AUTUMN & SUMMER

Logline

Two sisters (Puerto Rican, black, and Jewish) of different races follow their Latin grandmother to LA for a fresh start but struggle between societal expectations and their ravenous desire to be plain messy and beautifully imperfect in the face of unstable fathers and lovers.

Synopsis

Since they were pre-teens, Autumn and Summer started every day with naked yoga. The contrast in color of their bodies is usually emblematic of the sister’s bond as a blended multi-racial family. Still, today it foreshadows the friction between them as Autumn is about to make a major life decision without consulting her sister for the first time.

Autumn and Summer are a few months into their new lives together in LA, where they have had to depend on each other as usual. Autumn has begun her residency as a psychiatrist at UCLA. Summer is adjusting to her new misogynist, male boss and cutthroat coworkers, while simultaneously planning her wedding to her long-distance fiancé Wyatt.

When Summer discovers that Autumn took the morning off work to get an abortion, a seemingly irreparable rift opens between the sisters and their codependency is tested. Their relationship may survive, but not without a shake-up from heartthrob and jack of all trades Kyle, a hearty serving of Grandma Rosa’s famous mofongo, and the unexpected aid of her kooky millennial roommate Shae, a self-taught abortion doula.

Funding

Additional Information

Autumn & Summer was born out of the curiosity of telling an authentic story that people will recognize within themselves no matter their background. Television & Films are currently either all white, all Black, or all Latino. Shows that take place in LA do not demonstrate cohesive multicultural communities. They are portrayed as being segregated.

Onscreen depictions of African-American characters usually fall into the trap of stereotypes and clichés. Black women are portrayed as being either docile or hyper sexualized. Black men are consistently pushed away from opportunities, leaving them at the bottom of the barrel, when in reality they are unique and not a monolith. My goal as a creator-writer is to validate women of color as human - and show their complex nature. They deserve grace. Finally, traditions from various cultures circle around the enjoyment of food. That is something to be celebrated.

The Nitty-Gritty

We have been building this story and world for over four years and in the midst of finalizing our script, Roe vs Wade was overturned. A few weeks into pre-production both WGA and SAG-AFTRA went on strike. Since the industry has come to a halt, it’s our time to focus on building out our own indie productions that supply proper paying jobs while creating equitable moving content.

The importance of authentic stories about women’s experiences with abortion and reproductive health services is critical now more than ever.

Our story converges LA’s superpowers new and old to showcase the intersectionality of entertainment and emerging women’s health, in a post-Roe v. Wade era providing intimate and intentional moments where the audience can feel these industries beyond knowledge and content.

All members at FWIN Productions stand in solidarity with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA in their fight for fair compensation and a healthier work environment.

THE TEAM

UGENIA STOKES

ACTOR/WRITER/DIRECTOR, CO-FOUNDER OF FWIN PRODUCTIONS
Ugenia Stokes (she/her) is a multi-talented educator, artist, actress and filmmaker who has worked in the entertainment industry for the last 15 years. She is made her directorial debut with the documentary short “FREE TO BE,” an Official Selection of the 2021 Toronto Film Festival, Denton Black Film Festival “People’s Choice Award” and Micheaux Film Festival “Best Documentary Short” which dives into the lives of four individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community and their push for social justice and racial equality. She has been successful at producing short films such as PUPPY LOVE (Snapchat Tribeca Film Festival) and feature films such as DOUBLE DOWN (Miami Film Festival).Ugenia attended Marymount Manhattan College in New York, where she obtained a B.A. in Acting and Costume Design with a minor in History. Through her art and community advocacy she aims to be at the forefront of a new equitable Hollywood that represents the perspectives of an increasingly diverse nation and world. Ugenia has styled and produced content and magazine covers for companies such as Forbes, Alberta Ferretti, Interview Magazine, and Hearst (Seventeen Magazine). Ugenia has produced film, TV, and commercial content in collaboration with companies such as Neuehouse, Sony, Amazon, LA Tech Week, AMP Beauty and has launched brands such as Hollywood Massive.
Ugenia feels that it is her personal responsibility to relay the untold stories of African-American culture through narratives addressing black successes, triumphs, and struggles. Her goal is to bring a voice to a culture which is typically depicted in an unauthentic way in media.
She is also a strong advocate for women in film, both in front of and behind the camera.

CRYSTAL MANICH

DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/STORY EDITOR
Crystal Manich (she/her) is thrilled to be a part of the directing, producing, writing, and development team at FWIN to tell meaningful stories for the screen. As a theatre veteran, she has directed over sixty-five stage productions in opera, plays, and musical theatre across the United States, Argentina, and Australia. Recent work during Covid-19 includes Mozart’s Così fan tutte for Pittsburgh Opera with masks for streaming and filmed excerpts from well-known operas for streaming for Wolf Trap Opera. In 2021 Crystal will direct the world premiere opera The Copper Queen as a feature film for Arizona Opera. She was the Co-Founding Artistic Director of Opera Omnia; former Assistant Artistic Director with Cirque du Soleil’s Quidam in Brazil; former Artistic Director of Mill City Summer Opera. Her first short film, L’Ivresse, explores opera in film and won the audience award at the 2018 Great Lakes International Shorts Festival. Crystal holds a BFA in Drama and a Master's in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University and currently makes her home in Puerto Rico.

PHILLIP N. LAMBERT, JR.

PRODUCER/WRITER
Phillip N. Lambert, Jr. (he/him) is a writer, interdisciplinary artist, producer, strategist, and musician, whose works are birthed from his lived experiences as a, queer, fat, Black boy born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. Earning a Bachelor of Science in Advertising from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a Master of Arts in Sociology from Roosevelt University, and currently pursuing a Doctorate in Community Psychology, he has wielded academia to hone his professional and creative toolkits and has over nine years of experience in partnership development and viral brand storytelling for such companies as Cup Noodles, Insomnia Cookies, Subway, and Crayola. With over 20 years of experience in using Performance as Prevention (PaP), his art practice and intersectional work around race, racial justice, health equity, and LGBTQIA+ identity has appeared in 2nd Floor Rear, Art AIDS America, Alphawood Gallery, The Art Institute of Chicago, Blavity, Black Cinema House, the Chicago Cultural Center, OpenTV (OTV), INTOMORE, Vh1, and the 2022 Outfest.

BRANDON CLAYBON

PRODUCER
Brandon Claybon (he/him) is originally from Oakland, Tennessee, a small town 20 minutes outside of Memphis. Brandon became a working model in multiple cities like Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles, and he then quickly transitioned into the career of acting. After just a few years after relocating permanently to Los Angeles, Brandon has booked over 30 national commercials for leading brands; done numerous roles on networks like CBS, ABC, Showtime and OWN; as well as served as a host and interviewer for BET.com, talking on camera with celebrities such as Gerard Butler, Djimon Hounsou, Kelsey Grammer, Queen Latifah, Samuel L. Jackson, and Halle Berry. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Brandon created his own digital Youtube talk show, The Actors Break, which connects with Hollywood’s most promising actors. He has also flexed his producing muscle in several future projects ranging from scripted and docu-series. In addition to his career pursuits, Brandon also makes time to give back to the community, especially through the support of various charitable causes.

DAARINA MARIE

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Daarina Marie is an accomplished multiplatform creative and television producer with a passion for storytelling that jump started in 2007 when she produced her first pilot for Endemol USA. Originally from Chicago, she followed her dreams to Los Angeles, after earning her B.A. in Television Production and Directing from Columbia College Chicago, graduating with honors.
With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Daarina is now an Emmy-nominated producer, known for her exceptional work on various top-rated television shows such as America's Got Talent, The X-Factor and Legendary. She has also made significant contributions to projects for prominent networks and platforms including OWN, ABC, Facebook Watch, FOX, NBC, HBO Max, and Netflix, to name a few.
As a creative force, Daarina's accomplishments extend beyond traditional television, as she is the Creator and Executive Producer behind the award-winning digital series "Chronicles of a Dark Child In Hollywood."
Beyond her professional achievements, Daarina dedicates her free time to causes close to her heart. She is a fervent supporter of the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California, where she mentors and advocates for teenagers.
In her downtime, you can find Daarina indulging in her love for thrifting, appreciating unique finds and hidden treasures. With her vast experience and commitment to making a positive impact, Daarina Marie continues to be a trailblazer in the entertainment industry.

AMANDA MURPHY

WRITER
Amanda Murphy (she/her) is a New York born and bred playwright, screenwriter, director, producer, comic, and actor. Amanda is committed to telling stories where women are free to be messy, funny, weak, strong, and essentially… human beings. After writing, directing, and producing her original comedy “Family Business” Off-Off Broadway, Amanda moved to Los Angeles to pursue her MFA in Writing for Screen and Television at the University of Southern California. Amanda has written and consulted on numerous comedic projects, and she plans to one day be the female Judd Apatow.

SEAN RENNER

COMPOSER
Sean Renner is a Los Angeles-based composer and recording artist whose sound worlds span modern orchestral, electronic production, and sound synthesis.

His credits include additional music composer and string arranger on the Rian Johnson-produced Netflix thriller "Fair Play", which premiered to critical acclaim at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, and additional music composer, orchestrator, and arranger on the Sky Television/Hulu series "Das Boot" (the successor to the iconic 1981 film) which won the 2022 Hollywood Music in Media Award for "Best Score for a Foreign TV Series". His credits also include composing and producing the scores for Cairo Smith's 2023 psychological thriller "Screwdriver" from Buffalo 8, Sterling Macer Jr.'s 2020 thriller feature film "Double Down", Violet Wave Productions' heartfelt 2021 drama "Spring", and the Podcast Academy Award-nominated audio fiction series "The Madness of Chartrulean". In 2019 he was nominated for a Jerry Goldsmith Award for the song "Underwater" which he performed and co-composed for the Austrian Academy Award-nominated feature film "The Tobacconist".

Sean Renner earned his MFA in music composition at California Institute of the Arts. As a recording and touring artist he has performed over 150 shows across the US and Canada, and his music has been featured on networks including MTV and E!TV.

JESSICA E. JONES

COMPOSER/MUSIC SUPERVISOR

Grammy Award winning Jessica E. Jones is a singer-songwriter, renowned opera singer, and producer interested in connecting with audiences through music. She is a creative force that strives to empower women and explore the complexity of life through collaborating on projects in film, on stage, and through soundwaves. In her work on the operatic stage she has been a passionate champion of contemporary American opera and as her alter ego IVYWILD she hopes to connect to people in a way that allows us to honor our deepest truths.

Current projects include music supervision and co-composing for the film Autumn and Summer, producing music videos for an upcoming album, writing, recording, producing, releasing music with Sapphire Records, developing theme songs for podcasts, collaborating with other artists and composers on a number of upcoming projects.

Recent projects include producing music videos with collaborators such as stage and film director Crystal Manich and animator Tee Ken Ng. She originated roles in her work on stage with Santa Fe Opera as Chrisann Brennen in the world premiere of Mason Bates’s The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs and as the title role in the world premiere of Poul Rouder’s The Thirteenth Child. She is a member of ASCAP, the Recording Academy, and AGMA. She holds a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Houston Moores School of Music.