Havana, July 30 (RHC) -- Cuban casting director, Libia Batista, recently became the first professional in her specialty in Latin America and the Caribbean to be selected to be a jury member for the acclaimed Oscar Awards.

The artist, who has worked for the Cuban film world for four decades, will join 819 new members of the United States Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. ‘Not in my dreams did I imagine making up the jury of specialists who award films in different genres each year. I will have to talk with Jorge Perugorría (Pichi), who already belonged to the Academy to see and rate the movies.’ In the 80’s, Batista started at the Cuban Film Institute (ICAIC) as production secretary and began as casting director with the French series Azul indigo.