Some of the best and most impactful films resonate with many viewers because of their universal themes and story arcs. While special effects, major stars and amazing filming locations are commonly what is seen as “Hollywood Magic”, it is often the invisible thread of a relatable storyline or character experience that keeps us glued to our seat, seeing ourselves represented on screen in some way.
For filmmaker Aimiende Negbenebor Sela, a writer/director based in Long Beach, California, her film superpower is human connection through stories that also elevate diversity, push innovation, and effect change through creativity. She is also the founder of Sela Films, a production company where “inclusivity inspires creativity” is their motto.
Born of Nigerian heritage and embraced by a Jewish-Israeli family in the heart of the Bronx, Aimiende is a renowned filmmaker whose award-winning works have graced global festivals. Her storytelling delves into the human condition with unwavering empathy, rooted in the belief that despite diverse colors, we all share the same fundamental experiences.
Her latest film ‘As The Cookie Crumbles’ was in the running for a 2024 Academy Awards shortlist for a nomination in the Best live Action Short Film category. Embarking on an Oscar’s campaign to get nominated is no easy feat, and although the film did not make it into the final nomination list, Aimiende has big plans for this film.
Set against a musical backdrop of New York City this film encompasses love, loss, grief and the power of connection. When Jaylin is suddenly dumped after he proposes to his on again off again girlfriend Ariel, with a fledgling screenwriter and ride-share driver bearing witness to the humiliation, he lands himself in a debate with a widow, Shana, over whose loss is more painful. Through the darkness of their shared grief, the heartbroken man and the grief-stricken widow find grace and the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel. ‘As The Cookie Crumbles’ musical elements provide a sonic landscape that mirrors the peaks and valleys of Jaylin’s emotional journey. His pain is not confined to the spoken word, but finds a captivating extension in the film’s poignant musical stylings – a mix of Jazz, R & B, Soul and Pop.
Navigating the delicate balance between heartache and healing, ‘As The Cookie Crumbles’ explores the tenacity of the human spirit and the transformative power of connection in the most unexpected of circumstances.
Aimiende explains in a press statement that her goal was to create a film that finds light in a place often shrouded in hurt, anger, fear, shame and confusion. In many ways it feels like a cathartic experience watching ‘As The Cookie Crumbles’ because although at first we look at Jaylin and Shana’s stories as so different from our own, the connection sneaks up on you as you continue to watch them grapple with their pain and can’t help but think of moments in our own lives.
Intrigued by her willingness to “go there” and use film as a way to explore themes that are universally relatable but also can be difficult to express in film, we had the chance to speak with her about her process, what she hopes to create with Sela Films her production company, and the stories she wants to share with the world.
As the Cookie Crumbles, Trailer from Aimiende Negbenebor Sela on Vimeo.
Where did your filmmaking career begin? Was there a particular film or person who inspired you?
My filmmaking career began with my first short film, As a Beautiful Girl, literally. I studied Computer Engineering and Literature at Stevens Institute of Technology and worked in the I.T. world for a few years before landing headfirst into the world of filmmaking, or storytelling rather. It took me not being able to find my place in corporate America, and my friend (and co-director of my first short film, Michel Chahade) pushing me to make that leap. Once I did, I was in. And by in, I mean in!
That film was my film school. I made every mistake in the book and learned from them. Thirteen short films later, I am still making mistakes, learning on the go, growing as an artist, garnering support and excited about paying it forward.
In terms of filmmakers who’ve inspired me, my list is extensive. Directors like Mina Nair, Guillermo Del Toro, Julie Dash, Barry Jenkins, Niko Caro, Nancy Meyers, and way too many others are inspirations to me. If we listed all of them and talked about why and how, we’d be here forever.
How did the idea for ‘As the Cookie Crumbles’ come about and what was the process of writing and filming it?
Well, I’ve always struggled with this societal phenomenon where we categorize pain and suffering. If you lose a pet, we say “Well, it’s not like you lost a loved one.” If you lose a job, “it’s not like you lost your home.” If you go through a breakup after a month of dating, “well, it’s not like you’re getting a divorce after being married for twenty some od years…” and so on. I get it, really. There are levels to pain and as humans we categorize, it just is what we do. We put things into boxes and label them. It helps us function as a people.
But here’s the thing, the brain does not know the difference between the pain from a broken heart and that caused by a broken leg. It’s simply pain. And, while acknowledging the levels of pain and suffering is certainly okay, we forget to leave a little room for empathy. So, I decided to try in my own small way to tackle this idea, this concept, by pitting a man suffering from a broken heart due to a breakup against a woman grieving the loss of her husband, and the result is this musical, As the Cookie Crumbles.
The process of writing this was three-fold. I wrote the script and noted where the music/lyrics will come into play and once I was satisfied with that, I wrote the lyrics to the songs. The last process of “Writing” was collaborating with Emmy nominated composer, Manuel Calzada, to create the music for the songs. I provide lots of samples of music from artists like Sade, Andrea Bocelli, samples from the Hamilton soundtrack, and others and he created our masterpiece! His brother, Grammy winning Sound Engineer, Orlando Calzada, did the mixing after we recorded the songs with the actors in the studio and then we were off to production.
We filmed during the lock down which presented its own set of challenges, of course, but it was an ambitious process. They were all over-night shoots and we shot all around Downtown L.A. We worked with choreographer, Tricha Kumar, on the routine Jaylin (Darian Michael Garey) performs at the top of the film, and oh my goodness, did we make him work! He danced for hours all over Downtown L.A.! lol! He was such a trooper.
The film is currently in consideration for an Oscar nomination (at the time of writing this). Can you tell us what this process is like and what the road to an Oscar nomination is paved with?
I wish I could tell you definitively what the road to Oscar nomination is paved with, but again, I am learning as I go, which is very daunting. There are days when I feel optimistic for the most part, and many when I find myself going “what am I thinking? Like, what chance do I really have next to projects by industry veterans, or those that have celebrity backing and/or the limelight shining brightly on them?” But through it all, I keep going because I believe I must at least try.
We got shortlisted when we won the Best Short Film Award at the Bronzelens Film Festival of Atlanta, Georgia. First, screening at Bronzelens was such an amazing experience! I can’t describe how it felt to sit in a room full of folks truly enjoying your film. I mean, people were talking to the screen! It was phenomenal. The reaction and engagement. I felt validated as a filmmaker that evening. And the win was the icing on the cake for me.
The next step was applying to the Academy to compete, now that we were qualified to do so, and that was a process in and of itself. Once that process was completed by the deadline, they checked all my submitted materials and confirmed that the film was accepted and was now screening in the Academy screening Room. So, of course, the thought for me was “what now?” People must know about your film to go watch and hopefully vote for it, and so being an indie filmmaker with a limited budget, I had to go the DIY route. Again, learning as I go.
The process so far has involved hiring a publicist, and launching a DIY Oscar campaign via social media, hosting select private screenings in Atlanta, New York, and L.A., and doing as much as I can via word of mouth to raise awareness of the film. Voting begins Dec 14th, and the shortlisted films will be announced on Dec 21st. So now, we wait and see.
The central story is a universally recognizable experience – rejection. What made you want to explore this topic in this way?
As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to explore this idea of categorizing pain and suffering while leaving little room for empathy and I figured I needed to do this in a format that wasn’t straight drama. I chose a musical because its structure lends itself to dealing with heightened emotions and nuisance or delicate subject matters in a way that’s palatable.
With musicals when words, speaking, isn’t enough, you sing. When singing isn’t cutting it either, you dance! You’re moving up the emotional ladder with these different forms of physical communication and it works. At least, I hoped it’d work for this story and thankfully it did!
What other themes does your film touch on, and what do you hope it will leave audiences pondering?
I think my film touches on several themes, the core being empathy, but as you noted, rejection, but also communication, honesty, and the art of letting go. I am hoping that audiences will not only find that they relate but will choose to at least try to leave room for empathy in their daily lives. Empathy doesn’t negate your pain; it validates it and validates the pain of others as well.
The film features all actors of color and behind the camera the crew is predominantly women of color. How important is it to authentically represent the stories we see on screen in the writing of the script?
It is incredibly important to authentically represent stories we see on screen in the writing of the script. It begins with the script. That’s the foundation from which all else is built. If the script is flawed, where do you go from there? Nowhere. True representation has been long overdue in this industry, and I am pleased to see strides being taken to correct this and bring about lasting change. We still have a long way to go, and I plan to continue to play my part in the process.
Your production company Sela films was established to champion innovation, inclusion, diversity, and creativity through a lens of profound humanism. Can you share more about your mission?
As a humanist, I believe we all live the same lives, just colored differently and that heavily influences my work. I launched Sela Films to create work that felt, or at least hope, expresses this point of view. I really believe film, TV, art, is a kind of bridge with unbreakable mirrors all around. If I can see myself in you, then it stands to reason that I should be able to love myself in you and in so doing love you. It’s a theory, I know, but I think films allow us to see ourselves, and each other.
My company’s motto is inclusivity inspires creativity. That’s our mission: to show this to be true. The world is colorful. Art (and by extension, the artist) bears the responsibility of showcasing this.
How has your Nigerian heritage as well as your Jewish-Israeli influences had an impact on your storytelling?
My world view is expansive because of my background…
Growing up in Nigeria, exposed me to that culture, its richness and depth and complexities. The traditions we were required to respect and practice and the why behind this requirement. And then, coming to the States, to New York City, I was exposed to a different culture, one colored by so many different cultures and backgrounds including that of my Jewish-Israeli family and I tell you, we’re so similar it truly is ridiculous that we refuse as a people to see this.
To accept that we are more the same than we are different. We use the same ingredients to make the foods we eat, it’s the combination and the way we use them that gives us the varied cuisines. It’s because we are so similar that we have room to be unique.
I’m a humanist, therefore I tell stories that interrogate the human condition, but with empathy.
As you continue to make more films and share your award-winning work with a larger audience, what do you want to be known for in particular? When people hear the name “Aimiende Negbenebor Sela” what do you hope will immediately come to mind?
That’s a legacy question, isn’t it? What do I want to be known for, what do I want to leave behind? I’d like to be known for the charitable work I am hoping to accomplish. I have a dream of creating a foundation “Sela’s House,” that will help in a small way with the homeless situation in the city I live in, while also providing support for artists. It’s a big dream… I hope that I am able to garner the resources to bring it to fruition.
In terms of my work… Well, I’d like to be known as a prolific filmmaker of course, but maybe more specifically as that director who made you sit with yourself and enjoy a really good cup of tea! Lol!
You can see more of Aimiende Negbenebor Sela’s work over at the Sela Films website, and follow both Sela Films and Aimiende on Instagram.