In this episode of “A Conversation With” I interviewed ELI and Lu Bevins of Eli Lu Entertainment ( black female directors) and delved into what makes a successful Black indie female filmmaker and entrepreneur in a white male-dominated industry.
A Little About ELI LU Entertainment Black Female Directors:
Twin sisters, Eli, and Lu Bevins, were raised by their grandparents, Helen and Earl Bevins, in West Philadelphia. The sisters attended Overbrook High School before attending Elizabeth City State University located in North Carolina for Computer Science with a minor in Aviation. Aside from their STEM studies, Eli and Lu wrote, directed, and produced two stage plays while starting Eli Lu Entertainment in 2009. In 2015, the sisters received their Master’s degree in , Architecture from Indiana University (IU), in Bloomington, IN. While at IU, the sisters completed several short films to compete in the Campus MovieFest (CMF) Hollywood competition, the largest student film festival in the world. Together, Eli and Lu received numerous film awards, including the 2014 First Place Elfenworks prize for their social justice film, “Systematic Living,” in which the award was presented by “Underground” actress Jurnee Smollett-Bell. In May of 2016, their CMF short film “My Dear Arthur” was selected to screen at the world’s prestigious Cannes Film Festival in the South of France through CMF.

Since Eli & Lu have written and directed numerous short films and full-length screenplays, produced a multicultural supernatural thriller, created the Mill Creek Documentary, are board members on the Mill Creek Community Partnership non-profit, and are creators of the Philadelphia Film Factory (Philm Factory). Currently, Eli and Lu are working on their first cinematic spoken word film project titled “Sound Mind” and a spoken word stage play called “Broken Tables” that premiered with two packed shows totaling 700 plus attendees at the International House on Feb. 24th, 2019. Additionally, the sisters are Digital Designers for the star-studded Wearable Art Gala and WACO Theater Center in Los Angeles.
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Guest IG: @eliluent
Submit Your Short Film: The Film Collective
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