Johana Vala is a french award-winning filmmaker and model based in Boston Massachusetts.
As a director, her short film ‘Momentum’ won a 2020 Remi Award (Houston WorldFest) and was selected by a number of festivals including Montréal Independent Film Festival, Paris Lift-Off Film Festival, the Los Angeles Independent Short Film Festival (finalist) and IndieX Film Fest (semi-finalist).
As a model, Johana has walked and modelled for a number of brands and artists, and has been a finalist in a number of beauty pageants including Miss Canada Petite 2015, Miss Canada 2018 and Miss Canada Galaxy.
Johana’s creative career first began in 2014, when she began modeling for local brands and runway shows in the Guadeloupe in the Caribbean. During that time, she also began producing movies. Her sci-fi short ‘The Alpha Threat’ won an award from the General Council of Guadeloupe.
In 2017 she signed with major agencies in New York City, Boston, Toronto and Montréal. Entering the North American market opened new doors for Johana’s modelling career, giving her the opportunity to represent bigger companies.
As a performer, Johana has also appeared in various TV series, films and music videos.

As a child, Johana recalls that she always enjoyed dressing up in her mother’s clothes and experimenting with fashion. She loved cinema from a young age too, quickly developing a passion for creating artistic visuals and matching them with sound and dialogue to create deeper, richer meanings.

She says: “I love seeing an original vision or idea I have become a reality. Working with talented actors and editors really helps. As a model, I see my work as a foundation or starting point for many other great artistic spheres too. Being multi-talented in music, dance, singing and acting is something I’m always pushing to improve.”

Johana holds formal studies in a number of subjects, including a Bachelor’s Degree in History from the University of the French West Indies and Guyana University (UAG), plus a license in Communication Journalism from the University of Quebec (UQAM). She also studied Music, Literature and Ancient Languages throughout high school. Johana also studied Business at Harvard University.

As a producer and director, Johana is currently working on a short fiction film about the environment. Watch this space.