Feedback from Jonterri Gadson and Teresa Huang
ETTA LERAE written by Jana Naomi Smith (psychological drama feature)
After being denied access to the documentary subject of her dreams, a filmmaker goes to great lengths to convince an elder who doesn’t want to be bothered to be in her film, making questionable decisions along the way.
Featuring Jerrika Hinton, Megan Mendoza, Emma Van Lare, Krystal Farris, Dana L. Wilson, Sabah Muhammad, Nicolas diPierro, and Gita Reddy
Jana Naomi Smith (she/her) is a Gary, Indiana-bred, writer, filmmaker, and cultural worker. She is the creator, writer, and director behind the Tribeca Selected, audio drama, Red for Revolution. Previously, Jana wrote the podcast Built to Last for American Express, hosted by Elaine Welteroth and featuring Issa Rae and Kimberly Drew. Her prose has appeared in Essence magazine. Additionally, she created the meditation series Relax, Relate, Release during the COVID-19 pandemic, featuring archival audio from Angela Davis, Debbie Allen, and Maya Angelou, among others. These projects each examine the intersection of Black womanhood, erased historiographies, and intergenerational healing. Throughout her career, she’s worked for the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, HBO, CBS, ABC, and POV Film. Jana is an alum of Ryan Murphy’s “Half Initiative.” She is also a recipient of the Ida B. Wells Disrupting the Master Narrative Award and has been a finalist for numerous screenwriting awards. Jana holds a BA in Film Studies from Sarah Lawrence College. Through all of her work, she strives to reflect the truth of our time while encouraging audiences to re-imagine our collective power for radical love and compassion. She is currently developing two features inspired by her latest existential crises.
NEGRO-TISM written by Aadrise Johnson (comedy pilot)
When Courtney Jones, the first daughter of Black Hollywood, is outed during her father’s Oscar press week, she and her family must navigate their fame amid scandal to maintain their status among the elite.
Featuring Courtney Gabrielle Williams, Ryan Michelle Bathé, Leonard A. Thomas, Michael Flood, Megan Mendoza, Jason T. Gaffney, James Mercer II, James Tang, Kaitlyn Foley, and Emma Van Lare
Aadrise Johnson is a comedy writer who was born in the Bronx but raised most of her life in Irving, Texas. Even though she tried her hardest to reject the Southern lifestyle, it melded into her New York grit. To cope with the changes moving caused, Aadrise created stories to escape a world where she didn’t fit in. A lot of her writing style and comedic humor stem from real-life situations mixed with the crippling anxiety that she might have peaked early. Being constantly told that you’re talented at a young age but growing up and realizing you might not be all that special does a number on a young Black woman. However, that doesn’t stop her from sharing her joy and pain through comedic stories of Black women just trying to exist. Aadrise likes to satirize Blackness in her work to celebrate, explore, and challenge Black Culture.
