Born to Canadian parents of Caribbean descent, actor, director, writer, and producer Aisha Evelyna is passionate about bringing stories of the underrepresented to the forefront of our social consciousness. She holds a BA with specialized honors in Theatre from York University and amassed a significant body of work in major film and television productions. Her latest project, ‘Alex’ was screened at the 2022 Austin Film Festival and features at the 2022 Whistler Film Festival this November. We caught up with this rising star to discuss the film and her current projects.
Thank you for agreeing to catch up with Occhi! Congratulations on your career to date. How did you get into the industry?
Thanks so much for having me! For me, working in the industry was never really supposed to happen. I was interested in theatre but growing up I was always dead set on being a doctor. Then, in my senior year, my parents got divorced and it completely threw me. I just decided to audition for art school instead of going to med school. Best decision I ever made. Shoutout to 17-year-old me. After theatre school, it was just working on getting better at my craft. I started filmmaking and performing alongside like-minded creatives, and I guess you could say the rest is history.
Who are your biggest industry influences, and why?
The biggest industry influences are multi-hyphenate filmmakers like Michaela Coel and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. They write, they direct, they act, and they produce, all at a level that is unmatched by most creatives. I’m inspired and influenced by them because I really do hope to join their ranks. I’m aiming to be that multi-hyphenate filmmaker.
You have a comprehensive body of work across film and television. To date, what has been you’re most memorable and career-shaping experience, and why?
My most memorable and career-shaping experience was probably the making of my second short film, Shoegazer (available to watch on the Omeleto YouTube channel!). Making my first film Accidentals (available to watch on Film Shortage!) was so hard that I nearly swore off filmmaking. But then I had the opportunity to make Shoegazer and decided to give it a second shot. The response to the film was overwhelming. It showed me that maybe I really did have something when it came to writing. It also helped me decide that I wanted to direct. I encountered a lot of people that told me I couldn’t write, direct, and star in my own work – and it was Shoegazer that put me on this path and empowered me to make ALEX. A film that I wrote, directed and starred in.
You’re passionate about bringing the stories and experiences of the underrepresented to the screen. Do you feel the industry is becoming more appreciative and accommodating in the financing of more socially conscious and reflective projects?
I do feel that the industry is becoming more appreciative and accommodating, and I hope I am living proof that the labor and investment allocated to creatives like me bears fruit. But there is so much more work to be done to move the industry forward when it comes to diverse and inclusive storytelling. I think it’s great that we have wonderfully diverse creators working behind the screen, but I also think significant strides need to be made when it comes to creating more space for marginalized producers and ensuring that more marginalized producers are at the helm of diverse screen-based projects.
To date, as an artist what would you say is your proudest achievement?
I don’t think I have one right now, and I think that’s a good thing. I can say I am proud of my achievements, but I have no interest in peaking early as a creator, so I’m just trying to enjoy the ride and make movies.
Your latest project, titled ‘Alex’ screens at the 2022 Austin Film Festival and the 2022 Whistler Film Festival. Please tell us more about the production, and what audiences can expect.
The production really had a “little engine that could” kind of vibe. We shot the short in one day, and I am very proud to say the majority of the roles in our production were held by women, non-binary folks, or people of color. When it comes to the short, audiences can expect a normal day in a black woman’s life. But just because the day is normal, doesn’t mean that it’s okay. There’s a serious problem afoot and it’s the main thesis of the film.
You’re currently working on a new feature film project titled ‘Seahorse’. You wrote the screenplay and will also star and direct the film. Please tell us more about the project and its origins.
A lot of the writing I did in 2020 was about my deepest fears coming true. I guess in order to face them, I decided to write them, immortalize them on the screen, and in turn demystify them. THE DROP stems from my fear of being broke and trapped in late-stage capitalism for the rest of my adult life. Alex was about my deepest fears when it comes to being discriminated against, and Seahorse comes from my fears surrounding toxic masculinity and familiar cycles. Seahorse is a 90-minute drama that we’ll be shooting next summer. The film follows Nola, played by me. She’s a black woman navigating toxic restaurant culture as a sous-chef, and forced to confront her troubled past after bumping into her estranged father—homeless on the street. So fun stuff. Keeping it reaaaal light. lol
I believe this project is associated with the 2021 Whistler Film Festival Screenwriters Lab and the 2022 CaribbeanTales Black Incubator and Studio Access program. For the benefit of our readers, please tell us more about these initiatives and their contribution to Seahorse’s production.
Well to start, the project wouldn’t be greenlit without the wonderful people who run the Whistler Film festival Screenwriters Lab and the CaribbeanTales Black Incubator & studio access program. I worked at Whistler with Ruth Atkinson on the script and the CarribbeanTales Black Incubator and Studio access program allowed me to make a proof of concept short film called Nola, which serves as a proof of concept for the fully realized film Seahorse. Both programs were also instrumental in widening my network and fostering my own personal career growth as a filmmaker, so I am incredibly grateful to both organizations.
What other projects are you currently working on?
I am working on a digital series that I am co-show running called THE DROP. We shot the project in September and are currently in post, set to premiere in Spring 2023. We also just heard that my feature film Seahorse is greenlit. We go to camera late summer of 2023, and I will be directing and starring. Lastly, I am in development for a limited series called ‘Sally’ which is being developed in partnership with the Canadian Academy and Warner Brothers Canada.
Busy busy—but all incredibly exciting things!
Where can our readers find out more about you and your projects?
If you want to know more about what I am up to, you can find me on IG @aishaEvelyna or at my site www.aishaevelyna.com.
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