The directing credits belong to Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley, with Peñaranda-Loftus credited as co-director and producer.
What Landfill Harmonic Is About
Landfill Harmonic follows the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a Paraguayan musical group whose instruments are made from materials recovered from rubbish. Under music director Favio Chávez, the young performers move from local circumstances into international attention.
The documentary explores what happens after their story becomes widely known. Concert opportunities expand, but the musicians and their community continue to face serious difficulties.
Flooding becomes an important part of the film. Its inclusion prevents the story from ending with the simple suggestion that public recognition solves every problem. Musical achievement and continuing vulnerability exist together.
That balance gives the documentary significance beyond its unusual instruments. It connects music education with environmental conditions, community support and the opportunities available to children.
Major Achievements and Recognition
Landfill Harmonic screened at SXSW in 2015, where its official programme listed it as a world premiere in the festival’s 24 Beats Per Second section.
The Film Collaborative records several honours for the documentary, including:
- The SXSW Audience Award in the 24 Beats Per Second category.
- The AFI FEST World Cinema Audience Award.
- The Humanitas Prize for Best Documentary.
These honours recognise the film and the work of its creative team.
The festival recognition also helped establish the documentary as a work of cinema, extending its reach beyond the initial publicity surrounding the orchestra.
Marriage to Steve Nash and Family Life
Alejandra Amarilla married Steve Nash in 2005. Nash publicly announced their separation in November 2010, explaining that they had been living apart for several months and were in the process of dissolving their marriage. She is consistently identified in established reporting as his former wife.
They share three children: twin daughters, Lola and Bella, and a son, Matteo. Their family connection explains part of the continuing public interest in her biography.
Her early film work and development of Landfill Harmonic demonstrate a documented creative identity of her own.
Charitable Interests and Community Work
The official film biography records Alejandra Amarilla’s 2008 visit to Uganda with Athletes for Africa. It connects that visit with programmes supporting former child soldiers and families living in displacement camps.
It also identifies her support for the Women’s Global Empowerment Fund. These activities provide context for her interest in projects involving education, creativity and opportunity.
Her subsequent film work applied those interests to storytelling. Rather than simply describing a cause, a documentary could introduce audiences to individual people and show how a community project developed over time.
Continuing Impact and Current Public Record
An enduring part of Landfill Harmonic is its educational use. Journeys in Film provides teaching materials connecting the documentary with environmental science, community service and creative activities.
The resources invite students to examine waste disposal, consider local problems and explore making instruments from recycled materials. This gives the film a practical use beyond festival screenings.
In a 2016 interview with ABC Color, Amarilla also discussed the early development of a scripted feature based on the orchestra’s story. She said the project was being led by fellow executive producer Rodolfo Madero and that she expected to participate in a less intensive role. That interview documents a development plan, rather than a completed film or confirmed release.
Landfill Harmonic remains a prominent completed work in her published professional biographies. These profiles document her contribution to the film but do not provide a comprehensive account of her current professional activities.
Common Misconceptions About Her Work
Two distinctions are especially useful. First, founding the documentary project is different from founding the orchestra. Amarilla helped develop the film about musicians whose work she encountered during research.
Second, executive producing is different from directing. Her contribution centred on developing the project, securing funding and helping shape its creative direction.
Conclusion
Alejandra Amarilla’s documented career centres on using film to draw attention to children, creativity and community life. Her principal contribution was helping conceive, finance and develop Landfill Harmonic, bringing a Paraguayan story to wider audiences.
Her former marriage to Steve Nash remains part of her public biography, but her filmmaking deserves attention in its own right. Official credits and direct interviews offer the strongest foundation for understanding that work without filling gaps with speculation.
Also Read: Mary J. Blige: Her Remarkable Career, Songs and Personal Life
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Alejandra Amarilla?
Alejandra Amarilla is a Paraguayan-born filmmaker and executive producer associated with Landfill Harmonic. She originated the documentary project and helped develop its story. She is also the former wife of basketball star Steve Nash and the mother of their three children.
Where is Alejandra Amarilla from?
Alejandra Amarilla was born in Asunción, Paraguay. Her background is confirmed by her film festival biography and direct interviews. Although she subsequently lived abroad, her connection with Paraguay played an important role in her decision to develop a documentary about the country.
What was her role in Landfill Harmonic?
The official production website identifies her as founder, executive producer and story concept creator. Her responsibilities included developing the original idea, helping secure finance and participating in creative decisions. Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley directed the film, with Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus serving as co-director.
Was Alejandra Amarilla married to Steve Nash?
Yes. Alejandra Amarilla married Steve Nash in 2005. Nash announced their separation in November 2010, and their marriage subsequently ended. Established reporting identifies her as his former wife.
Does Alejandra Amarilla have children?
She shares three children with Steve Nash: twin daughters Lola and Bella, and son Matteo.
What other film has Alejandra Amarilla worked on?
Her documented work includes Unleashing Creativity, a short documentary associated with Free Arts of Arizona. Official filmmaker biographies describe her as a co-director. The project explored creativity in work supporting children and preceded the completion of Landfill Harmonic.
