Celebrating Diversity In The Entertainment Industry
DESCENDS ON HOLLYWOOD SANDRA SCARLETTE
Building Her Own Legacy
DIRT MERCHANTS VINO ROYALE PREMIERE Red Carpet
Letter from the Editor IN THIS ISSUE, Dirt Merchants Film Series creator Henning Morales talks about how his tribe started and what's ahead in their future. His team of ‘gritty, pretty’ filmmakers has produced 11 motion pictures, including 6 feature films, in only of 5 years. With 10 more movies to make, they are fast becoming a universe like Marvel or Star Wars. One of Henning's and the tribe’s goal is to show the world that you can make one movie after the next and not use gratuitous violence and extreme imagery and fantasy in order to build an audience and that makes for a successful movie franchise. Our inside stories: • During our 7th Annual Film Festival & Awards Ceremony, our very own Africa Correspondent & Ambassador Egor Efiok came with VIP guests from Nigeria to support for their local film “KHUM’GBOW THE LEGEND” and promote Plateau State in Nigeria. • The 7th Annual Hollywood Weekly Magazine Film Festival & Awards Ceremony update. Film submissions, winners and screenplays. • Sandra Scarlette is the embodiment of a modern independent woman. As a result of these experiences, she desires to empower women to selfexpress, be acknowledged and guide them towards becoming independent and self-reliant. • Meet Unfiltered, a dating app that made it their mission to fix everything you ever hated about dating apps. • 90210 Network. Its mission is to help clients achieve the highest levels of success through Master Life Planning. • MXQ Lifewater has nutrients that work together to help boost your energy. • Hollywood Weekly Magazine’s favorite authors are back! Read all of them in this issue’s Bedside Reading.
Enjoy!
PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Prather Jackson VICE PRESIDENT Bernice Harris Michael D. Coxson SENIOR BOOK CURATOR Jane Ubell-Meyer ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER Hailey Ashley CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alex A. Kecskes Elyce Hastings CREATIVE DIRECTOR Rouland Medina DESIGN & PRODUCTION Denise Chavez AFRICA CORRESPONDENT & AMBASSADOR Egor Efiok Egorefiok@gmail.com BRAZIL OPERATIONS Fabio Glingani Rico@lapenda.net (310) 567-3333 INDIA OPERATION Ike Sinha Mobile +919599068592 LATIN AMERICA Karla Silva Karla@monarks.Biz 818.254.5505 Jose Beltran wpsevents@gmail.com 562.546.2840
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04 PLATEAU STATE 08 HW FILM FESTIVAL 2021 10 DIRT MERCHANTS 14 SANDRA SCARLETTE 20 MEET UNFILTERED 22 90210 NETWORK 24 MXQ LIFEWATER 26 28 ANA INGHAM BEDSIDE READING 34 HW NEWS
Entertainment & Sports
Home of Peace and Tourism in Nigeria
Winners & Screenplays Film Series
Building Her Own Legacy Your Last Dating App
Delivers Right Connection The Fountain of Youth?
Multi-awarded Winning Author HW’s Favorite Authors
ROUNDUP
TV & FILM
HBO Documentary STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET will debut on HBO and be available to stream on HBO Max HBO Documentary STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET, debuting MONDAY, DECEMBER 13 (10:00-11:47 p.m. ET/PT), is a rare window into the early days of “Sesame Street,” revealing the creators, artists, writers and educators who together established one of the most influential and enduring children’s programs in television history. The documentary focuses on the first two experimental and groundbreaking decades of “Sesame Street,” highlighting this visionary “gang” that audaciously interpreted radical changes in society and engaged children in ways that entertained and educated in new and innovative ways. In the late 1960s, television executive Joan Ganz Cooney and Sesame Workshop co-founder Lloyd Morrisett took on a revolutionary experiment: to harness the burgeoning power of television and create an educational, impactful and entertaining show that could reach children nationwide. Cooney saw the power that advertising had to use music and images to engage audiences and sell products. She sought to harness that kind of creative energy to sell education and drive culture and knew she would need to enlist trailblazing talent to execute. She recruited visionary Muppets creator Jim Henson and acclaimed children’s television writer and director Jon Stone to craft the iconic and uplifting world of “Sesame Street.” The creative team knew their bold vision would only move the needle if it appealed to both children and their parents. Inspired by the civil rights movement, Cooney took this one step further, envisioning a program that would not 4 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
Jim Henson with Ernie (Sesame Workshop/HBO)
only entertain and educate children, but specifically reach urban communities with less advantaged children with low socioeconomic status, in an effort to fight the educational gap that racism and poverty created. This revealing documentary explores how the team incorporated groundbreaking puppetry, clever animation, short films, music, humor and cultural references into each episode, ensuring it was engaging enough to keep children and parents coming back, and never shying away from difficult conversations with children. STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET, inspired by the New York Times’ bestselling book “Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street” by Michael Davis, features exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and over 20 original cast and creator
interviews. They tell us in their own words about how “the gang” came together, staying committed to their original mission through decades of political and social change, and through it all maintaining a wicked sense of humor and joy. STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET is directed by Marilyn Agrelo; produced by Trevor Crafts, Ellen Scherer Crafts, Lisa Diamond; executive producers, Brian O’Shea, Nat McCormick, Matthew Helderman, Luke Taylor, Mark Myers, Heather Kenyon; co-executive producer, Michael Davis; editor, Ben Gold. For HBO: executive producers, Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller; coordinating producer, Anna Klein.
ROUNDUP
TV & FILM
‘Turning Red’ Introduces Boy Band 4*Town ACCORDING to “Turning Red” director Domee Shi, if you set a 13-year-old girl’s coming-of-age story in the early 2000s, it’s pretty much mandatory to include a boy band. “We needed our character Mei to be obsessed with something that her mom would not approve of,” said Shi. “Boy bands were the first step into the world of boys for a lot of girls that age. The guys were all super pretty, polished, soft and loving, and they had of way of bringing girls and their besties together. Plus, I thought it’d be really cool to create an animated boy band.” Enter Pixar’s first-ever boy band, 4*Town. Filmmakers called on GRAMMY winning singer-songwriters Billie Eilish and FINNEAS to write the fictional band’s songs—three in total, including the song “Nobody Like U” featured in the new trailer. Eilish, whose sophomore album, “Happier Than Ever,” debuted at No. 1 in the Billboard 200 in the U.S. and in 19 countries worldwide, made history as the youngest artist to win in all the major categories at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards.
FINNEAS, the youngest ever to win the GRAMMY for producer of the year (nonclassical), built a sterling discography penning and producing smashes for a cadre of superstars. His debut solo album “Optimist” is out now. GRAMMY, Oscar and Emmy winning Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson (“Black Panther,” “The Mandalorian”) is composing the score for “Turning Red.” Joining previously announced Rosalie Chiang and Sandra Oh, who lend their voices to Mei and her mother Ming, are
Orion Lee as the voice of Mei’s dad, Jin, and Wai Ching Ho as the voice of Grandma. Mei’s tightknit group of friends are voiced by Ava Morse as Miriam, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Priya, and Hyein Park as Abby. Tristan Allerick Chen voices classmate Tyler, and Addie Chandler lends his voice to Mei’s secret crush Devon. Providing the harmonious voices of the members of 4*Town are Jordan Fisher, Grayson Villanueva, Josh Levi, Topher Ngo and Finneas O’Connell. Rounding out the voice cast are James Hong, Lori Tan Chinn, Lillian Lim, Mia Tagano, Sherry Cola, Sasha Roiz and Lily Sanfelippo. Disney and Pixar’s “Turning Red” introduces Mei Lee (voice of Rosalie Chiang), a confident, dorky 13-year-old torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. Her protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming (voice of Sandra Oh), is never far from her daughter, an unfortunate reality for the teenager. And as if changes to her interests, relationships and body weren’t enough, whenever she gets too excited (which is practically ALWAYS), she “poofs” into a giant red panda! Directed by Academy Award® winner Domee Shi (Pixar short “Bao”) and produced by Lindsey Collins “Turning Red releases on March 11, 2022.
Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party Hosted By Miley Cyrus and Pete Davidson NBC rings in 2022 with an all-star celebration hosted by multi-platinum selling recording artist Miley Cyrus and “Saturday Night Live’s” Pete Davidson, alongside a star-studded lineup of special guests and musical performances for a must watch evening. “Saturday Night Live” creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels will executive produce the special for NBC and Peacock. The special will air live on NBC from Miami, Florida on Friday, December 31 from 10:30pm-12:30amET, and will also be live-streamed on Peacock.
“In what is sure to be an exciting and fun evening, we are looking forward to partnering with Lorne Michaels and ringing in 2022 with a night of incredible entertainment, led by Miley and Pete.” Said Jen Neal, Executive Vice President, Live Events, Specials and E! News, NBCUniversal. “Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party Hosted By Miley Cyrus and Pete Davidson” is executive produced by Lorne Michaels, Miley Cyrus and Lindsay Shookus. It is produced by Den of Thieves with Executive Producers Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager
and Barb Bialkowski. It is also produced by Hopetown Entertainment, Miley Cyrus’ and Tish Cyrus’s production company. It is directed by Joe DeMaio. HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 5
ROUNDUP
MUSIC
Five Epic Hitmakers Unite for PEPSI Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar Come Together for Once-in-a-Lifetime Performance PEPSI, the NFL and Roc Nation have assembled a lineup of trailblazing musicians to perform the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show: Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar will take the world’s biggest stage at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, airing on NBC. The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show marks the first time these five multi-award-winning artists will perform together on stage, exciting music fans worldwide and holding a special significance for the greater Los Angeles community, as they host the Super Bowl for the first time in nearly 30 years. Collectively, these artists have been awarded 43 Grammys and have created 22 No. 1 Billboard albums. Dr. Dre is widely credited with being one of the most influential figures in hip hop culture and a driving force behind its mass popularity. While all five artists have deeply influenced this genre of music, each brings a unique style to the world’s biggest stage for what’s sure to be 12 minutes of unforgettable greatness. As part of the collaboration around the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show, Pepsi and the NFL have also joined together to support the launch of Regional School #1, a magnet high school in South Los Angeles that is set to open for students next fall as part of the LA Unified School District. The high school is based on the nationally recognized USC Iovine and Young Academy, a program founded by Jimmy Lovine and Andre “Dr. Dre” Young, that will offer a unique educational model focused on the theme of Integrated Design, Technology, and Entrepreneurship. 6 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
In addition to philanthropic support of the project, Pepsi and the NFL will collaborate with the school, its partners and the local community to develop and deliver community inspired applied learning experiences and industry internships. “This effort will help develop and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators,” Los Angeles Unified Interim Superintendent Megan K. Reilly said. “We are excited about the additional opportunities this partnership will bring to our students.” Marking the third year of this collaboration, Pepsi, the NFL and Roc Nation are excited to bring these genre defining artists together for a largerthan-life performance of hits from their deep collective catalog. The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show telecast will be produced by DPS with Roc Nation and Jesse Collins serving as executive producers, and Hamish Hamilton serving as director. Roc Nation is also serving as the strategic entertainment advisors of the live performance.
“On February 13, 2022, at the Super Bowl LVI in Inglewood, CA, in the new SoFi Stadium, Dr. Dre, a musical visionary from Compton, Snoop Dogg, an icon from Long Beach and Kendrick Lamar, a young musical pioneer in his own right, also from Compton, will take center field for a performance of a lifetime, said Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter. “They will be joined by the lyrical genius, Eminem and the timeless Queen, Mary J. Blige. This is the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show. This is history in the making.” The Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show is the most-watched musical performance of the year, with nearly 100 million viewers tuning in to last year’s show. Past halftime performances include The Weeknd, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, Prince, Madonna and more. For more information about Super Bowl LVI, visit SuperBowl.com.
ROUNDUP
MUSIC
RECORDING ACADEMY ANNOUNCES NOMINEES FOR “THE 64TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS” RECORD OF THE YEAR, ALBUM OF THE YEAR, SONG OF THE YEAR EXPANDS FROM EIGHT TO 10 THE Recording Academy has revealed nominees for THE 64TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS and announced that, for the first time, there will be 10 nominees in each of the general field categories: Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist. This year’s top nominees include Jon Batiste (11), Justin Bieber (8), Doja Cat (8); H.E.R. (8), Billie Eilish (7) and Olivia Rodrigo (7). As the only peerselected music accolade, the GRAMMY Awards are voted on by the Recording Academy’s voting membership body of music makers, who represent all genres and creative disciplines, including recording artists, songwriters, producers, mixers and engineers. THE 64TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS will be broadcast live from Los Angeles Monday, Jan. 31, 2022 (8:00-11:30 PM, live ET/5:00-8:30 PM, live PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+*. “This is an exciting day for music,” said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. “These
nominations beautifully reflect today’s broad and diverse musical landscape. I congratulate all of the nominees and everyone who submitted work. I’m also so proud of our voters. They voted in record numbers and brought their very best to evaluating the work of their peers, and I thank them on behalf of the entire music community.” This year’s nominees were voted on by Recording Academy voting members from nearly 22,000 eligible entries and reflect
the wide range of artistic innovation that defined the year in music (Sept. 1, 2020– Sept. 30, 2021). The final round of GRAMMY voting is Dec. 6, 2021–Jan. 5, 2022. For a complete nominations list, visit www.grammy.com. Prior to the telecast, the GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony will be held at the Microsoft Theater at 12:30 PM, PT and will be streamed live on GRAMMY. com and the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel.
ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME LEGENDS JOURNEY ANNOUNCE FREEDOM TOUR 2022 ONE of the most legendary rock bands of all time, JOURNEY, announces their Freedom Tour 2022, featuring very special guests BILLY IDOL and TOTO. The diamond-selling Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will take the stage in 40 cities across North America with their catalog of global chart-topping hits, including “Don’t Stop Believin”, “Any Way You Want It”, “Faithfully”, “Lights” and more. The tour comes after the band previously announced a brand new six-show Las Vegas residency, running from December 1 to December 11 at the Theater at Virgin Hotels.
Presented by AEG Presents, the Freedom Tour 2022 begins February 22 in Pittsburgh, PA – making stops in Los Angeles, Dallas, Nashville and more – before wrapping May 11 in Hartford, CT. Very special guest and Rock and Roll icon Billy Idol will join JOURNEY on all dates from February 22 through April 5. Very special guest TOTO, who have collectively streamed more than 3.3 billion plays on Spotify alone, will join JOURNEY on all remaining dates beginning in San Diego on April 7. JOURNEY features founder Neal Schon (lead guitarist), Jonathan Cain (keyboards, backing vocals), Arnel
Pineda (lead vocals) Jason Derlatka (keyboards, backing vocals), and Deen Castranovo (drums, backing vocals). HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 7
Plateau State Home of Peace and Tourism in nigeria
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lateau State is one of the 36 states of the Giant of Africa, Nigeria. Home of Peace and Tourism, Plateau State is a state with diversity of religion, of cultures and of ethnicities. The state is endowed with so much natural resources such as the world’s largest known deposits of columbite, tin, which has also been exploited since the 1940s. Smaller quantities of tantalite, wolfram (tungsten), kaolin, zircon, and uranium are also mined. Lead and iron ore are found in eastern and central parts of Plateau State. In Nigeria, Tourism and a number of Allied industries, from travel to Hospitality, have generated revenues of N1.2 trillion, about 4 million direct jobs, coupled with many more in expanding value chain, which has generated over 10, 000 jobs in ancillary industries. The Tourism and Hospitality sector has made a significant contribution to the gross domestic product of Nigeria. With these potentials, Plateau State Government was poised to draw plans for economic diversification in the state. As such. Plateau state is aligning with the new economic possibilities unlocked by Digital technology, and Tourism and Hospitality features prominently in those prospects. The state boasts of a climate that suits
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everyone no matter where you come from around the globe. This and other attributes make Plateau state a perfect destination for tourism and investment opportunities for those who seek business and leisurely adventure from across Africa and from across the globe. If you are an investor, a venture capitalist and I believer in innovation and would like to be part of history in the making, I introduce to you PLATEAU WONDERLAND, a project set to be the first modular resort in West Africa. It is Designed using modular energy
efficient technology, while offering quality structures within a breathtaking environment. The overall project encompasses a business model with commercial buildings, sporting complex, a theme Park, film school, a picturesque African Hall of Fame, 5-star hotel with 350 room capacity, a helipad, bus station, a slaughterhouse, greenhouse farm, 500 housing units, a gas station and an aquarium, all powered by a renewable energy source. This venture is slated to go into development in early 2022 and is projected to be completed by May 2023. Land, license and tax incentives have been proffered by the state government headed by the governor, Governor Simon Bako Lalong and members of his cabinet some of whom are also present here today, to make this venture a viable and attractive opportunity for investors from around the world. Join us in making history and in the process tapping into the benefits of this great opportunity.
KHUM’GBOW LEGEND
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Film Screened At The 7th Annual Hollywood Weekly Magazine Film Festival & Awards Ceremony
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t the recently held 7th Annual Hollywood Weekly Magazine Film Festival & Awards Ceremony, His Excellency Honorable Barrister Simon Lalong, Governor of Plateau State in Nigeria, received the Philanthropy Award, along with Uzodinma Okpechi, Excellence in Cinematic Direction for "The Mystic River" (in Netflix), Charles Novia, Creative Recognition Award for "Teen Africa Television" and Temitope Oshin, Best Director "In Line". You will find some of Ms Temitope Oshin's films like "In Line", "Up North" and popular TV series, "Castle & Castle", on Netflix. We caught up with her in Dallas and presented the award to her, which she shared on Instagram and tagged Hollywood Weekly.Uzodinma Okpechi's latest film, "The Mystic River", is also on Netflix.
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ccording to oral tradition from excerpts of the movie titled, “KHUM’GBOW THE LEGEND”, shot in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, Queen Amina the warrior, died during a military campaign organised by an emissary to the Sokoto caliphate at the Ganawuri regions of the then Gwash (now Jos), situated within the beauty of the middle belt region of Nigeria. The director of “The legend of Khum’gbow” highlights the legendary Queen’s conquest and the region she spent years to grapple, especially with the child that was plucked from her and the generation that child sired at the existence of the kwararafa and who “The lost star of the North” generation are presently. According to the director, Amb Hoom Suk, his portrayal of the film will also showcase the exploits of Queen Amina’s son around the people of Kwararafa kingdom and her vivacious Bori priestesses of old, in subsequent series to be shot with a cast of over 1,500 people and will give a more vigorous definition to the definition of ‘Feminism’ and what it stands for today, creating the perfect balance and opportunities for women to stand up and achieve whatever they desire.
HW Magazine Africa Correspondent & Ambassador Egor Efiok (center) on the red carpet of the 7th Annual Hollywood Weekly Magazine Film Festival & Awards Ceremony at Beverly Hills, California, with Hon. Tamwakat Weli, Plateau State Commissioner For Culture & Tourism, Lady Getrude Longwan, Lady Aisha and Dr Carmen McCain. HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 9
And the winners are... MAGAZINE
FILM FESTIVAL
2021
7th Hollywood Weekly Magazine Film Festival & AWARDS CEREMONY Best Films are...
BEST DOCUMENTARY GEORGE FLOYD: SAY THEIR NAMES When will the “last” time be the LAST time? Chris Oledude’s single “George Floyd” has now been re-presented in the powerful video, “George Floyd: Say Their Names.” America’s struggle for equality and fairness throughout law enforcement parallels those struggles faced by minority groups in every society where the majority feels empowered to disregard civil and human rights. The pressure for change must continue. No justice? No peace!
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY LITTLE FRENCH FISH Lea is an artist from an Eastern European Jewish family. Djamil is a young man from the Middle East. They accidentally meet in Paris and fall in love. Their story is filled with passion, romance, and profound tenderness, but it cannot last long as they choose family traditions over their own happiness. One day, when they accidentally spot each other in a dark cinema hall.
BEST PICTURE FOR MOVIE THRILLER
GRAVEL WOUNDS A mother struggles with alcohol addiction tries to put the pieces of her life back together.
BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY INHERIT THE LAND Inherit the Land, based on the 2006 history Inherit the Land: Jim Crow Meets Miss Maggie’s Will, tells the story from its 19th-century origins to the present.
BEST INSPIRATIONAL - WOMEN XENTASTIC Xenyatta (Xen), is Spencer’s new girlfriend. Spencer really likes her, but her strange behavior worries him. Xen’s ultra-confidential profession is transporting precious gems for insurance companies.
BEST INSPIRATIONAL - YOUTH
VINO ROYALE This musically-charged, women’s empowerment thriller, tells the story of Laurie, a twenty-something law student, who must travel to Italy and face a gang of ruthless mobsters in order to save the life of her true love.
BEST SCIENCE FICTION FUJIYAMA Two futuristic lady cops are on a mission to track down and catch criminals in a world that is driven by gadgets and technology. 10 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
BEST INSPIRATIONAL - LIFE
ECCENTRA The Amassi stones hold extraordinarily eccentric powers. And when placed in the hands of high school teen Melanie Vaughn, she must learn how to handle many different relationships, especially the one with the stones.
BEST HORROR THE LITTLE CHAPEL “The Little Chapel,” focuses on a young girl named Stacy who tries to bring her friend back from the dead after a terrible accident, but unfortunately events take a turn for the worse.
SCREENPLAY REVIEWS MARS IS OURS – CLIFF PARIS When a robotic engineer and unwilling astronaut takes a week-long trip to Mars, he leaves a robot version of himself in his place in an attempt to keep an open line of communication with his family. Through a multitude of issues, we are left to wonder who will survive, if anyone. With a hint of a love story, and a few laughs in between, we are left wondering is there a greater journey ahead for our species? A fast paced, action-packed sci-fi thriller. Filled with various story lines and moving parts. Interesting and would most certainly appeal to any robot loving audience. An interesting take on the final chapter of the human race and leaves you pondering how you would deal with being put in the position of many of the characters. TOO BAD ABOUT SNOWBALL – PAUL LARSEN A dark comedy about a group of young filmmakers experiencing a financial hardship. They are hired by a pair of shady businessmen making promises that seem too good to be true. They sign up to create films about saving the environment, but little do they know, they are in for a rude awakening when they realize the true intentions of their shady saviors. An entertaining, humorous take on the serious issue of climate change. The characters are relatable, and the storyline seems to be an easy way to reach a generation of millennial viewers by discussing a subject that has created many conflicting opinions all around the world. A unique form of what seems to be a ‘rom-com’ with a globally recognized, and debated issue intertwined. FLOCK HERS – JAMES SAMUEL (TV SERIES) A group of young women decide they are done with their nine to fives. They all decide to get plastic surgeries and use social media platforms to get attention from men, and ultimately take anything and everything that’s not given to them, by any means necessary. The struggle to form these relationships without developing real feelings pans out to be difficult, and some of the sticky situations they find themselves in are more difficult to navigate than anticipated. In the world we live in today, many people thrive off appearance which translates into followers and likes. This story takes us on a journey that shows the lengths some women will go to in order to get their designer bags and shoes. The characters are relatable, and the storyline shows how quickly things can go downhill while on the hunt for fame fortune, and materialistic beauty.
GET THA STRAP – JAMES SAMUEL A cautionary tale that takes you inside the world of guns. Buying them, selling them and what they may be used for once they’re out of our hands. In this story, we learn that bullets don’t discriminate. This script really makes you think about the dangers that can happen when discarding or acquiring a gun. It allows us to take a different look and think a little harder about what can happen when a gun gets into the wrong hands, or how terribly wrong your plans can go when you don’t know how to properly use a firearm. Regardless of your beliefs, this eye-opening screenplay opens your mind and takes you by surprise. THE REVVER – MICHAEL HANSON & KELLY MOOTHART This is a story of a woman who is constantly interrupted from doing her artwork by her noisy neighbor. While he revs his truck and causes commotion, she is set over the edge and decides to take action. A short with a clever spin on women empowerment. With a relatable conflict, she leaves the female viewers giggling, knowing they’ve all wished they could do something similar everyone in a while. Very clever, with a hint of gore and comedy. MUAY THAI RAINBOW – KULLACHAT JITCAJONWANICH The film stars a man who has surgeries to become a woman and is in a relationship with a professional Muay Thai fighter, who dreams of becoming a world champion. When he falls into the wrong crowd, he gets poisoned, he ends up disabled after losing. It’s then when his partner decides to un-do all of the surgeries and revert back to being a male so that they can carry on their love’s dream of becoming a champion, and fight for him. A very interesting and unique story, unlike one I’ve ever seen. With elements of drama, action, sports and a one-of-a-kind love story, it certainly keeps your interest throughout all the twists and turns. HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 11
SCREENPLAY REVIEWS UNSF RAPETO – ROBIN SCHER This futuristic sci-fi is full of twists, turns & action. The hints of comedy throughout the story are sure to make the audience chuckle and gives lighter moments throughout. An Interesting take on what the future could hold & is sure to be loved amongst sci-fi lovers. DANCING IN THE WHITE ROOM – DAVID SABBATH In a world where humans use machines, then wear machines, and then the machines gain power. When a message is seen on the walls of the subway 50 years prior, it turns into the battle cry of the anti-techno revolution. This is a sci-fi tale, which is packed with action and thrill. The lines between human, machine and terror are blurred. This original take on futuristic ‘whatif’s’ leaves you on the edge of your seat. MONSTERLY – DAMIAN WAMPLER This is a tale of a monster that is killed by human cops. It’s then a suburban family must choose a side when riots between humans and monsters rage across the United States. This story is an excellent mixture of the stigma of monsters, and the choice one family must make to do what they feel is the right thing. It is an actionpacked story unlike one I’ve ever heard. The storyline is extremely clever and leaves the audience with conflicting emotions throughout the entire story. AT THE MERCY OF FAITH – SAMUEL TAYLOR This is a story of a young preacher who renounces his faith in God after a terrifying and traumatic encounter. After many years, the demons of his past viciously return to wreak havoc on his home and rip out his soul for the god of their hell. This is a tale of faith that takes a turn to horror. The drama filled story gives the audience a different look on the faith we all have, and how some believe we may be punished if that faith is not upheld. An interesting storyline, and action packed screenplay with shocking twists. 12 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
BURMA HELL – THEODORE C. SODERBERG When a sailor brings his family on his ship to save his marriage, it takes a turn for the worst when a horrific explosion turns many into mutants, including the captain and officers. As the sailor, along with his wife and son fight for survival, we learn the shup is rocketing towards the Golden Gate Bridge. A story filled with action, adventure, monsters and a hint of love. Wonderful characters that you want to root for. A unique story that puts the audience through a wave of various emotions throughout. MURDERESS OF DEMONS – JULIO CESAR CARBALLO In an action-packed horror, a powerful sorceress and her friend confront bandits and demons to save the world. But, when they make the fatal mistake of breaking reality, the create a black hole that destroys the planet. When the sorceress realizes that her dreams become reality, an angel who betrayed God comes from beyond to revive the demons to a keep a promise they once made. This is a fast-paced, action filled, and entertaining storyline. The characters are extremely interesting, and the audience could easily become emotionally attached to them. MISS HOLLYWOOD – JOHN KESTNER When a small-time actress is lured by an infamous drug dealer, just as the CIA is about to make a bust. When the drug lord’s teen son becomes obsessed with the actress, things get interesting. This twisted love story is full of action and adventure. An incredible story about an average woman trying to do her best to make it in the entertainment industry but gets taken down the wrong path. A nail-biting tale that leaves you wanting more. By Hailey Ashley
BEST SCREENPLAYS 2ND DATE – JAIK ANDINO & VINCENT V. SHADE
THE KISS-OFF – GIO FORLENZA
A fabulous, twisted comedy about a pair of friends whose loyalty is put to the test. They will discover how far they are willing to go to find the love of their lives. A dramatic story of hopeless romantics that are desperate to find love in their 30’s. The conflict is, the pair struggles to be with, or without each other. An issue that many people face in the real world makes this story very relatable and hooks the audience in with incredible characters. You truly root for these characters, and root for love to win.
When a disenchanted Brooklyn bagman chooses to help the feisty woman that ripped him off, he defies the family that adopted him in his time of need as an orphan. This actionpacked story leaves you wanting more after each scene. The twisted relationship between the main characters puts a new spin on the lengths we will go for what we truly desire, regardless of any logic.
MOTEL 13 – BRANDON RHINESS While searching for a new husband/father for their twisted family, a clan of temptresses made up of a mother and her two adult daughters lure unexpecting men to Motel 13. They hold them captive at the motel, which they own, with a goal of continuing their family tradition of murder. A one-of-a-kind storyline full of thrilling entertainment and a mystery that left me wanting more. The hilarious characters and ‘family’ dynamic was original, and well thought out. A good mix of horror, gore, humor and mystery. BLACK COLLAR – JAMES SAMUEL (TV SERIES) With little to no resources, a young African American man figures out a way to make significant amounts of money without violence. He uses his intelligence to find loopholes in the white-collar world to support his unique lifestyle. This based on real life story is something that I could see on HBO Max one day. With a string of interesting characters, and various relationships between them all, it’s hard not to get fully indulged in the storylines. The possibilities and potential in this series seems to be endless, with the potential to play throughout many seasons.
BAD LOVE STRIKES – KEVIN SCHEWE In this story we enter a masterful world of sci-fi, time travel, and WWII. In a small town in Tennessee, a gang of kids live daring lives filled with action and adventure. When they come across a time machine, they travel back on a deathdefying mission to Nazi-occupied Poland. Full of danger, excitement and a little love, the kids race to rescue a group of Holocaust prisoners from certain death. It’s an excellent combination of Goonies meets the Lost Ark & we couldn’t get enough! A FALL FROM GRACE – DAVID A. SEADER When everyone knows the truth, there’s only one thing to do – survive. This drama filled story grabs your attention within the first few moments. The characters are so relatable, it seems as though you know them in your own life. Through the struggles, the inspirational story shows that we can get through all our hardships, together. A wonderful story that seems to show a glimpse of all the cracks in our mental health system.
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Dirt Merchants films are based on true stories and real people, movies that feel authentic and are motivational, inspirational and transformational
A
few years back we did a cover story on Henning Morales. At that time we dubbed him the Tony Robbins of Hollywood. Well that has come full circle as five years later Henning and his team of ‘gritty, pretty’ filmmakers has produced 11 motion pictures, including 6 feature films. When we found that out, we decided that this most definitely deserves another cover story. Henning Morales is the creator of the Dirt Merchants Film Series. He was a premiere motivational and inspirational speaker for well over 10 years during the 1990s and 2000s. He learned the ropes from some of the premiere speakers and sales trainers in the U.S. including Robert
Depew (Jim Rohn’s mentor), Tom Hopkins and many others. After retiring from the speaking circuit and settling down to raise a family, Henning launched an events production company in Los Angeles which he took public toward the end of the 2000s. During this time he showcased other speakers, filmmakers, music artists and authors in a barrage of red carpet events spanning an additional 10 years. There were well over 500 events including a children’s carnival event to benefit the LA Childrens hospital with 4,000 attendees, featuring Mario Lopez, a music award show at Paramount studios featuring Nick Canon and a world class personal development expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Ray Lerado, LeonWinters & HenningMorales at the set of Destinova
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Henning took the stories that he masterfully told during his years as a speaker and wove them into a novel which was published in 2015. This bestseller has received tremendous attention from schools, mentorship groups and fans clamoring for inspirationally true stories that involve young people coming of age in America. As a result Henning co-founded the Youth Mentorship Forum at USC and has become a sought after speaker covering topics related to teenagers and young adults. When encouraged to produce his first movie, Henning was reluctant, to say the least. Through the encouragement of his close friends, many of which are Emmy and Oscar winning producers, directors and music people he produced a short film, Romancery, a 19-minute musicallydriven drama. And since then he has not looked back. The characters of these movies are two friends – both high school juvenile delinquents. Spencer is based on Henning and the other we shall call Brandon. At age 17 Spencer meets some high powered motivational masters and turns his life around. He is recruited into a world of street sales and guys motivated out of their gore to sell. It gets him away from his troublemaker friends and sets him up for life lessons he will never forget. Brandon can’t be bothered with all that positive thinking nonsense and turns to a life of crime. He and his crew became infamous burglars, reportedly
Jeff McGrail, Anita Razzano & Henning Morales at the set of Streetchase
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Left to right: ShaSha Dadier, KathleenValbuena, Henning Morales, Jeff McGrail& Gabija Guzauskaite at the set of Vino Royale
stealing upwards of $100 million in jewelry and cash. This underlying story born out of the Dirt Merchants novel has spawned dozens of characters and 21 screenplays with the genesis being these two friends. Henning and Drew Lane, a 22-time platinum music producer, became close friends during the events production days. Drew read Henning’s novel, The Dirt Merchants, and was one of the main professionals in the entertainment
industry to encourage Henning and his team to start making films. Drew decided to come onboard to produce the music. Since then, Henning has become dedicated to making music the core differentiator between these films and many others in this genre. As Drew told Henning “At times, these films feel like elaborate music videos with intense messages such as Smugglers Blues and Michael Jackson's Thriller music videos, but they tie into it in a much grander vision.”
Henning’s long time business partner, Barbara Lynn and close friend and attorney Jeff McGrail formed a solid backbone for a production company and they were off to the races. Since then 11 movies have been completed and 8 are earmarked for film festivals, seeking out distribution and possible expansion into television series internationally. Starting in 2021 the Dirt Merchants Tribe, as they call themselves, have begun the submission process and have received several awards to date, including "best thriller", "best female empowerment" and "best teen" categories. These award-winning films are musically charged action/adventure thrillers based on true stories that don't involve gratuitous violence, or profanity or any form of fantasy.
MARVEL, STAR WARS, DIRT MERCHANTS?
Henning Morales and Austyn Reale at the set of Streetchase
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Dirt Merchants is fast becoming a universe; its own universe like Marvel, Harry Potter or Star Wars, but unlike the others, Dirt Merchants films are based on true stories and real people; movies that feel authentic with motivational, inspirational and transformational messages and underlying story lines. Hollywood Weekly was fortunate to host the premiere of a brand new Dirt Merchants
movie Vino Royale at its 7th annual film festival. The movie received great reviews and won the coveted best thriller motion picture award from the festival. Vino Royale was a joint venture production with Italian filmmakers and Henning’s Los Angeles based crew. Filmed on location in Laguna Beach, Paris and Florence and Crespina in Italy, this visually stunning film is the precursor to the long awaited theatrical release feature Metal Crush, with themes of gangland justice, true love and baseball. Plans are in motion for Dirt Merchants merchandise, graphic novels, board games and collectible NFT’s featuring the more than fifty characters in the series and back stories galore.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR DIRT MERCHANTS FILMS? "We have 10 more movies to make in the Dirt Merchants franchise and it's gonna keep us busy for the next 6 to 8 years. In the meantime we're going to be releasing movies that are already complete one at a time and building an audience,” said Henning with a big smile. “The fulfilling part of all this is that we know that people are enjoying these movies, our tribe of inspirational and motivational masters
Deily Marrissa Garcia, Henning Morales & Paige Jorgensenat the set of HitterTwist
and way seers, and all around good people, love these movies. We'll continue to share the message of hope and inspiration and build our audience with a fantastic music experience and intense, relevant story lines". Henning continued on to say, "They will come out of it not only being entertained and inspired, but knowing that the messaging that they were receiving in these movies can be shared with others in order to make the
world a better place. These are movies that teenagers and young adults can watch with their parents and older people of all ages and not feel embarrassed". One of Henning Morales' and the tribe’s goal is to demonstrate to the world that you can make one movie after the next and not use gratuitous violence, extreme imagery, or fantasy in order to build an audience and that makes for a successful movie franchise.
Steve Martin, Henning Morales, William Bajalia & Sophie Tyler Brown at the set of Hitter Twist HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 17
RED CARPET
Premiere Night of Dirt Merchants Vino Royale Movie AT THE Hollywood Weekly's 7th Annual Film Festival
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Entrepreneur, FilmMaker and Philanthropist
SANDRA Scarlette SANDRA’S 6000 MILE STORY Born in Paris, Sandra was raised in Tunisia, attending some of the most prestigious schools on the continent of Africa. Following in her family’s educational legacy, she obtained her Bachelors degree in economics and finance, with an emphasis on international trade, from l’ Ecole Superieure de Commerce in Tunis. At 22, sensing certain limits to her achieving her goals and full potential, she made the difficult decision to leave Tunisia to pursue an elite entrepreneurship program at UCLA. This was the genesis of her business career and helped shape her vision for the future. Armed with a world-class education, a strong work ethic and a positive attitude, Sandra has made a lasting impact on the fashion and jewelry industries, working with some of Hollywood’s most high-profile celebrities. More recently she has made her entry into the residential real estate industry. CORE VALUES, INTENSE PASSIONS, IMPORTANT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Sandra is extremely close to her family, takes pride in her ‘ambassadorship’ for Tunisia, and is passionate about numerous local Los Angeles nonprofit organizations. Regarding spirituality, she has an esoteric approach and, having studied the religions of the world, she makes it a practice of harnessing universal spiritual energies to preserve youth and beauty. Sandra teaches the importance of maintaining a balance of masculine and feminine energies to a select boutique clientele.
personal, cultural and business challenges, Sandra is the embodiment of a modern independent woman. As a result of these experiences, she desires to empower women to self-express, be acknowledged and guide them towards becoming independent and self-reliant. In many parts of the world, women are still considered second class citizens. Sandra’s core mission is developing positive self-esteem in all women, and spreading empowerment, especially in places where such opportunity and light has not been shed. In the United States, as in many Western societies, female leaders in society and business are commonplace, however at the same time inequalities still exist. Sandra is committed to continuing to bridge the gap and promote equality for women with their male counterparts and colleagues. Sandra’s long-term goals are to expand her business interests as an ambassador for select life-changing brands on various global platforms, bridging the gap between continents, connecting leaders, imparting transformational stories through keynote speaking and visual media, and continuing to promote empowerment, leadership and hope as a path to achieving one’s dreams. In the process, Sandra will develop her own legacy within her personal, business and philanthropic life that incorporates a value system of justice, peace, success, happiness and pride where all voices are heard.
MORE THAN JUST A PAGEANT GIRL Representing Tunisia in the Miss Europe Global competition has already been a valuable platform for furthering Sandra’s worthy goals. She took 2nd runner up in the pageant last November 20th, 2021 at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center in Redondo Beach, California. The most valuable part of the process was connecting with and developing relationships with her sponsors which will provide her with a truly global stage, enabling her to expand her reach and implement her earnest mission. PRETTY GRITTY FILM PRODUCTION Sandra has teamed up with Dirt Merchants Films to help develop and produce several movies featuring themes of inspiration, motivation and transformation. In one of these films, Sandra will be playing the role of a pure hearted motivational speaker with a ‘classified’ past.
LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD: A LONG TERM MISSION Leaving her family and home country of Tunisia as a young woman, overcoming HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 21
You’ve Met Your Match.
Meet UnFiltered.
UnFiltered wants to be the last dating app anyone ever has to use...
I
t’s five o’clock on Friday, time to get off, but home is the only place to go. You’re tired of getting tables for one, being the third wheel, ordering Chinese food at home and catching up on an embarrassing amount of Netflix series that you fit in between your busy schedule. You’ve tried dating apps to no avail- so much time wasted on fake accounts, bots...and even worse, the fret of being “catfished” once again. You find a “match” and they seem nice until one of two things happens... the infamous unsolicited pic, you’re stuck in the never-ending loop of messages, or even the eventual request of money. There is now a dating app that made it their mission to fix everything you ever hated about dating apps. Transparency is the founding reason behind the creation of the UnFiltered 22 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
Dating app. In fact, co-founder Genesis Assulin believes so strongly in the importance of transparency she made it their name- UnFiltered. Every profile is taken in real time with a date stamp through the in-app camera embedded in the app software prohibiting an upload feature unless part of the lifestyle news feed. Eliminating filters is the foundation of this dating app. They have created a dating revolution by providing a platform for true genuine connections and by revamping the online dating experience with unique built-in features that promote and cultivate a safe, transparent, UnFiltered environment. Their users can be the person they were always supposed to be- themselves. How many times have you walked into a “blind date” or met someone for
the first time from a dating profile only to discover they didn’t look the same as their profile picture. Although looks aren’t everything, trust is important. UnFiltered’s motto, “Real People. Real Love.” does just that. No more meeting the 10-year alumni version of the college snapshot of your match, UnFiltered secures you are talking to a verified version of their true and current self! UnFiltered strives to offer a safer community to their users. A deeper dive behind the scenes into the development side of the app includes an integrated technology that uses 8 factors to verify user accounts. Some of these verification methods includes verifying images, emails used to create user profiles, phone number and the user’s location to name a few. This technology,
that was introduced via a partnership with some of the most secure platforms across the globe, is how UnFiltered is able to prevent fake and misleading identities for users. Once authenticated, the verified profile is issued a seal, reassuring the user that they’re messaging a real person. As if this wasn’t enough to set them apart from every other dating app on the market, other features are integrated into the UnFiltered app to make sure that your virtual dating experience is quality above quantity. Where other competitive apps have the bad reputation of being for “hook-ups”, UnFiltered has introduced limited matches. This allows you to match with up to 5 potential dates at a time, ensuring that you have meaningful connections with focused communication. This feature paired with our In-app communication opportunities (in-app camera and in-pp Video) ensures your private information is protected until you choose to communicate outside the app. They have also paired with Google to integrate with your calendar and even allows users to use GPS to make the convenience of planning a date with your match simple and convenient. Plan your date, location and date time all within the app! Once the request is accepted, the app sends reminders to your app notifications, updates any changes you or your match makes, directions to get you there on time! Your life may be
busy, but UnFiltered has thought of unique and innovative ways to make dating simple and easy again! UnFiltered is not just another dating app, in fact, UnFiltered wants to be the last dating app anyone ever has to use by being the conduit for Real People to find Real Love UnFiltered is passionate about its mission statement and that is “To foster a secure community who values the ideals and principles of real love. To live in anticipation, believing that there are more good people that could benefit from a mode of transparency.”
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The 90210 Network Flourishes in Beverly Hills BEVERLY HILLS is synonymous with glamor, affluency and celebrities. Plus, it is the heart of global business. Naturally, that's where the 90210 Network steps in to make it sparkle even more. The impressive 90210 Network delivers the right connections and resources where it counts. ASHKAN TABIBNIA, a seasoned Beverly Hills' businessman, decided that it is was high time to establish a network that counts. Today, many people try to create an organization themselves, but lack delivery. Ashkan’s private circle comprises more than 20,000 of the top experts in the country with expertise that dictates the behindthe-scenes businesses of most professional platforms. The 90210 Network is made up of three divisions:
SOCIETY is a membership network with two types of membership individuals and businesses. The benefits are multifold and range from access to top advisors to fullfledged strategists. 24 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
BUSINESS is chaired by Axel Tillmann, also president of 90210 Network. Axel is a business guru that has dedicated his life to health and wealth. His many projects include CEO of World Summit, CEO of Pitch Global and CEO of ANMODE Health. The Business Division is comprised of three sections: • • •
MEDIA builds on vast connections in Hollywood and is geared towards accelerating businesses and artists in Print, Music, and Film. Chair of this business is Rosie Cruz, established producer and actress. Cruz is best known for her roles in "California Tango," "Hush (The Series)," and "Olivia Cantwell and the Handmade Handmaiden." 90210 Network is proud to have its media division led by such an accomplished industry insider.
Real-Estate Finance Venture
Rosie Cruz
Therefore they will be able to concentrate on their NETs.
Axel Tillmann
Axel Tillmann We often ask our founders to explain the reasoning behind the "why" of this impressive network. Ashkan, why did you start this organization? “I saw a unique opportunity in time where my lifelong journey to serve others could be combined with some of the best experts in their field of expertise to further help others achieve their dreams. We all know that without the help of another we have a much harder path to travel. As the old saying goes - "it takes a village to raise a child," and so does any new business. In all reality, many dream of becoming their own master, but more than 80 percent of businesses fail in the first five years. My partners and I are dedicated to changing this.” What is the inspiration behind the 90210 Network, and is there any significance why the logo splits up NET and WORK? “My partner Axel and I were brainstorming about our logo and we came up with the notion that our network could do the heavy lifting for our clients - the WORK.
In the early days of a young startup - and there is really no difference between the Entertainment Business, Real Estate, or any other venture, it always seems that unavoidable “things” fall of the table. We at 90210 Network are there to fill in the gaps, so that our clients can do what they are best at.” Some of the NETs that 90210 Network wants their clients to focus on are: • • • • • • •
Profit Results Solutions Goals Sales Fund Life
being genuinely likable, rocksolid, hardworking, and ethical. Through Ashkan’s confidence, multi-faceted skillset, and wide contact base, he delivers continued business and personal development for his valued clients. He is very engaged and passionate about every part of life and has always had the well-being of others forefront in his mind. Ashkan’s network stretches from Entertainment, Event Production, Real Estate and includes general business moguls as well. Ashkan helps others to focus on their personal and professional development and empowerment. His mission is to help clients achieve the highest levels of success through Master Life Planning. We know the 90210 Network solves a need in our community, and we are looking forward to hearing about the unparalleled success stories that the 90210 Network will experience. Of equal importance, we will be following many of our clients throughout their respective journeys.
Let’s have a close look at Ashkan himself: Ashkan Tabibnia started his own journey when he was 18 as the CEO and founder of ‘7 Elephants,’ importer and distributor of high-tech consumer electronics. Within a few years, his business grew to over 60 employees, $15 million dollars in annual sales, and a 50,000 square foot warehouse. Through the years he mastered key interpersonal skills of HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 25
MXQ Lifewater:
The Fountain of Youth? AGE OLD HEALTH WISDOM MEETS 21ST CENTURY TECHNOLOGY Happiness and health go hand-in-hand. If you don't have health, it can greatly affect one’s personal happiness. And right at the center of our health is water. Our body consists of 70 percent water, and we can't go for more than a few days without drinking it. But it’s not just water that we need to stay healthy and strong, we also need vitamins and nutrients. This is where Chinese tycoon and entertainment maverick Ma Xiaoqiu comes in. Xiaoqiu has formulated a new technology that combines important nutrients with life-giving water that delivers them directly into your bloodstream. This new technology, The Neutral Nanosphere Particle is developed by a Nobel Prize nominee, Dr. Jerry T. Thornthwaite. SEPARATING ITSELF FROM THE PACK Robert Davidson, MXQ CEO, who trained at Cambridge and Oxford says “The Neutral Nanosphere Particle is a tiny particle that helps the four main ingredients infused in MXQ Life Water enter into your bloodstream and deliver it straight throughout your body. The Neutral Nanosphere Particle uses water as the carrier for the concentrated formulation of different active ingredients. We chose to use water because it naturally flows into us and it naturally flows into our tissues, muscles, skeleton and liposomes. It flows everywhere. The Neutral Nanosphere Particle truly makes Life Water a one-of-a kind beverage. It is different from other waters and energy drinks.” Curcumin, Vitamin C, Siberian Ginseng and Ginger form the core four ingredients of MXQ Lifewater. These nutrients work together to help boost your energy. They also help you to recover quicker and lead you naturally toward a healthier and more active life. 26 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
“The Nanosphere particle bypasses stomach acids and is delivered straight to your bloodstream," continues Mr. Davidson. That’s the differentiator of MXQ Life Water. It’s like nothing ever seen before on the market. This action helps the skin, eyes, digestion and energy levels, and in turn your longevity." SAFETY AND REGULATORY CONCERNS MXQ is dedicated to safety. It produces all products in an FDA registered CGMP facility in Oxnard, California, that holds VDA licenses, NSF certifications and ISO.
CURRENT PLANS MXQ Life Water is packaged in concentrated drops. One bottle can change 30 water bottles into Life Water. Plans are in motion to distribute this product worldwide through traditional distribution where you would find energy drinks and waters. WHAT’S NEXT FOR MXQ LIFEWATER? The company is working on products for a better night’s sleep. It is also looking to develop the Nanosphere particle to help with a variety of ailments including, but not limited to, helping with cancer treatments.
HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 27
AWARDS ANA INGHAM
THE ROOTS OF LOVE Best Script Award
URGENT BEAUTY Best Script Award
TO SEE MORE OF ANA’S WORK:
You can visit her website anaingham.com or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ana.ingham
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How Did I Become
a Screenwriter by Ana Ingham
10
years old, recovering from a pneumonia, I improvised a movie theatre casting penicillin bottles used to cure my illness, as actors. My younger brother became my assistant. When I had a new movie, he would go around and announce the movie to children in the neighbourhood, “Napoleon And Desiree” next Tuesday! Then he would issue hand made tickets and sell them to children. (He would give the money back to the children after the movie.) The dim room room in the basement of our ramshackle house would be full packed with giggling, cheering and sometimes weeping children. I would hide underneath a small table with a curtain pinned around it. My brother would raise his hand and ask children to be quiet and announce the movie. ’Napoleon And Desiree! made by my sister Ana Aysel.” I would then come out from underneath the table and greet my audience. Then I would move the penicillin bottles and speak with the voice of the movie’s characters which I watched in the opener cinema: Napoleon and Desiree . I would whisper, cry, laugh and try t to convey the emotions of Napoleon’s and Desiree’s. Cheers, giggles, applause. In the end I would bow, proud of my achievement. Perhaps those movies I made using the empty penicillin bottles I presented to poor children was my training as a screenwriter. When the open air cinema was built near the ancient graveyard, I begged my parents to take me there every time a Hollywood movie was shown. I loved that cinema more than my school and I became a fan of those Hollywood stars. Here’s a poem I wrote about those movies: HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 29
SCREENPLAYS COMPETITION AWARDS ‘GOODBYE MON AMOUR’ Selected by Barnstorm Film+ TV Festival’ 2017 ‘DELICATE PERCEPTION’ Selected by Cannes Screenplay Contest 2019 ‘DELICATE PERCEPTION’ Selected as a finalist by Hollywood Screenplay Contest 2019 ‘URGENT BEAUTY’ Selected by WIKI Screenplay Contest 2020 ‘URGENT BEAUTY’ Selected ‘Best Script Award’ 2020 ‘URGENT BEAUTY’ Selected by ‘Your Script Produced’ 2021 ‘SONG OF THE SNOW’ Selected as Honorable Mention by BOLT 2020 ‘SYMPHONY X’ Selected (Certificate Of Achievement) as a finalist by International Short Award 2020 ‘THE ROOTS OF LOVE’‘ Selected as a finalist by WIKI Screenplay Contest 2020 ‘THE ROOTS OF LOVE’ Selected Best Script Awards 2021 Selected by Las Vegas International Film & Screenwriting Festival ‘WITH SIPOS IN BUDAPEST’ Selected as Best Script (platinum award) by International Short Award ‘WITH SIPOS IN BUDAPEST’ Selected by Vegas Movies Awards 2021 ‘WHO IS AFRAID OF ANTHONY HOPKINS’ Selected for Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards Selected by Vegas Movie Award ‘URGENT BEAUTY’ Selected by Silent River Screenplay Competition ‘THE ROOTS OF LOVE’ Selected for Mediterranean Film Festival Cannes 2021
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“All Dreamers Go to America” is available at Amazon That quality of innocence pervades this touching story, as a brief overview explains: ‘Niko, a carpenter from the island nation of Malta, has come to America to marry Ms. Parker, an American psychology professor, who has once taken a holiday in his village. Niko, pursues his search for Ms. Parker in a snow-ridden New York and beyond. And his search takes him through a series of extraordinary encounters and adventures in which his charming innocence is set against the American Dream.’ Oh to see ourselves as others see us! Ana Ingham makes this happen in one very endearing little tale. This is an author to watch – and follow! Recommended. Grady Harp, December 2020 All Dreamers Go to America by Ana Ingham is a charming tale about Niko Salazar who goes to America to search for the supposed love of his life, Ms. Parker. Ms. Parker is a psychologist who once visited Niko’s home country of Malta. She knows nothing of Niko, not really, and when he calls her collect upon landing in America, she abruptly hangs up on him. This unexpected moment forms the foundation of the story, with Niko going through all kinds of adventures in the amazing country of America, meeting all kinds of new people, and experiencing new things in a country and society he knows little about. There are many tender laughs along the way in this gently and humorously written story, as Niko in all his innocence keeps searching for love in all the wrong places. Truly a brilliant take on how we all have different perceptions of reality and culture, this work is highly recommended for a unique and memorable read. Vine Voice, December 2020 All Dreamers Go to America by Ana Ingham is a refreshing look at American traditions and culture through the eyes of an immigrant. Niko Salazar is a Maltese carpenter who decides to find the woman he met two years previous, while she was on vacation. This one-sided love leads Niko through different loops and hilarious situations. His misinterpretation of our language is comical. When he finally finds his love, his life is set on a new direction. Ana Ingham creates a character whose dramatic response to common American traits is amusing. All Dreamers Go to America is a short read that will make you laugh out loud with Niko Salazar’s twist in American beliefs and speech. The people around him are good natured and help him, no matter his schemes. Overall, this book is a light read that shows the depth of love one man who would do anything to find his dream woman. JoJo Maxson, January 2021
ALL DREAMERS GO TO AMERICA
A NOVEL BY ANA INGHAM AVAILABLE IN AMAZON
I
woke up in bewilderment the next morning and my mind struggled to make a connection between Luca Airport in Malta and Sheraton Hotel in New York. Then I remembered that I couldn’t go to Ms. Parker’s town because of the snow storm. The word “snow” evoked snowcovered mountains, white roads, white trees in my mind. Then I fell into a reverie. Ms. Parker in a snowy park wearing a red hat and a navy blue coat, standing beside her. We are holding hands, posing for a picture. At this point I looked at my watch, now set to New York time. It was seven in the morning. Of course I couldn’t phone Ms. Parker at seven in the morning. She must be sleeping, sleeping quietly. She wouldn’t snore. Because she is such a gentle person. But why on earth did she say “no” on the phone? Did she mean she didn’t want to speak to me? Oh, my God! I suddenly felt ashamed of my foolishness. Why didn’t wait for her reply before coming to America? What if she ignores me when I go to her town Saratoga Spring? But surely not! Ms. Parker I knew would never refuse to talk to me. But, hang on! Suddenly the thought struck me that she was perhaps in trouble. Perhaps her mother had just died, or she herself was ill. Oh dear, dear Ms. Parker! How I wish I were now with you.I would do anything for you, anything. After breakfast I took a courtesy van and got to Newark Airport. The 10:00 a.m. flight to Albany was canceled because of a technical problem, and the passengers were given two food tickets and told to wait for the 2:00 p.m. flight. I spent my food ticket on a large pizza marinara and two bottles of apple juice. We finally boarded a small plane, which rattled and creaked while airborne. We flew low above New Jersey, the docks, then Manhattan, the immigrants’ island, the Statue of Liberty. Our small plane was rattling, shaking, vibrating all the time. Then suddenly three successive beeps. The captain announced that the reason for the delay
had been a defect in the generator. They had replaced the generator with a new one, but now the new generator seemed to be failing as well. So we would have to return to Newark. Passengers faces froze. The hostess addressed us quietly “Safety first. Please remain seated.” But the man in jeans and thick spectacles who sat next to me, ignored this and began walking toward the exit. “Please remain seated!” The hostess’s firm voice was raised. “It has taken me thirty hours to get from San Diego to Albany.” The man chuckled nervously. And I was thinking: I didn’t come to America to die in a plane crash. I didn’t deserve that. Dying in a foreign place seemed to me a total waste. No chance for a nice funeral. I personally believe that the dead enjoy their funerals, watching the mourners from behind closed eyes. But if I died in a plane crash over the Statue of Liberty now, I would be deprived of a nice funeral. I wonder what will Ms. Parker think when she sees my name in a newspaper among the names of a plane crash victims? Will she then regret saying “no” to me on the phone? And how will my family cope with the news? And yes, God made our plane land back safely at the Newark Airport. So we were all in the line again, waiting for the steward to comfort us and give us new boarding passes. Waiting at the end of the line, I felt suddenly short of breath and pain in my chest. That’s it. I thought, I’m dying in America. “What do you want to do?” asked the staff who appeared beside me. “Do you want to stay in a hotel?” “I… can’t talk… I can’t walk…” my voice turned into a whisper. I noticed a wheelchair rolling in my direction, pushed by a young woman with black hair. “Sit!” she ordered. I sat. “What is the matter?” “Can’t talk…” I whispered. She left me in the wheelchair and walked briskly to the counter. I heard her say, pointing at me, “He can’t talk! What shall I do with him?” She came back and began pushing me
along the crowded, neon-lit corridor. The woman behind the counter said, “I think it’s better if you go to a hospital rather than a hotel. Do you agree?” I shrugged. “I’m going to call the ambulance,” she said. As she spoke on the phone, I heard her say, “Urgent.” Within a few minutes, two policemen wearing large brimmed hats and dark shirts appeared on either side of my wheelchair. One of them put an oxygen mask over my mouth; the other took my blood pressure. “Breathe deeply. The oxygen mask will do you good.” When he removed the mask, I said, “I am feeling better.” “They always say they’re feeling better when they know we’re here. It’s psychological,” Then two male nurses emerged from nowhere, one black, the other Asianlooking. Before they wheeled me away, I raised my hand to the airline clerks and whispered, “Thank you.” The Spanish woman looked as if she was going to cry. Maybe she thought I would die and would not be able to come back to the counter for another flight. I gave her a smile of a dying man and stretched out my hand by way of a blessing. She really was close to tears. Perhaps she regretted that she had treated me badly and pushed the wrong button in the elevator. Crossing the immense hall in the wheelchair, I raised my hand also to some onlookers who, in the middle of their struggle to catch a flight, stopped to watch me. But I was not blaming the airline. They had done a lot of good things for me. They had brought me from one continent to another, given me coupons for food, made me stay in a hotel where I wouldn’t have dreamed of staying, and on a small plane they took me over Albany and then back again over the Statue of Liberty (an expedition I could never have had otherwise) Finally they put me in a wheelchair and summoned four men—two policemen and two nurses—to save my life. A stretcher waited for me at the exit of the airport. When the snowflakes fell over my face, I smiled. I had seen the snow only on postcards and books and now the snow was real, and yet to me it looked full of mystery and gave me the feeling of having landed in another world. Who would have thought that one day I would enter America on a stretcher, covered by a gray blanket, and snowflakes on my face, being pushed by two nurses into the back of a large ambulance? HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 31
PAINTING IS LIKE FALLING IN LOVE I believe that creativity is about finding a unique synthesis between reality and abstraction. Since an early age, I was driven to writing and painting. This was my way of coming to terms with the reality of life and my artistic sensibility always tended to a zone between reality and abstraction. I wanted to look closely at the reality and see it clearly, yet also stand aside and see the reality behind a hue, a mist. This duality created an emotional suspense which is perhaps the source of poetic sensibility. When a teenager, I wanted to do both, writing and painting, but as it was difficult to focus on two different artistic expressions with the same intensity and continuity, I chose to concentrate on writing, perhaps because I wanted to be closely involved with the world and to revolt against things I didn’t like. This is more difficult with painting, since modern painting is a way of standing back from reality, and existing in a zone sheltered from it. But the visual sensibility never left me and good paintings continued to move me deeply. So, after writing a number of novels, short stories, poetry collections, and plays, I claimed my right to express my experiences, my emotions and my vision in painting. And the intense and at times rocky (because we were both rebels) relationship between Bryan Ingham and myself must have contributed to this claim. Our relationship was based mainly on a shared sensibility; in him lingered a poet and in me lingered a painter. And after his death, my own lingering sensibility erupted with its own dynamic and I found myself painting passionately and obsessively. I now needed more than ever before to dwell in that zone between the real and the abstract, and to shelter my artistic sensibility from the increasing harshness of the world. I think painting is very similar to falling in love. 32 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
One falls in love through idealization. Love is an abstraction and the need for abstraction seems to be inherent in the human psyche. I am also a believer in beauty, although I am aware that artistic beauty ought not to be beauty as defined by society and fashion. Artistic creation is a claim for one’s own sense
of beauty captured through harmony, and proportion. I am trying to capture my feelings and thoughts towards places I have dwelled. Since I have been a driven traveler, I became connected to different parts of the world. And I think my paintings mirror my physical intellectual and emotional journeys. I repeatedly painted landscapes of Cornwall and Paris because emotionally I responded to those places more strongly than to other places. Yet I would like to paint many other places. The reason why I am driven to integrate collage and painting may be related to my dual artistic identity, as a writer and a painter. Collage provides a direct link to the real whereas painting is a product of the imagination.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
South East Art Centre (Brighton) 2007 Oliver’s Art Cafe (London) 2008 Centre des Poets Francais( Paris) 2009 Hotel de France (Poitiers) 2009 Gallerie Lee (Paris) 2010 Lemon Street Gallery UK (2020-2021)
“Let’s Go My Darling” Oil on canvas - 50x70 cm USD 2,900.00 “Titanic” Oil on canvas - 70x100 cm USD 2,800.00
“Going to Hollywood” Oil & collage on canvas - 70x100 cm USD 2,950.00
“Jane” Oil on canvas - 70x100 cm USD 2,900.00
The Way You See Me Now Maury K. Downs A heart-warming sci-fi story of admiration, curiosity, innocence, compassion, and true friendship What would you do if you came across real alien beings from another world? Would you share what happened? Would you keep it a secret? Could you even keep it a secret?
buy it now @
Background image: ESA/Hubble & NASA
HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 33
Hollywood Weekly - Page Turners Bedside Reading curates books for book lovers. We’re starting our holiday shopping early. Favorites from our book lovers! BedsideReading.com
Behind The Door by A. Gavazzoni When Lara dies at the hands of a Manhattan lawyer during a sex game, he needs help to prove that Lara’s death was accidental. Simone, a brilliant psychiatrist and the author of books on sexual behavior, is hired to analyze the detailed account of the lawyer’s steamy, year-long relationship with Lara. While she evaluates the presumed killer’s writing, Simone continues to receive patients with sexual disorders and unusual fantasies. Meanwhile, Simone’s clinical partner, friend and research colleague, Edward, is working with the police to capture a serial killer who is torturing and killing women. From hot and unusual sex to the swing houses of New York and Paris, this fastpaced page-turner is a blend of mystery, suspense, humor, romance and erotica. With a shocking twist at the end that no one sees coming, the murder culprit may not be who you think…
Complications by Danielle Steel Known for its luxurious accommodations and bespoke service, the Hotel Louis XVI has been the most lauded boutique hotel in all of Paris for decades, attracting an international clientele of the rich and famous. Now, after four years of renovations and the death of its legendary and beloved manager, it is set to reopen its doors at last. An esteemed group of loyal returning guests is set to descend upon the hotel, joined by a number of new faces who have managed to secure coveted bookings in the wake of lastminute cancellations. Awaiting them all is the Louis XVI’s new manager, Olivier Bateau, an anxious man whose lack of experience leaves him unprepared. He and his level-headed assistant manager, Yvonne Philippe, both strive to continue the hotel’s tradition of excellence. But they quickly realize that anything can happen at any moment, and on one cool September evening, everything does. Danielle Steel tells an unforgettable story about a famed hotel, where a few complications quickly escalate into a matter of life and death, changing the lives of everyone who passes through its doors. 34 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
FICTION
The Last Lumenian by S.G. Blaise The Last Lumenian is a coming of age story of a 19-year-old princess, Lilla, who is rebel-in-disguise, fighting for the refugee’s freedom. The arrival of the mysterious and ruggedlyhandsome Callum brings news of a bigger battle the Era War between the two ruling archgods- that threatens not only Lilla’s home world but everyone else’s in the Seven Galaxies. Lilla must learn to control her magic and defeat the dark god before He finds her - the last Lumenian.
Under The Willows by Pamela McCord After her husband is killed by a drunk driver, Kelly Harris and her son TJ move into a sprawling Victorian house in Ohio that her husband inherited from his grandmother. Dealing with her overwhelming grief is a struggle as she adjusts to life in a small town. And, just as she’s beginning to feel more comfortable, life takes another unexpected turn. The Alexa unit in her son’s bedroom starts to cry, and a little girl’s voice comes out of it asking for help. A young widow, a new town, a handsome detective, and an Alexa unit that cries and launches a frantic search for a missing child. This gentle ghost story introduces you to Emma, a ghost child who can break your heart.
The Price: Lairds of the Crest Book II by Kim Sakwa Return to the 15th century in The Price, book two in the Lairds of the Crest series, following the #1 international bestseller, The Prophecy. She’s an agent running from her past. He’s the warrior who will become her future. In her desperation to undo the tragedy that stole everything from her, Maggie Sinclair becomes entangled in an enchantment and thrust into 15th-century Scotland. Torn from everything she knows, her mission becomes survival. Losing his wife and unborn child all but crushed the spirit of the once-proud Highland warrior Callum O’Roarke. But when the sisters of Brackish Abbey press Callum to take in their new charge—a woman whose emotional scars are as deep as his own—he reluctantly agrees, offering Maggie sanctuary. Thrown together by devastating circumstances, the pair find common ground in their shared pain, and begin to forge a friendship. Thinking he has nothing left to give, Callum learns to love again. After being trapped in the past, Maggie discovers she’s in exactly the right place.
A Piece of Peace by Sweta Vikram
Einstein’s Compass by Grace Blair and Laren Bright Take a YA time traveler adventure with young Albert Einstein. When young Albert Einstein’s father gives him a jeweled compass, he has no idea the adventure that awaits. Spanning from 10,400 BCE on the Islands of Poseidon to Switzerland in 1903, Einstein’s Compass sweeps across dimensions all while Albert Einstein is growing into his destiny. But a dangerous creature hunts Albert and the compass. In this fantasy adventure, cosmic forces of good and evil clash around a budding scientist on the cusp of his greatest discovery. NON-FICTION
A Piece of Peace is an autobiographical account of one woman’s unique struggle with a near-fatal disease. In 2018, Sweta had already earned acclaim from having written a dozen successful books and for her work toward amplifying women’s voices. Suddenly overtaken with a massive health crisis, she entered a fight for her life that lasted more than six months. Her journey back to wellness through mindfulness and Ayurvedic healing show us both the true resilience of the human spirit as well as laying out a practical day-by-day plan that anyone can build on to restore health and recover from chronic health losses. Sweta shares her vulnerabilities, makes recommendations, interviews experts, and reminds us all that how we respond to a situation determines our path in life. Additionally, you’ll learn about: The power of mindful living. The impact of finding and owning your voice on your well-being. A reminder about the role of wellness in the lives of writers & creative professionals. Essays and stories on coping with the pandemic, mindfulness, Ayurveda, meditation, resilience, productivity, and more. Tips, tricks, wisdom all packed neatly with compassion to help you navigate life no matter what’s thrown at you. HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 35
Become A Manifesting Machine by Jennifer Teske It’s no “secret” there are a lot of books out there on how to use the Law of Attraction. The concept has been mainstream for over a decade, and the idea that it’s possible to manifest intentionally is irresistibly appealing. Yet many who dabble in the art often find frustration rather than success. This book changes that. In Become a Manifesting Machine, you will find a fresh, hands-on approach to the principles of the Law of Attraction that promises to illuminate your understanding, eliminate outdated ideas, and amplify your results. Weaving together powerful narrative with clean, easy, and practical how to exercises, Become a Manifesting Machine offers a raw, honest, and heartfelt story that will inspire you, make you laugh, and provide the gift of a step-by-step manifestation framework. If you are interested in the power of intentional manifestation, this book offers a simple clear roadmap to develop and keep a manifestation state of mind.
Impact: Reshaping Capitalism to Drive Real Change by Sir Ronald Cohen “A Must-Read Book From The Godfather Of Impact Investing” - Forbes Capitalism and democracy are being challenged. The world must change, but we cannot change it by throwing money at old ideas that no longer work. We need a new path to a new world where inequality is shrinking, where natural resources are regenerated, and people can benefit from shared prosperity. This is the world being created by the Impact Revolution. Preeminent international investor, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and social finance innovator, Sir Ronald Cohen, has dedicated two decades to leading the Impact Revolution to achieve real social and environmental change. As one of the founders of venture capital, which ushered in the Tech Revolution, he builds on his years of personal experience to deliver a compelling account of how impact investing is reshaping capitalism. If you are interested in companies doing good and doing well at the same time – this book is a surefire way to find out how you can play a role in changing the world. “A powerful case for a movement that is gaining traction in society” - Andrew Jack, The Financial Times
The Power of a Graceful Leader by Alexsys Thompson In The Power of a Graceful Leader, Alexsys Thompson shares how to begin integrating who you are and how you lead. Through her experience with this disconnect in her own leadership and having coached hundreds of leaders in their integration journey, Alexsys offers tools, tenets, and some relatable stories to support you in your journey toward becoming an integrated and graceful leader. You will find yourself making better decisions, building healthier relationships, and experiencing joy, love, and compassion as you transcend into the leader you were born to be.
Wall Street Journal bestselling book.
It Takes a Village by Kevin Pereau Our smartphones are changing the way we manage our health, democratizing healthcare and better connecting us to everything we need to get and stay healthy. But what happens when we are all connected and how do we plug in? It Takes a Villages checks in with healthcare’s top thought leaders to capture and share their insights on who is doing what and how you can benefit. Innovation never rests. From devices, to artificial intelligence, providers to innovators and everything in between. Learn how to leverage healthcare innovation from a pop culture take that anyone can relate to. All you need is your smartphone. Plug in and get connected. To your health! 36 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
C O N V E R S AT I O N S W I T H O U R A U T H O R S
Mindfulness and Mysticism by Ora Nadrich Mindfulness and Mysticism brings together the practice of present moment awareness with a spiritual understanding of becoming one with a higher consciousness, which can be called God, Source, or the Absolute. Author, Ora Nadrich, takes the reader into a nonreligious experience of mysticism by giving them what she calls “sacred truths”, which are Universal Principles, or Divine Laws every human being can live by if they choose to be present with the mystery of life. Mindfulness & Mysticism is a beautiful road map to assist one’s soul on the journey of awakening, self-discovery, and mystical illumination. Q&A with Ora Nadrich Q:What inspired you to write Mindfulness and Mysticism?
A: I wanted to explore the different states of spiritual consciousness we can realize when we’re in the present moment. I discovered that when we are in a more heightened state of awareness, which Mindfulness helps us be in, we are more attuned to spiritual truths and insights, which can lead to mystical experiences. When you are fully present, your senses are more heightened, and you are a more open vessel for information to come through you, which can be called downloading, meaning you are receiving information, knowledge, wisdom, and even sacred truths from a higher vibrational field.
Q: What do you want people to discover about themselves in Mindfulness and Mysticism?
A: I wanted people to know that they are the master of their destiny, and that they can live each day connected to the higher realms of consciousness. As we move more into the future, we will be challenged by the very things we create, which are very powerful and can be dangerous, like AI; Artificial Intelligence, and bio-weaponry — which are micro-organisms like viruses and bacteria deliberately released out into the world to harm others. If we don’t value developing and heightening our consciousness, both individually and collectively, it can be our greatest undoing on this planet.
Firework Humans: Spark A Growth Mindset. Ignite 9 Entrepreneurial Instincts. Fuel Courage, Curiosity, Confidence, & Conviction by Jessica Mead Firework Humans teaches readers how they can live an extraordinary life full of fireworks and steadily control their own orbit. Founder, CEO, Investor, and Homeschool Mom, Jessica Mead has spent two decades focused on how to spark entrepreneurial instincts in her employees and children. In Firework Humans, she offers a powerful and hopeful perspective on parenting, running a business, and amplifying one’s life. She introduces the Nine Entrepreneurial Instincts that she believes every human possesses and guides readers through the process of developing these instincts into behavioral traits. Q&A with Jessica Mead Q: How did you identify the 9 Entrepreneurial Instincts and why are they important for leaders to understand?
A: As a mom who has homeschooled two very different types of children, and a business owner who has had dozens of employees, I’ve seen first hand how differently humans learn and what captivates their curiosity. There is so much research around learning styles, management styles, personality traits, and how to motivate people. I combined that research with what I observed through over a decade of teaching kids and running remote business teams. The 9 Entrepreneurial Instincts are a way for leaders to better understand how to bring out the best in people.
Q: As a female CEO who runs 20+ companies, homeschools her children, and is an active angel investor, what do you foresee 2022 has in store for women who are juggling work and family?
A: It will be a very empowering year for women in all situations. The Pandemic turned the working woman’s world upside down. Overnight, women had to manage their work life differently, while figuring out how to distance educate or homeschool their children. It was a massive disruption for some and has forever changed how company managers and heads of families will look at running a business and a family. When I started fielding questions from women (and men) about how to homeschool AND how to manage their staff differently, it occurred to me that people needed to switch mindsets. 2022 will truly be a year of rebirth and revitalization for everyone. Women will be leading in business. Companies will look at remote teams as a plus, not a burden. Women will enter 2022 with a much clearer sense of what’s important both in business and at home. HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 37
A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o’ joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose. Q&A with Darynda Jones Q: Can you summarize A Bad Day for Sunshine in a couple sentences?
A: A missing girl, a flasher named Doug, and an old flame that refuses to burn out. What else could go wrong on newly sworn in sheriff Sunshine Vicram’s first day?
Q: What research did you do for the book?
A: I did tons of research about small towns in New Mexico even though I live in one. I had to research the more mountainous areas. The pretty parts. I also had to research the heck out of policies and procedures pertaining to county sheriffs and their deputies as opposed to city and state police. And I spent a lot of time on how to go about getting a search and rescue team assembled and coordinated. Lots of layers to that one, and it’s absolutely fascinating.
Make it, Don’t Fake it by Sabrina Horn “Fake it ‘till you make it” has become gospel in our cultural playbook, but it ultimately doesn’t work and can have devastating consequences. If we really want to succeed, shouldn’t we push ourselves to “make it” with integrity? Won’t we gain far more by facing reality, even when it’s hard? In MAKE IT, DON’T FAKE IT: Leading with Authenticity for Real Business Success, C-suite advisor, entrepreneur and communications expert Sabrina Horn gives leaders the tools to resist “short hacks,” and the courage to lead with authenticity and integrity. Horn shows us how by writing from two valuable vantage points: as a leader in public relations–a profession known for its spin – and as a CEO of her own national firm. She draws on 25 years of insights and stories to show how we can flip fakery into authenticity to reap greater rewards. Q&A with Sabrina Horn Q: Why is running a business with integrity and authenticity hard?
A: Running any business is hard. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it! Being a leader of a business means making the right decisions at the right time based on the often very harsh realities of the truth. So, running a business with integrity is hard, because facing reality can be hard, like when you realize you have to do a layoff, or admit a financial error in your reporting to shareholders, or there is a flaw in your product and have to do a recall. There are no “short hacks” to running a successful business. Leading with integrity and being grounded in success is the only way to run a business.
38 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
Q:If we know that integrity is the foundation of every business, why do companies and the people who run or work for them fake it or just plain lie?
A: Understanding what compels people to fabricate the truth, to fake it, and to lie is useful in coming up with the strategies and tools to avoid or prevent it. There is a broad spectrum of fakery, from innocent little white lies to the perfectly criminal, which you can see in my Fake-O-Meter. The most common types of lies in business are exaggeration, minimization, omission, and what I call, ostrich lies. They are mostly rooted in personal insecurity or a feeling of inadequacy, that somehow, we don’t feel we measure up or we made a mistake, and we don’t want to risk embarrassing ourselves, so we cover up, twist the truth, tell a tall tale, or exaggerate the truth. The other most common type of fakery isn’t really a lie, but it is rooted in avoiding the truth, as in looking the other way or shoving a problem under a rug, or just generally not dealing with the reality of a situation.
exceeding
EXPECTATIONS “Jennifer was extremely pleasant, patient and generous with her time in showing us many properties in Laguna Beach before we decided. She had excellent knowledge of the marketplace, what we were looking for, and kept us well informed throughout the process. She was there every step of the way until we closed, and has even been available to us post purchase to look after the house as it is our second home. And always with a smile. I would recommend Jennifer to anyone looking to purchase a home in the area.” Read more client experiences at jenniferhalbert.com ‘
JENNIFER HALBERT REALTOR®
949.899.2113 jenniferhalbert@bhhscal.com jenniferhalbert.com DRE# 01992762
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