Interviews with Female and GNC Filmmakers
In our interviews, we’re able to share the success stories and celebrate the work of established female and GNC filmmakers. These filmmakers are sharing their knowledge with the TLL community to expand educational equity in Hollywood and also provide insight into the steps they’ve taken in their lives.
So Yun Um: The Filmmaker Widening the Lens of Digital Storytelling
So Yun Um is an LA based Korean filmmaker, critic, and programmer focused on showcasing the stories of marginalized groups through her work. Her upcoming documentary feature film called LIQUOR STORE DREAMS, focuses on second-generation Korean American children of Liquor Store owners in the LA area.
Project Spotlight: 'Silt', Sisterhood and Grief through a Female Gaze
Amanda Jane Robinson is a writer and filmmaker currently completing her Master in Screen Directing. She is particularly interested in stories of women's interiority and places a strong focus on aesthetic and tone. We’re proud to be premiering her latest short, Silt.
Project Spotlight: 'Closer', Struggle and Strength through Dance
Shakura Davis is a filmmaker, creator, and current student at Eugene Lang. We’re excited to be sharing their latest short film, Closer, a dance centric film that tells the struggles of addiction.
Project Spotlight: 'The Right Swipe': An Intersectional Rom Com Series
Dynamic duo Kyra Jones and Juli Del Prete have created a masterpiece of a web series. The Right Swipe, starring Kyra and Juli as India and Margo, is the story of two best friends who begin a business ~finessing~ the dating profiles of single bachelors. Through this unique and comedic plot, they manage to show the imbalances of dating culture, swiping right, and life as a young woman.
Project Spotlight: 'Dos Ruedas', Social Impact through Film
Daniella Víquez is a 24 year old audiovisual producer, director, journalist, and graduate of the University of Costa Rica. Her work focuses include narrative fiction, culture, mental health, gender, and international news. Her films opens the conversation of machismo, violence against women, and feminism in South America.
Project Spotlight: 'Nenekuş (Meditating with Flowers)', Intergenerational Healing via Storytelling
Elif Gorken captures an intimate piece about her Turkish grandmother who rediscovers joy and faith through her fascination of plants. The film is a meditation on intergenerational healing, love, and family.
Producing Honest Work with Taylor Ortega
Taylor Ortega is a powerhouse producer in the making. If her recent win at the College Television Awards, aka the Emmy’s for College students, tells us anything Taylor is going to be huge. From musical comedies (one of her favorite genres) to her interest in romantic comedies, Taylor can see the truth of life in any work.
Dunya Djordjevic on Advocating for Yourself as a Female Filmmaker
Dunya Djordjevic is an LA based filmmaker whose passion for storytelling spans post film and theatre. Throughout her life she’s worked on what it means to advocate for your stories as a female filmmaker and uplift the voices of others as well. She’s directed multiple features and is also the lead for Camp Reel Stories- LA chapter.
Project Spotlight: 'After the Beep', To Drunk Call or Not To Drunk Call
Sonibal Rae is an Afro Latina director/writer based in London. She strives to create compelling, funny, and realistic characters specifically for comedies. She loves exploring relationships in film and the messy nature of love.
Project Spotlight: Death is Orange, Creating through Grief
Death is Orange directed by Lauren Tepfer is an intimate look into grief, love, family, and understanding. Heavily influenced by the intersections of time and personal identity, Lauren captures her work in real time as she herself is still processing her life.
Directing on Her Terms: an Interview with Casey Gates
Casey Gates is a director and writer with a fierce passion for bringing women’s stories to the forefront of media. From her award winning directing work to #LadyBrain her female focused film initiative to working as a Social Media Producer at NBC, she’s the embodiment of hustle.
Project Spotlight: 'Manos Obreras', One Filmmaker's Love Of Her Heritage and Father
Jennifer Albarracin is a filmmaker and recent graduate of William and Mary, in her latest short film she pays tribute to the sacrifices of her immigrant father. The challenges of immigrants exist with or without having legal status and Jennifer is a product of just how hard first generation children work to not allow those struggles to be in vain.
Project Spotlight: 'Morning Talks', An Intimate Look at Young Relationships
Director Maxine Espanol’s “Morning Talks” is an intimate look at a relationship meeting its end inspired by her own heartbreak. It’s her directorial debut and a departure from her usual work with editing.
Project Spotlight: 'The Apocalypse Will Blossom', Building Hope Back After the 2016 Election
The Apocalypse Will Blossom is a beautiful, quick, and intelligent short that captures a depression spiral post 2016 Election in the most relatable ways- protesting, fries, and friendship. Director Courtney Jines wrote and also starred in this short along with friends and details her experience in an interview with TLL.