Today we’d like to introduce you to Selena Leoni.
Hi Selena, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in a small town in northern Italy of mixed Italian-Chinese parentage. Since the age of three, I began spending my childhood back-and-forth between Italy and China and therefore had the privilege to experience the east and west cultures from a very young age. Growing up in two distinct cultures, I have always been curious about other cultures and religions and the motives why different people behave in the way they do. At first, I did not understand why human beings can have so many different perspectives and beliefs. However, by coming to see myself through other people’s eyes, I gradually learned to recognize the privileges and restrictions I had not realized I had. Due to my love for culture, art, and technology, after graduating from high school, I decided to continue my education at the City University of Hong Kong, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in New Media. This journey led me to a career in multimedia, where I worked as a Multimedia Content Producer for over three years, overseeing the development and production of three educational-based virtual reality projects that aim to enhance social inclusion and empathy in Hong Kong.
During this period, I had the opportunity to work intensively with different ethnic minority groups, NGOs, and various religious centers. All these experiences made me even more passionate about raising awareness on human rights, gender equality, LGBTQ rights, and the need to recognize and critique all forms of inequality. This experience ultimately influenced my decision to apply for the UCLA Producers Program in 2018. Since moving to Los Angeles, I have developed and produced multiple television and film projects on social advocacy and humanitarianism. I also interned in numerous award-winning production companies and studios such as BBC Studios, FilmNation, and Color Force as a development intern, assisting these companies’ executives in various television and film projects. Through these valuable experiences and opportunities, I obtained comprehensive knowledge about the entertainment industry, physical production, and studio operations.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been quite a long journey to get to where I am now. Growing up, I moved a lot, and that somehow makes me less willing to settle. So after working in Hong Kong as a multimedia content producer for more than three years, I decided to once again pick up my roots and move across the ocean. It was definitely not easy to start from scratch again – new friends, new professions, new culture, etc. – but it’s been indeed a fun journey.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Last June, I graduated from UCLA in the middle of a global pandemic. Since graduation, I have been working as an independent producer on various film and television projects, including my first low budget feature, SMILE OR HUG. SMILE OR HUG won the ‘Six Feet Apart Experiment’ by Wayfarer Studio, and we are currently in post-production. My second feature film YOUNG KINGS, a story about a man’s struggles after returning home from military service, is currently in pre-production. Through my production company YOU + ME Pictures, which I co-founded with my close friend Jazmyn Wright, we have a diverse slate of projects including a feature film and podcast in development and as well as a short film in pre-production to shoot in September 2021.
What matters most to you?
My interests lie in developing globalized character-driven stories that give underrepresented groups a platform and a voice. And my passion is for female-led thrillers, biopunk, dark comedy, and crime dramas.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.selenaleoni.com/
