Becoming... AT&T $1 Million Winner (2024) Writer and Director Lilian T. Mehrel (Honeyjoon)

Hi, Lillian.

Welcome to Mentors on the Mic podcast.

Hi, Michelle.

Thanks for having me.

I'm so thrilled to speak with you in particular because, just for a little context to the audience, we were just discussing this, but Lillian won the Million Dollar Prize from Untold Stories last year at Tribeca Film Festival.

And this was a big event with five teams pitching.

Five teams pitching and a jury of incredible people in the industry, including even Nicole Brown, Cynthia Erivo, Daveed Diggs.

They decided that Lillian should get this grand prize of a million dollars.

And over the course of the year, if you listen to, I think I'll put it in the show notes, this link to this episode, but I interviewed Bryce Norbitz about the different programs that Tribeca offers.

But over the course of the year, Lillian received mentorship throughout the year in addition to the money, as well as a place in the festival this year, which is crazy that you did this in one year.

So we're going to talk a little bit about that process.

But I've been following this film over the course of the year.

There's a little bit of like a feeling of, I don't want to say like, Ownership sounds weird, but like a connection to this film in comparison to others.

Like, I haven't purchased a lot of tickets to screenings, I think, at all.

I purchased tickets to talks because I don't get them with my badge.

But I haven't purchased any tickets to screenings because I see a lot of them through press and industry or just tickets that people give.

But I made sure to get a premiere ticket for this film because I wanted to be there at the premiere and seeing it live.

So...

And it was so good.

I'm sorry, I'm not even letting you talk right now, but it was so good and it was so beautiful.

So first, let's just discuss, what is Honey June about?

Sure.

Well, first I have to say thank you to you.

You know, I remember after the pitch, When, as you said, I won a million dollars, they ushered us onto a red carpet to take pictures with Cynthia Erivo.

And you were one of the first press that I met.