Stage 32 Short Film Contest Winner Signs With Oscar-Winning Sales Company Ouat Media

Stage 32 Short Film Contest Winner Signs With Oscar-Winning Sales Company Ouat Media

Stage 32 Short Film Contest Winner Signs With Oscar-Winning Sales Company Ouat Media

Lisa Cole
Lisa Cole
a year ago

It has been a whirlwind since winning the Stage 32 Short Film Contest with the project I wrote and directed, BIENVENIDOS A LOS ANGELES. We’ve been lucky enough to have connected with major industry players and have taken significant steps forward to become a contender for Best Live Action Short Film in the 96th Academy Awards. Most recently, we have signed with Ouat Media, the renowned Toronto-based short film sales company known for three Oscar winners and 12 nominees.

This film is very close to my heart and draws inspiration from a true story of immigration. Filmed at LAX International Airport, the story follows Imani, a Nigerian single mother pursuing her green card dream as a Physician’s Assistant in Los Angeles. Imani's life takes a dramatic turn when she faces termination due to the Muslim ban, leading her to a heartfelt encounter with Elizabeth, an undocumented woman on a journey to reunite with her young son.

The genesis of the film involves real-life events involving my friend and former babysitter and tells the story of the night she attempted to reunite with her son at LAX. We aimed to create a film that serves as an agent for change and humanizes complex immigration issues.

Stage 32 Short Film Contest Winner Signs With OscarWinning Sales Company Ouat Media

The road to production took a great deal of time and would not have been possible without a team of kind-hearted creatives! Many of our cast and crew members were drawn to this film because of the immigration story. My producers and I are proud of the fact we comprise a primarily female team that is 56% BIPOC. To raise funds for the film, we held a very successful Seed & Spark campaign where we more than doubled our target amount. We were also awarded a filmmaker fund of $25K and received great media recognition. As a result of this fund, our producer, Ben O'Keefe, was able to negotiate a contract with Ouat Media.

Filming at LAX was a dream come true. Everyone told me not to even try as it's nearly impossible, but I couldn’t take no for an answer. I scouted every other possible airport location within a two-hour radius, but in the end, I knew it had to be LAX. It took me five months to finesse, but we made it happen! The team at LAX was wonderful to work with and I’m now friends with the Supervisor of the Southwest Airlines terminal! We were the first film to shoot there since Covid and we pulled it off in December 2021 in the middle of Covid, construction, and the insane Christmas travel season!

The journey of BIENVENIDOS A LOS ANGELES has been incredibly rewarding. In addition to the Stage 32 Short Film Contest, this project won the 2023 Diversity in Cannes Short Film Showcase, sponsored by Viola Davis’s company, JuVee Productions, and has screened at over 50 global film festivals, including three Oscar-qualifying festivals, and has a total of 19 other festival and contest wins.

Stage 32 Short Film Contest Winner Signs With OscarWinning Sales Company Ouat Media

Currently, I have three feature narrative films in development and have had the privilege in the past of collaborating with esteemed producers such as Jean-Marc Vallee, Laura Dern, Laura Bickford, and Nathan Ross. The journey from the Stage 32 win and Holly Shorts screening to the Academy Awards has been an incredible experience. Academy member voting begins next week (December 14), and my team and I are so excited to see how far our film can go!

I want to express my gratitude to the amazing team behind BIENVENIDOS A LOS ANGELES. Producers Vivian Johnson, Cindy Lu, Ben O’Keefe, Lolia Etomi, and Jolene Mendes, along with Executive Producers Lagralane, Adam Wescott, McKenna Marshall, Nick Phillips, and Selena Leoni, have been instrumental in bringing this story to life.

To my fellow filmmakers, I want to offer words of encouragement. Your stories matter, and the world is waiting to hear them. Keep rewriting your work, pushing boundaries, breaking barriers, and sharing the beauty of the human experience through your lens. Here's to more stories that resonate, more dreams that come true, and more films that make a difference!

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About the Author

Lisa Cole

Lisa Cole

Screenwriter, Producer, Director

Lisa Cole is a dynamic Writer, Director, and Producer passionate about creating films that drive social change. Her recent short, "BIENVENIDOS A LOS ANGELES," filmed at LAX Airport and based on a true immigration story, is Shortlisted as Best Live Action Short Film for the 96th Academy Awards, and w...

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11 Comments on Lisa's Article

Jane Tumminello
Screenwriter
Congratulations Lisa! What an incredible, inspiring story!!
a year ago
Xochi Blymyer
Assistant Director, Director, Line Producer, Screenwriter, Unit Production Manager
Your short was so good. I saw it at the Chinese Theater along w mine and the other group of short film winners this summer. So happy for you for its sucess and future. Also, Definitely super impressive you got LAX, I know that is no easy feat.
a year ago
Maurice Vaughan
Screenwriter
Congratulations on BIENVENIDOS A LOS ANGELES winning Stage 32’s Short Film Contest and signing with Ouat Media, Lisa! And congratulations on all of the success you and your team have had with BIENVENIDOS A LOS ANGELES! Thanks for sharing your/your team’s journey and the encouraging words. I hope BIENVENIDOS A LOS ANGELES becomes a contender for Best Live Action Short Film in the 96th Academy Awards!
a year ago
Maurice Vaughan
Screenwriter
You're welcome, Lisa. This is the most supportive creative community I've been part of. All the best to you too! Looking forward to seeing BIENVENIDOS A LOS ANGELES!
a year ago
Lisa Cole
Screenwriter, Producer, Director
Thank you! It's a long shot but we're super excited for the opportunity and so appreciate this supportive community! All the best to you!
a year ago
Deborah Jennings
Author, Content Creator, Producer, Researcher
What a dream come true for you. A dedicated, hard working and talented group can make a dream come true. Applause to you all.
a year ago
Sandra Isabel Correia
Screenwriter, Executive
What an amazing journey and "story" that makes us believe that dreams do come true. Thanks Lisa for telling us about your journey, and good luck with everything you're doing. Keep us update :)
a year ago
Sandra Isabel Correia
Screenwriter, Executive
Thanksss :))
a year ago
Lisa Cole
Screenwriter, Producer, Director
Thank you, Sandra - Rooting for you too!
a year ago
Robin Gregory
Author, Screenwriter, Graphic Designer
Well done, Lisa! Sounds like a beautiful story. I admire your determination, which, I'm learning, is the prerequisite for film makers. Congratulations to you and your team for winning the S32 award, getting financing, locations, and production done. What a great journey!
a year ago
Lisa Cole
Screenwriter, Producer, Director
Thank you, Robin! it's a miraculous journey every time a film is made. ;-) Takes a village.
a year ago
Congratulations on your successes thus far and I wish you many more.
a year ago
Lisa Cole
Screenwriter, Producer, Director
Thanks so much!
a year ago
Ashley Smith 23
Creative Executive, Script Consultant, Producer
This is fantastic, Lisa! What a wonderful success! I'm so inspired by your journey and I can't wait to hear about what exciting opportunities you have next.
a year ago
Lisa Cole
Screenwriter, Producer, Director
Thank you, Ashley!
a year ago
Pamela Jaye Smith
Author, Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Acting Teacher, Script Consultant, Story Analyst
CONGRATULATIONS!!! to you and all your creative team and supporters. Well done! It is an inspiration to others. Wishing you continued good fortune on all your projects.
a year ago
Joe Thayer
Screenwriter, Script Consultant, Director
Amazing!! Congrats.
a year ago
This inspired me.
a year ago
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