AscendUS.org highlights Emelyn Stuart’s impact on minority filmmakers

“Emelyn Stuart was working in corporate America when she was handed a film script from a friend. She had no idea that it would change her life entirely. She read her friend’s script and found it to be hilarious, she was sure it would get made into a movie. But her friend was having a hard time getting anyone to move forward with his script. Emelyn was confused, how could someone so talented and with such a great script not be able to make it in the industry, she thought to herself. The problem was there weren’t many opportunities for minority filmmakers, and minority creative professionals, in general. Emelyn didn’t know how, but she knew that she was going to change that.

Emelyn decided to help her friend produce his movie. Although she had friends in the film industry, she had never worked directly in it. She learned from scratch how to turn something from writing into a motion picture. The movie, titled Wings and Beer, went on to be a hit and Emelyn went on to discover her love of production. “I loved being able to bring something from their brain and heart to the public.” Emelyn wanted to start helping more minority artists. She started producing tv shows, web series, and movies. In 2012, Emelyn started the October Film Festival to support minority creators, provide resources for them, and teach them industry skills. “The festival was solving a problem that I had. No one was looking out for me and the films I was producing, and other festivals were missing the aspects of resources and empowerment. I wanted to provide that.”

Read more about Emelyn’s start in the film industry & how she continues to work with minority filmmakers to bring new films to the community. Click here.