Today we’d like to introduce you to Domenica Leon.
Hi Domenica, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Ever since I can remember, I’ve wanted to be part of the entertainment industry. I grew up in Ecuador, where I started acting, dancing, and modeling. Theater became my first love, and there was no doubt that I was going to grow up to work in the film industry. A couple of years went by, and when I was around fourteen, I realized that I wanted to become a director. I fell in love with being behind the camera and creating stories.
I always knew I wanted to move to Los Angeles. I even had the letters of the Hollywood sign in my bedroom and a small Oscar award on my bookshelf. But this dream seemed very far from where I was. Somehow, though, I never doubted it was going to happen.
After my high school graduation, I moved to Miami. It was hard to adjust to a new country, a new language, and a new culture, but I knew I was going to be okay. I have a lot of faith in God, and I know that if He puts a dream in my heart, it’s because it will happen somehow.
I went to Miami Dade College, where I majored in Mass Communications/Journalism. I was blessed to get an internship at NBCUniversal, where I met many talented and smart people. I got the chance to see the studios and get closer to the life I always wanted. I was still taking acting classes on the side because I don’t ever want to lose that part of me that loves acting.
Three years after moving to the U.S., I got my associate’s degree. Now it was time for me to transfer to another university, so I decided to apply to the University of Southern California, the best film school in the world. Even though I knew the chances of getting accepted into the School of Cinematic Arts were less than 3 percent for transfer students, I decided to apply. And against all odds, one day I got the notification that I was accepted!
So, I packed everything and moved to Los Angeles by myself to accomplish my dreams of becoming a director and actress. And now I am here, majoring in Film and Television Production with a minor in Theater, learning more and more and meeting such incredible and talented people along the way. I trust that every day is a new experience and that one day I will look back and see where I started and where I am now, and I will say: Yes, I did it.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road at all. But… it has been worth it. I moved to the USA when I was seventeen, just fresh out of high school. I had to grow up very fast, I had to work to support my family, adapt to a new culture, learn a new language, and navigate a whole different system, all while growing up and holding on to my dreams.
After moving to Los Angeles, I had to start from zero again, and this time, without my family to hug after a rough day. It has officially been a year since I moved to LA, and when I look back, I see a hurt and lonely girl who was just trying to figure it all out. The friends, the school, the new city, the job, everything felt like too much at times. But now, I feel so much stronger, and I know what I’m capable of.
Dealing with self-doubt is something I sometimes still struggle with, and every day I have to remind myself where I come from, where I am now, and where I want to go. I talk to myself and remind my heart that the dream God placed there is not random, that right now, even though it requires sacrifices, everything will make sense in the future.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a filmmaker, writer, actress, and dancer. The movies I make explore humanity and how precious and fragile life is. I focus on how deeply humans are capable of feeling, even when those emotions can be scary. I want to keep creating films that will one day change the world, or at least one person’s world.
Right now, I’m focusing on writing fantasy and science fiction, which are my favorite genres. I aspire to create the perfect combination of both: magical worlds filled with raw, authentic human emotions that remind people how beautiful life is. My hope is that if someone is going through a hard time, they can feel inspired again after watching one of my films, reminded that this life is truly worth living, just like I did with my favorite movies growing up.
What does success mean to you?
I believe that success is being at peace with yourself and everything that surrounds you. Nowadays, it is very easy to compare yourself to others and to think that you should be somewhere else, doing something else, or constantly doing more and more. And I have fallen into that trap too. But that’s when I close my eyes, I pray, and I remember that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.
Success is being at peace with your path, your past mistakes, and your present. It’s knowing that everything is working out in your favor and that, at the right time, your dreams and goals will all come to pass. You just have to keep moving forward, keep working, and learn to fall in love with the process, the good and the not-so-good, because that’s exactly where the magic is.
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