the
open lens
film showcase
SHOWCASE
09
AUG
6.00 Pm - 7.30 PM
AFTERS
7:30 - 9:00PM
LOCATION
UNIVERSAL Studios
Pioneers aren't created; they are planted and grown.
Made In Her Image and Fem The Future are honored to formally invite you to the Open Lens Showcase, featuring our curated theme, Planting Seeds, celebrating growth, resurgence, and forward movement within the industry.
With a commitment to planting and nurturing the cinematic seeds of the future, we joyously unveil our inaugural Open Lens Showcase. This event celebrates boundless creativity and innovation in film, cultivating pathways for future growth and fostering artistic excellence.
Partnering with Universal Studios, we are honored to showcase the dedication and drive of the next generation of filmmakers.
Featured on The Hollywood Reporter:
Janelle Monáe’s Fem The Future, Made In Her Image Partner to Highlight Young Filmmakers
featuring the inaugural films
HAPPY ONCE
TU SABOR
LIGHTWORK
PIPE DREAM
STALL
About MIHI
We are reclaiming our divine space. Made In Her Image aims to bridge the gender equity gap in film, media, and technology by empowering girls, young women, and non-binary individuals. Through community-driven programming, MIHI has collaborated with companies such as A24, Sundance, Disney, Converse, and Panavision to break barriers
We are a dynamic and impactful force committed to creating opportunities within the film, media, and technology industries, especially for young women, girls of color, and non-binary youth. Despite our modest size, MIHI has wielded extraordinary influence. At MIHI, breaking barriers and forging a more inclusive future are central to our mission. We invite you to join us in this transformative journey. We proudly serve young girls, non-binary youth, women, and genderqueer people of color in the cinema arts.
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1920
5610
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Digital Education Engagement
Mentees Served
Community Members
Initiatves & Programs
About open lens
Open Lens, powered by MIHI, offers an open-source filmmaking curriculum. With a variety of camps, workshops, online instruction, and more, our goal is to ensure equitable access to filmmaking opportunities for everyone. This inaugural launch of our curriculum unveils an accelerated version of the OPEN LENS learning model, powered by Made in Her Image. Our commitment to open education and innovative curriculum design shapes this transformative learning journey. We proudly held our first Open Lens Film Lab In March, pf 2024 and are excited to showcase the work of the 25 mentees with films made In only two days.
about fem the future
Founded by Janelle Monae, Fem The Future is dedicated to building a future where young women and girls can thrive in music, arts, and education. The aim is to create opportunities and amplify voices often marginalized in creative industries. In an effort to impact as many women and girls as possible, Fem The Future also provides grant opportunities to organizations that are providing access to arts, music and leadership development.
showcase overview
Welcome to the debut film showcase by Open Lens, featuring our first cohort of mentees and their impactful films of courage and strength. Powered by MIHI, Open Lens offers an open-source filmmaking curriculum, including camps, workshops, and online instruction, with a mission to ensure equitable access to filmmaking opportunities for all.
This one-day event includes short films from our mentees, a keynote filmmaker, discussions, panels, awards, and an exclusive After Party. Proceeds support our "You Deserve The World" campaign, advancing accessible filmmaking led by women and non-binary artists of color.
Our inaugural Open Lens Film Lab was a true labor of love, perseverance, and dedication. Five phenomenal student teams, each led by a diverse array of dedicated directors, came together to rewrite, produce, and direct their short films in just two days, guided by industry mentors.
Shot in a professional film studio at Conscious Minds, students empowered themselves by working with cinematic cameras, lenses, and lighting, all under the guidance of experienced gaffers, directors, and cinematographers. Through a carefully crafted curriculum, students discovered the true meaning of finding their voice. And in just two days, they achieved that and more.
We’re deeply honored to showcase and celebrate the incredible work of our students, ranging from young teen girls to non-binary students. Their creativity, passion, and determination are truly inspiring, and we are excited to see the impact they will make in the film industry.
Filmmakers
Milan Walker, Alexia Mazzotta, Brazil Bloom
Willow, a teen skater, adopts her brother's persona to conquer the male-dominated skate park. But as the pressure mounts and her authenticity is tested, she must choose between blending in or risking everything to stand out and claim her place in the skating world.
PIPE DREAM
LIGHT WORK
stall
HAPPY ONCE
TU SABOR
Filmmakers
Zahra Bello, Janae Davis, Nia Chanel, Eva Scott, Journey Walok
Ava confronts their therapist, they battle with the tormenting uncertainty of their own identity. Struggling between societal expectations and their inner desires, they must unravel the truth of who they truly are before losing themselves entirely.
Filmmakers
Rebekah Grace de Guzman, Akemi Wong, Jordyn Smith, Maelani Horne Sago, Jaelee Carpenter
As Andrea spirals into self-destructive behavior within the sanctuary of a stall in her high school bathroom, she has to make the decision to leave before it's too late.
Filmmakers
Kendall Clark, Alana Hartfield, Tylianja Clifford, Andie Walok, Cynthia Romero
A determined African American teen in a struggling community near Atlanta battles against the odds of poverty and family hardship, searching for hope and identity amidst the shadows of her environment.
Filmmakers
Rubi Nasiyah, Celeste Romero,
London Gray
Yaretzi battles their identity amidst their mother's disapproval and the judgmental gaze of churchgoers. Encountering Luna, a kindred spirit, sparks a tentative friendship, offering solace in a daunting world.
5:00PM
DOORS OPEN, press hour
6:00PM
Showcase Commences
AFFIRMATIONS BY AnAkA
6:30PM
MIHI Documentary
6:45 - 7:00pm
Student Films
7:00PM - 7:30PM
Special Key Note Speakers
Future-Making Open Lens Awards
Closing Thoughts
7:30 - 9:00 PM
Post Reception PRESENTED BY NUCONTEXT
Mixer & Support hour
Live Performance by Tanerélle
DJ Set by Amorphous
In the tapestry of time, we weave connections that span horizons, forging paths where none existed before. Each step, a deliberate act of creation.
With every seed we sow, we cultivate a garden of possibility, nurturing the tender sprouts that will one day blossom into the future.
Joy ofodu, Host
As a celebrated Nigerian-American voice actor and Creative Executive, Joy Ofodu's imaginative voiceover performances can be heard across children’s animation, online and console games, film and music. Under her self-titled media company, she has grown a highly-engaged community of over 300,000 online listeners and affirmation-seeking comedy-lovers. With Joy’s background rooted in entertainment and digital media, she has captivated audiences with her charismatic presence and insightful commentary. Joy brings her vibrant energy and deep industry knowledge as the host for the Open Lens Showcase.
Janine Jones Clark, Universal
Janine Jones Clark, Executive Vice President of Inclusion - Talent & Content at Universal Pictures, is a trailblazer in promoting diversity and inclusion in film. Building upon NBCUniversal’s longtime DEI commitment, Jones-Clark and her GTDI team provide industry access and identify film production opportunities for underrepresented talent. Productions the group has worked with include Universal’s Dear Evan Hansen; DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Trolls World Tour’; and Illumination’s ‘Sing 2’, and ‘Minions: Rise of Gru’. Her numerous initiatives to support underrepresented voices, ensures that Universal Pictures remains a leader in inclusive storytelling.
Nneka ONUORAH, DIRECTOR
Nneka Onuorah is an Emmy Award-winning Nigerian-American filmmaker and activist known for her impactful storytelling that elevates underrepresented communities. In September 2022, she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program for Amazon's LIZZO’S WATCH OUT FOR THE BIG GRRRLS, marking a historic moment for queer women of color directors. Nneka is currently directing a docuseries with Megan Thee Stallion, chronicling the rapper's rise in the music industry. Her previous work includes critically acclaimed projects like The Legend of the Underground and THE SAME DIFFERENCE, showcasing her commitment to diverse narratives and social justice.
Jovian zayne, Fem The Future
Jovian Zayne is the CEO and Founder of The OnPurpose Movement®, a professional development firm committed to developing values-driven leaders. Jovian continues to shape the culture and leadership of the world’s most innovative organizations, such as Google and IDEO, as a celebrated international speaker, certified executive coach, and master facilitator. She is the Founder of The International Day of Purpose. A 2019 Aspen Ideas Fellow, she is the author of the forthcoming book, “Soft Landings For Hard Days” published by Penguin Life.
malakai, MADE IN HER IMAGE
Malakai, a visionary tv and film director who reshapes black diasporic narratives through storytelling and community organizing. Inspired by Afro-futurist culture, she explores themes in fantasy, science fiction,. As founder of Made In Her Image (MIHI), Malakai empowers young creators of color, impacting over 2,000 individuals and 150,000 community members since 2018, earning recognition from SXSW and Sundance.
SADE NDYA, MADE IN HER IMAGE
Sade Ndya is acclaimed for her surreal cinematography and dynamic lighting, highlighting Black beauty. Named a '2023 ASC Rising Star' by American Cinematographer, her work has also gained recognition by Tribeca and American Black Film Festival. Sade’s most recent video installation, "Re-Imagining Black __" just finished a month long exhibition at WACO Theater Center in Los Angeles, curated by Tina Knowles Lawson. Sade also serves as an Organizer and Educator at Made In Her Image, advancing opportunities for women and non-binary youth of color in film and media.
AnAkA
LIVE ANGEL MUSIC & Affirmations
AnAkA is a holistic world builder, ritual doula, film director, photographer and channel of Angel Music. As a gender fluid Afro-Indigenous person, AnAkA reclaims ancestral memory and holistically preserves global cultural wisdoms. AnAkA is the founder of AKTIV8 Creative Research Center, a sacred wisdom movement focused on strengthening the heartbeat of the global Indigenous movements and rituals of our current time. Through this work, AnAkA advocates for the rights of artists and healers desiring the freedom to exchange wisdom in sovereign structures.
Tanerélle, Musical guest
Tanerélle, a versatile artist blending R&B, pop, and intergalactic themes, hails from Atlanta and now thrives in Los Angeles. Her music, inspired by legends like Stevie Wonder and Beyoncé and enriched by film and TV influences, has amassed over 100 million streams. With high-profile syncs in She’s Gotta Have It, Insecure, Raising Dion, and NBA 2K22, and collaborations with Machinedrum and A$AP Ferg, she’s garnered critical acclaim. Her 2024 EP, Electric Honey [Republic Records], merges bold and sweet tones, exemplifying her mission to promote healing and celebration. Tanerélle's unique, cinematic style has been praised by HIGHSNOBIETY, office, and Spindle Magazine, and she continues to captivate with her authentic artistry.
DJ AMORPHOUS
Amorphous, is an American music producer and disk jockey. He is best known for his viral mashups, which frequently combine classic soul and pop music with contemporary hip hop and R&B. Amorphous released his debut EP Things Take Shape featuring Kelly Rowland, James Fauntleroy, Kehlani, and Brandy in July 2021. He also worked with Mariah Carey for the "Butterfly" 25th Anniversary Club Remix. In 2023, Beyoncé used an Amorphous mashup during her Renaissance World Tour. Amorphous brings his musical talents to close out our Open Lens Showcase.
For the Open Lens Showcase, we invite guests to embrace the theme of 'Planting Seeds' through their attire. This evening celebrates growth and new beginnings, so we encourage you to reflect that in your wardrobe. Aim for earth tones, greens, whites, and pale shades, accented with floral elements. Whether you prefer simple elegance or something more elaborate, choose what feels comfortable and aligns with your style. Let your outfit symbolize a seed ready to bloom, creating an atmosphere that honors the spirit of the event.
Follow our pinterest board for more look inspiration!
open lens
film showcase
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our esteemed Open Lens Showcase partners for their generous and unwavering support. Your invaluable contributions have been instrumental in making this initiative a success.
Thank you for your dedication and commitment to our shared vision.
