EXCLUSIVE: Johanna Brinckman, Ini Ishola, and Marta Méndez Cross have been selected as Broken English Productions‘ Women Director’s Initiative competition.
Each winning new filmmaker receives a $30k grant to produce a short film and additional resources to bring their projects to fruition. Additionally, they will count on the participation of Jaina Lee Ortiz (Station 19, The Long Game), Lindsey Morgan (Walker, The 100) and Mauricio Mendoza (Final Vow) as actors in their projects which will premiere at a special screening sponsored by Soho House.
The initiative was created by Jolene Rodriguez, CEO of Broken English Productions, to support and empower new women directors in the film industry through mentorship and support to help bring their creative visions to life.
“I’m stoked for the world to see what these lovely women create. They’re incredibly talented, and I’m beyond proud of them,” Rodriguez shared in a statement to Deadline. “Thank you to Women in Film, Sony Pictures, Soho House and the amazing talent attached for their support.”
Learn more about each winner and their short film projects below.
Johanna Brinckman
Title: By Your Side
Logline: Julie’s father taught her many lessons, but nothing could prepare her for his loss. As she copes with her grief, a chance encounter helps her feel her father’s enduring love, transforming her sorrow into a gentle celebration of their bond. “By Your Side” highlights the importance of memories, showing that love goes beyond life and invites the audience to find hope and reconsider their views on grief.
Morgan and Mendoza will star.
Bio in their own words: Born and raised in Germany, Johanna discovered her passion for visual storytelling early through experimenting with film and photography. She launched her photography career at 21, working with leading magazines and entertainment clients while traveling internationally to bring her creative vision to life. In 2019, Johanna moved to Los Angeles to expand her opportunities and has since become known for blending artistic direction with authentic expression. Now stepping into directing, she seeks to explore deeper narratives, creating powerful stories that combine visuals, music, and compelling concepts.
Ini Ishola
Title: Seneca, Speak
Logline: A young girl named Seneca copes with her mother’s death while trying to find solace with her father. When her pregnant stepmother goes into labor, Seneca discovers a surprising secret about her father. She faces a difficult choice: to keep her father’s secret or to protect her stepmother’s dignity.
Bio in their own words: Hailing from the heart of the San Fernando Valley, Ishola is a Nigerian-born, Los Angeles-raised filmmaker whose stories aspire to delve into the depths of the human subconscious under the strain of intense emotional pressure and high anxiety, and she possesses an equally intense drive to create stories that explain these mysteries to the curious. Ishola and her work seek to unravel the human psyche and decision-making processes, revealing the profound similarities that unite people across diverse backgrounds. As a result of her experiences, she is enlightened on what continues to be the most crucial fact of her life: when she forges stories that emerge from the deepest part of her, that is when she is utterly free.
Marta Méndez Cross
Title: iChild
Logline: A struggling woman, grappling with addiction and personal chaos, sets out to seek her child’s forgiveness, only to ultimately find her path to redemption and self-forgiveness.
Ortiz will star.
Bio in their own words: Méndez Cross is an actress and writer based in Los Angeles, recognized for her roles in films like Side FX and popular TV shows such as Criminal Minds and NCIS: LA. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, she gained attention from Shonda Rhimes in Off The Map and starred in the Lifetime series Life with Olivia, which focused on breast cancer awareness. She won the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival for her work on Lost In Shadowed Sand. Currently, she is collaborating with Hallmark on their first Latinx Christmas drama, Feliz Navidad, and is working on the feature film Sisters, where she stars and produces, emphasizing her dedication to representing underrepresented communities.