DIRECTOR: SOUTH BODY

Luke's first short film, “The Choice,” won silver at the NAACP Act-So. Afterwards, he created Lucky Luke Productions and has worked on numerous films and productions in New Orleans, including an internship at NOVAC, and created a film club at his local library. Luke graduated from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts, majoring in Film and Television. While there, he was the President of the African American Cinema Society founded and created by John Singleton. His short film ``Tambou`` won the #CreateLouisiana French Culture Film Grant of $25,000 and was released in early 2023.

CINEMATOGRAPHER: SOUTH BODY

Jason “Jay” Falice, born and raised in Baton Rouge, LA, graduated college in 2014 with a degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. Jay was introduced to the film industry working as an extra in a Tyler Perry film when he lived in Atlanta, Georgia in 2018. Once he stepped foot on set, he instantly knew that he needed to work behind the camera. For over 6 years, Jay has worked behind the camera as a videographer working on music videos, docs, short films, and commercials. Within the past year, Jay transitioned careers to pursue a career as a cinematographer.

EDITOR: SOUTH BODY

Lauren Ashlee Messina, M.F.A. (she/her) is a Big Easy Award-winning dance choreographer with a heart for community. Born in Springfield, IL, Lauren has developed her career in the GNO area in collaboration with a variety of dance related organizations, including the Contemporary Arts Center of New Orleans and NOVAC. She is a 2023-2024 cohort member for New Orleans Museum of Art's Creative Assembly, founder of My Free Dance Class, and host of The Parent Artist Podcast on YouTube. She aims to create meaningful movement experiences that inspire empathy and transformation by collaborating with artists across disciplines in a thriving collective environment that prioritizes mutual respect, trust, and care.

DIRECTOR: Homecoming

Surrealist storyteller with a love for daily life. Their work draws on cultural heritage and explores themes of belonging. Experienced in big box narratives, branded content, reality, and documentaries- they are venturing into producing, directing, and crafting content that empowers communities by platforming cultural stories.

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Homecoming

The stone the builder refused.

EDITOR: Homecoming

Originally from New York City, Harley has lived in New Orleans for 10 years. She recently edited ``Community In Conflict: The Santa Fe Internment Camp Marker`` which screened at the Santa Fe International Film Festival, Portland Film Festival, and LA Femme Film Festival this fall.

Ota Benga was forced into enslavement throughout his lifetime. One family tried to make him a home here in his captive country. This is their story. Winner of the 2022 New Orleans Film Festival Audience Award for Best Short Louisiana Documentary.

In attempt to escape an abusive and violent relationship, a woman seeks refuge at a woman sheltered, but she is turned away. Out of desperation, she the goers on a journey to find a Kabbalist priestess to have a glance into the future, as her present looks dismal.

``People Are Trees`` follows the journey of a new homeowner (Ashley) who decides to cut down the tree in her front yard due to safety concerns. She soon discovers that this cut-down tree holds sentimental value for members of her community, including Ms. Trena Diles, who planted the tree and lived in the house for twelve years. After learning of the tree's significance to Ms.Trena and how it helped her overcome personal hardships, Ashley decides to interview her and others about the tree's history and connection to the neighborhood. Feeling remorseful for what she had done, Ashley creates a tree sculpture that pays homage to Ms.Trena and her beloved tree. Ashley presents the tree sculpture to Ms. Trena and the neighborhood in the hopes it repairs the fabric of the neighborhood.

DIRECTOR: Ode to Oda Benga

Jill Campbell fell in love with filmmaking during her childhood filming her elders, listening to their stories, roots and family history. In 1995, she moved to Washington DC with her two-year old daughter, Mai Pearl, to attend Howard UniversitY earning a BBA and a MA in Educational Leadership. After her studies and Marketing career in DC, Jill returned home to Sacramento to be closer to family and helped schools and communities build their capacity to support underserved students and their families. Living in New Orleans, since 2019, the city that she has come to call home (with pride and joy), Jill is following her passion for film, storytelling and adventure. “Ode to Ota Benga,” her debut film, is a proof of concept for a larger project to share with the world. Jill is also the founder of “R” Babies “R” Us and Mai Pearl Films.

DIRECTOR: Homeless NOLA

Viviana de la Rosa is a visual artist, who is proud to call New Orleans home. She's a fashion designer, a painter, an accomplished opera singer, and now adds to her profile film directing, as she debuts as a filmmaker, forming part of NOVAC's Filmmaker Community Cohort 2022. Viviana de la Rosa's career as a filmmaker has just begun, and there is a bright future ahead of her in the film industry. In the Fall of 2022, she showcased her director's skills in the docufilm: A DAY AND A LIFE OF A HOMELESS WOMAN. Drawing from her personal experience as a battered and abused woman, she explores the struggles of a single homeless individual, bringing awareness to a social problem, not only plaguing the City of New Orleans, but the nation as a social pandemic. Desperately, this social problem is in need of social change and justice. She is a proud alumni of Dillard University, earning a BA in Spanish and French; and MA in Visual and Critical Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

DIRECTOR: People are Trees

Ashley Jones is a native New Orleanian, an educator, and filmmaker. Ashley considers herself a community filmmaker. She is committed to bringing her communities collective power, beauty, and humanity to life.

``Once Upon a Time in New Orleans: Sacred Rhythms`` is a micro-doc about Louisiana’s underrepresented and marginalized Indigenous Tribes.

DIRECTOR: Once Upon a Time in New Orleans: Sacred Rhythms

Julie D. Holman is a visual story-teller, Nurse, Yoga Instructor & Climate Optimist advocating for the underserved and indigenous populations by intentionally crafting stories that humanize issues related to health/ wellness, the climate crisis and social justice into digestible information. Using performative engagement such as theater, film, music, poetry and advocacy to redefine how information is communicated while cutting through the content pollution. She is co-founder and former Co-Director of IFP/Phoenix, Creative Director of the Independent Voices Health and Justice Film Festival and host of the weekly radio show Independent Voices on 102.3FM / WHIV.org. A descendant of Cherokee & Choctaw Nations and Romanian/Greek Jewish heritage, Julie joyfully embraces the interconnectedness of all things.

CREW: Ode to Oda Benga, Homeless NOLA, People Are Trees and Once Upon a Time in New Orleans: Sacred Rhythms

Renée Johnson, a New Orleans native, is a fashion designer, costume designer and a modiste. She is the owner and designer of a ladies couture fashion brand, Afri Modiste. Afri Modiste, where culture meets couture is a homage to the culture and traditions she grew up seeing in New Orleans; Not only is Renée interested in preserving the fashion culture of New Orleans, but also in elevating it as seen in her popular, fashion forward illuminated designs.