WOCF Film Lab
&
Summer Film Challenge

The WOCF Film Lab was designed to stimulate cinematic film development through mentorship and various classes and workshops.

Each of the participants had to write a short film based on their interpretation of the word Infinite. They were then mentored through script development, pre-production, production, and post-production by industry professionals.

The Line Up

Let Go

These shorts remind you sick loved ones, past abuse and wrong doings may feel like they have an infinite hold on you but it us up to you to let go.

Monet Ravenell is a multi-hyphenate writer, actor, director from Baltimore, MD. She’s into words, purpose, and taking over the world. Her writing genres vary as much as her multiple Gemini personalities, but she prefers to write about themes of freedom and transformation. She also loves to showcase badass female characters on the way to greatness, but sometimes fumbling the bag. Her favorite thing about filmmaking is collaborating with other passionate creatives while inspiring people along the way.

Monet – The Outside

Elvia Susana Rubalcava is a writer, director, producer, award winning playwright and filmmaker whose multidisciplinary artistic skills have shaped her storytelling and contributions through arts leadership throughout Orange County and Los Angeles.

Elvia – Apa's Girl

Shruti Tewari has spent over two decades in the creative arts with acting projects ranging from a Bollywood blockbuster to numerous award winning independent films. A member of Playground Writers Pool in San Francisco, she has written numerous plays and stories. In 2020, she was selected for the Sundance Collab directors and producers programs to develop her first feature, "Flares," the screenplay for which is an award winner at the Alliance of Women Filmmakers Scriptwriting Competition and a finalist at
WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Lab and Big Apple Film Festival. In 2021, her episodic pilot was a finalist at Female Voices Rock and second rounder at Austin Film Festival screenwriting competitions. She is the writer, director and producer of two short films. “Mum” premiered at Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Film Festival in 2021 and won an Award of Merit at the Best Shorts
film festival among other recognitions. Her first film, “Trail Past Prejudice,” won the Silver Remi Award at WorldFest Houston and was bought by Shorts TV, UK. She is the recipient of a Certificate of Honor by the City and County of San Francisco for mentoring in juvenile halls.

Shruti – Stain Resistant

Acceptance

Through infinite new worlds, frugal gifts, and self reflection, this collection of shorts will revive the significance of being comfortable in the skin you are in.

Nakita Rakel Joseph Although Nakita is from a Black(Haitian-American) Jewish family she has been struggling to make sense of G-D and the world as is. This continues to be a powerful, yet poignant journey. This process has renewed Nakita’s passion and dedication to writing. As a social worker and a non film school graduate, Nakita is proud to have completed a family drama pilot, a holiday feature, a horror short/feature, an experimental short (that she directed!) and other series and features that are in various stages. She enjoys storytelling through a queer Black feminist lens that centers Black Jewish people. Although Black Jews are always main characters in her stories their experiences are universal to everyone. Nakita writes about joy, love, family, community, non-linear healing, trauma, grief, loss, and mental illness. Nakita humbly welcomes every new opportunity to collaborate, learn and improve.

Nakita - Real Sad Gyal Ting

Francesca Eaddy is a Los Angeles-based actor and filmmaker who earned her BAin Theatre for both Acting and Directing at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. She’s poised to combine her classical theatre training with subsequent on-set experience as an actor, writer, and producer
to create what would be her professional, directorial debut.

Francesca – Give Ask Gratitude

Latoya Da Costa is an actress, writer, and director who in Houston. She has landed lead roles in independent films and national commercials. She won the best actress award at the Austin Revolution Film Festival in 2021. When she’s not acting and writing, she loves spending time with her husband and daughter. Latoya grew up in the small town of Warsaw, NC and began writing in elementary school. Her favorite genre is sci-fi/fantasy. She wrote and directed her first movie, “Souvenir,” in 2021 about a hearing-impaired woman who is attacked but prevails through the enhancement of technology and her inner strength that she finds in animism. Latoya is excited to be a part of 2022 Women of Color Filmmakers Summer Film Lab.

Latoya – The Infinite

Gloria Brown developed a love for writing, care and entertainment at a young age. She began by writing poetry and raps and sharing them with her family. After receiving a degree in healthcare, it didn’t take long for her to realize her passion for writing and storytelling still remained. Recently, Glo decided to pursue that passion in the form of scriptwriting with aspirations that the significance within her stories will help to ignite change within the culture.

Glo – Average

Perseverance

A Mother’s love for a child can be tested in infinite ways. Theses films show the resilience of Mom’s who sacrifice it all to stay the course.

Lulu Valencia is an award winning screenwriter, producer and director. Born in Mexico to a single mother, she immigrated to the U.S. as a child and was raised in California. While finishing her bachelor's degree at Brown University, her best friend encouraged her to use her creativity, wit, intelligence and humor to write screenplays.

Lulu made her directorial debut with "Top Notch", a film she also wrote and produced. It was screened at 25 film festivals overseas and won Best Comedy at Tokyo International Short Film Festival, Best Director at Seoul International Short Film Festival, Calgary Independent Film Festival and Cairo Indie Short Festival.

Lulu writes diverse characters that capture the voices and experiences of those who have been exploited and silenced. Her goal is to continue to write powerful stories that will impact others and bring messages of hope.

Lulu - I'm Still Here

Nikki Bailey is a Writer, Published Author, Emmy Nominated Producer, Actor, Comedian and Podcast Host/Producer. She was nominated for two Emmy awards for her work as a producer on PBS specials and went on to work on and write for other television productions including: Labor and Delivery (TLC), WomenDocs (Lifetime) and This Far By Faith: African-American
Spiritual Journeys (PBS).

Called to be of service to The Other, Nikki is the producer and host of a video podcast called Fun, Faith, & F*ckery. The show is a place for seekers, questioners, believers, and bellyachers to explore ways to get more pray, play and slay into their lives. Featuring topics ranging from world religions to new age spirituality, pop-culture and current events, social justice and comedy, Fun, Faith, & Fuckery is a podcast full of spit takes, sacredness and Sparkle.

Nikki - The Crossroad

Felisha Norman & Nicci Bates Long time besties and creative partners Felisha Norman and Nicci Bates knew the moment they met and learned each other’s last names that it was a match that was meant to be. Norman Bates Co was created and has produced several plays, a web series, and a short film that have been accepted in multiple film festivals.