Sista Brunch at Essence Film Festival: An Interview with Laurie J. Gardiner

🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉 We’re thrilled to bring you a special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival! 🎬🌟 Our host, Fanshen Cox, sits down with the incredible Laurie Gardiner (USC grad), to discuss her deeply personal and impactful screenplay, 'Onset,' which explores themes of speech impediments and emotional trauma. Lori shares her journey from overcoming her own stutter to becoming a screenwriter and producing her first feature film. 'Laurie Gardner’s script—an autobiographical coming-of-age drama involving a former opera singer—highlights the power of storytelling in addressing personal challenges and finding one's voice.' - Fanshen Cox Sista Brunch dives into the inspiring stories of Black women and gender expansive people thriving in entertainment and media. Trust us, you don't want to miss this one! 👉🏾 Listen to the full episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 📺 Or watch the video here: YouTube.com/trujulomedia Sista Brunch Team at Essence: Kamesha Rodriguez: branding and talent coordinator, Brenda James: host, Fanshen Cox: host Special thanks to these Black-owned companies who donated to our SWAG bags: @waitandseabeauty @nairobijewelrystudio @cprwrap @coolassblackwoman @shoplovecharisma @inner_beaudee and especially to @corpulence_consultingfirm for connecting us with the brands. #SistaBrunchPodcast #EssenceFilmFestival #BlackExcellence #Entertainment #Media #Podcast #BonusEpisode #ListenNow #WatchNow 00:00 Introduction to Sista Brunch Podcast 00:16 Meet Lori Gardner: Screenwriter of 'Onset' 00:24 The Inspiration Behind 'Onset' 02:18 Lori's Journey to Screenwriting 02:54 Overcoming Speech Impediments Through Writing 04:27 Financing and Budgeting for Films 05:52 Teaching Filmmaking to the Next Generation 07:29 How to Connect with Lori Gardner 08:27 Closing Remarks and Gratitude