WINNING
Los Angeles, California | Film Feature
LGBTQ, Drama
A queer spoken word artist wins the lottery while her father sinks deeper into gambling debt. In a world where systems sell wealth as liberation, WINNING asks what it really costs to “make it,” and who we risk becoming when we chase it.
WINNING
Los Angeles, California | Film Feature
LGBTQ, Drama
3 Campaigns | California, United States
99 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$5,540
Goal: $5,000 for development
A queer spoken word artist wins the lottery while her father sinks deeper into gambling debt. In a world where systems sell wealth as liberation, WINNING asks what it really costs to “make it,” and who we risk becoming when we chase it.
Participating In
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Mila's "broke" - juggling multiple jobs, living at home, and still trying to "make it" as a spoken word poet. Her father, Marlon, has been gambling in private but the whole family knows it. But no one dares to speak it out loud. Mila's mother, a registered nurse, is overworked and fights to keep them above water. The strain of money that Marlon has impressed upon the family has made Mila extremely allergic to capitalism, gambling, and any get-rich-quick schemes. But the family continues to stay in a scarcity mindset.
But if there's one thing that Mila can consider a WIN in her life, it's the people around her. Her close-knit group of crazy friends, her pain-in-the-ass but loving sisters, her generous, sweet girlfriend of 3 years, and her vibrant local community (Tita's and Tito's that help out their neighbors). That's her true wealth -- she just doesn't know it yet.
Suddenly and magically, Mila finds a lost lottery ticket... and she WINS. She WINS BIG.
While Marlon gets in deep trouble with a loan shark and is hunted down by one of her goons!
Mila follows in her father's footsteps, and their lives become intertwined like never before -- winning and losing together. Through sequences of soulful Spoken Word (with rhythm and flow a-la Blindspotting) embedded throughout the film, this father-daughter duo is forced to face each other and themselves in learning what it means to win at life.
This story is loosely inspired by own upbringing and my own complicated relationship with my absent father. As I've grown older, I've had to question the impact of his actions on my life and my values.
The lies I used to believe:
"I have no generational wealth"
"I don't know anything about money"
"But I need to get rich to make films!"
"I need to win awards to feel successful!"
"I need to "make it" by 30 or else I'm a failure!"
"My friend posted about her new job on my feed. I'm not good enough."
The lies end now. I am changing my own narrative. And it's never too late to change your life. Even for my father. In the film, I attempt to put myself in his shoes because addiction is complicated. I know he wasn't born this way. He is a product of his environment. This story was ultimately born from one question: What if I became my father?
(Rachel Leyco directing on set of Milk & Honey / photo cred: Bianca Catbagan)
I wrote WINNING because it comes at a pivotal time in my life and in our highly competitive capitalist society today. It's time we challenge our current systems in place and why we allow them to define our own values. This story is a reclamation. A healing journey. And an act of revolution. All wrapped up in a WILDLY FUN & BOLD VISUAL STYLE.
The visuals of WINNING will be dynamic and kinetic visual movement - with intention - that reflect the thematic messages in the moment. The lighting is bold, neon-soaked, and vibrant to allure audiences into the world of casino gambling, luxury, and the elite. Mixed media formats will be explored - shooting with super 8 cameras, VHS camcorders, iphones - to expose specific characters' POVs and states of mind. These techniques will all be balanced and grounded in quiet slow moments with our characters as reflection becomes a necessary reprieve. And the deep soul-cutting performances of each Spoken Word piece will bring introspection and revolution at a cellular level.
Before we can yell “action,” we have to build the foundation. Your support helps fund the Development phase of WINNING — business startup costs, legal fees, casting/packaging talent, scouting locations, and bringing our core team together. This is where the film truly takes shape and sets us up to make it the right way.
Casting/Packaging: These funds will go towards working with a casting director and attaching talent early on. Attaching talent early can help investors see the potential ROI of the film.
Business Start-up costs: These funds will go towards setting up our film as a business that include LLC costs, bank account services, and insurance. Film IS a business after all!
Legal Fees: These funds will go towards the legal services for our core team, attaching talent, copyright fees, and any other legal support needed during development.
Location Scout Expenses: These funds will go towards our location scouting trip that will include lodging, travel, on-the-ground support, and research.
Administrative Costs: These funds will go towards administrative fees as we apply for grants and any other miscellaneous administrative fees to support the development of the film.
PLEDGE: Any amount helps us make this film a reality. Our perks and incentives are as BIG as a JACKPOT ---->
FOLLOW: Follow our Seed & Spark page. We need to reach 350 followers to qualify for the AAPI Renaissance Rally prizes!
SHARE: Share this crowdfund to your friends, family, and community.
And follow our journey @winningthefilm on IG!
We have cultivated a passionate and supportive community through our various short film projects throughout the past year. Through our tiny but mighty indie production company, Empowerhouse, we have created 4 short films in just ONE YEAR! Our projects include the 2025 CAPE Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge Grantee, Milk & Honey (dir. Rachel Leyco), Tiffany Blues (dir. Rain Valdez), Lola Never Smiles (dir. Alex Tobias), and the forthcoming Mimic (dir. Kiersten Villanueva). Our team is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive community on our sets and aim to create opportunities for underrepresented filmmakers to learn, thrive, grow, and create magic together.
Let's WIN together!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Casting/Packaging
Costs $1,335
These funds will go towards working with a casting director and attaching talent early on.
Location Scout
Costs $665
These funds will go towards our location scouting trip that will include lodging, travel, on-the-ground support, and research.
Business Start-Up Costs
Costs $1,000
These funds will go towards setting up our film as a business that include LLC costs, bank account services, and insurance.
Legal Fees
Costs $1,500
These funds will go towards the legal services for our core team, attaching talent, and any other legal support needed during development
Administrative Fees
Costs $500
These funds will go towards administrative fees as we apply to grants and any other misc. admin fees to support development.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Rachel Leyco (she/her) is an award-winning queer Filipino American filmmaker, actress, and content creator. She is the founder of Empowerhouse, a mission-driven company that empowers storytellers through creativity and community. A student Emmy winner for “The Sub Club”, her work has screened at Outfest, BFI Flare, and more. Her feature script “Violet, Violet” was Runner-Up in the 2020 Script Pipeline Competition. She co-wrote “Re-Live” (GLAAD LIST x BLACK LIST) and is a 2025 CAPE Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge grantee for “Milk & Honey.” As an actress, she’s appeared in “Atypical,” “Bel-Air,” “Chicago Fire” and “What Happens in Miami.”
Raised in Guam, Lailanie Gadia (she/her) is a Filipina American community builder, independent film producer, and financial professional based in Los Angeles. She is the Founder of Mango Stories, where she is developing and producing impactful stories rooted in community. She serves as the Operations Director at the Asian American Documentary Network, supporting 2,000 film workers. Lailanie's current producing slate includes Essential Islanders, upcoming short films 2024 CAAM Pitch winner Bridging Our Stories and 2025 CAPE Julie S. Gouw winner Milk & Honey, along with several features and shorts in development. Her credits include Third Act (Sundance 2025), and Dive Bar (2019), which was featured onboard Alaska Airlines for two years. She has spoken on various film panels, served on festival juries, and previously held roles in sponsorship, marketing, and event operations. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University and serves on the API Alumni Association board. She formerly had a six-year career in mortgage banking and remains passionate about financial well-being.
Kiersten Villanueva is a Filipino American independent filmmaker based between the Bay Area and Los Angeles, and is the founder of Tribu Tales and Head of Film/TV/New Media at Empowerhouse. He has written and directed over a dozen character-driven films centering the Filipino American community and experience. Beyond writing and directing, Kiersten has 10+ years of experience creatively collaborating on and off set and wearing many hats — from editing, assistant directing, and producing — to industry assistance roles, including James Wan’s Atomic Monster, Trevor Noah’s Day Zero Productions, CBS show So Help Me Todd, and AMC shows Mayfair Witches and Talamasca.
April Edquiban is a Filipino-Haitian writer, director, and producer whose work is rooted in cultural memory, community, and lived experience. Across narrative film and music, they are drawn to emotionally honest stories that center underrepresented voices and the complexities of identity. April has led and supported projects such as the short films Black Mold, Mimic, and Lola Never Smiles — with Mimic (dir. Kiersten Villanueva) and Lola Never Smiles (dir. Alex Tobias) recognized by the Birns & Sawyer Grant. They also served as Production Coordinator and Tagalog Consultant on Milk and Honey (dir. Rachel Leyco), a CAPE grantee of the Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge. In addition they have co-produced music videos including “No Good” by SOBBRS and “On Your Face” by Kid Souf. April serves as Co-Creative and Program Lead at Empowerhouse, where they help shape new projects while mentoring emerging filmmakers. Whether developing their own stories or supporting others in telling theirs, their work reflects where they come from — and the communities they are committed to uplifting.
Emma Ramirez is a 3rd-generation Filipino-American writer and filmmaker whose work is rooted in the micro moments of life. Emma is the social media manager of Empowerhouse, overseeing the promotion of original and acquired films. On set, Emma can be found with a phone in hand, always ready to capture BTS content for the film! Outside of work, Emma loves lifting, creating custom CDs for her loved ones, and exploring new places to eat!
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Mila's "broke" - juggling multiple jobs, living at home, and still trying to "make it" as a spoken word poet. Her father, Marlon, has been gambling in private but the whole family knows it. But no one dares to speak it out loud. Mila's mother, a registered nurse, is overworked and fights to keep them above water. The strain of money that Marlon has impressed upon the family has made Mila extremely allergic to capitalism, gambling, and any get-rich-quick schemes. But the family continues to stay in a scarcity mindset.
But if there's one thing that Mila can consider a WIN in her life, it's the people around her. Her close-knit group of crazy friends, her pain-in-the-ass but loving sisters, her generous, sweet girlfriend of 3 years, and her vibrant local community (Tita's and Tito's that help out their neighbors). That's her true wealth -- she just doesn't know it yet.
Suddenly and magically, Mila finds a lost lottery ticket... and she WINS. She WINS BIG.
While Marlon gets in deep trouble with a loan shark and is hunted down by one of her goons!
Mila follows in her father's footsteps, and their lives become intertwined like never before -- winning and losing together. Through sequences of soulful Spoken Word (with rhythm and flow a-la Blindspotting) embedded throughout the film, this father-daughter duo is forced to face each other and themselves in learning what it means to win at life.
This story is loosely inspired by own upbringing and my own complicated relationship with my absent father. As I've grown older, I've had to question the impact of his actions on my life and my values.
The lies I used to believe:
"I have no generational wealth"
"I don't know anything about money"
"But I need to get rich to make films!"
"I need to win awards to feel successful!"
"I need to "make it" by 30 or else I'm a failure!"
"My friend posted about her new job on my feed. I'm not good enough."
The lies end now. I am changing my own narrative. And it's never too late to change your life. Even for my father. In the film, I attempt to put myself in his shoes because addiction is complicated. I know he wasn't born this way. He is a product of his environment. This story was ultimately born from one question: What if I became my father?
(Rachel Leyco directing on set of Milk & Honey / photo cred: Bianca Catbagan)
I wrote WINNING because it comes at a pivotal time in my life and in our highly competitive capitalist society today. It's time we challenge our current systems in place and why we allow them to define our own values. This story is a reclamation. A healing journey. And an act of revolution. All wrapped up in a WILDLY FUN & BOLD VISUAL STYLE.
The visuals of WINNING will be dynamic and kinetic visual movement - with intention - that reflect the thematic messages in the moment. The lighting is bold, neon-soaked, and vibrant to allure audiences into the world of casino gambling, luxury, and the elite. Mixed media formats will be explored - shooting with super 8 cameras, VHS camcorders, iphones - to expose specific characters' POVs and states of mind. These techniques will all be balanced and grounded in quiet slow moments with our characters as reflection becomes a necessary reprieve. And the deep soul-cutting performances of each Spoken Word piece will bring introspection and revolution at a cellular level.
Before we can yell “action,” we have to build the foundation. Your support helps fund the Development phase of WINNING — business startup costs, legal fees, casting/packaging talent, scouting locations, and bringing our core team together. This is where the film truly takes shape and sets us up to make it the right way.
Casting/Packaging: These funds will go towards working with a casting director and attaching talent early on. Attaching talent early can help investors see the potential ROI of the film.
Business Start-up costs: These funds will go towards setting up our film as a business that include LLC costs, bank account services, and insurance. Film IS a business after all!
Legal Fees: These funds will go towards the legal services for our core team, attaching talent, copyright fees, and any other legal support needed during development.
Location Scout Expenses: These funds will go towards our location scouting trip that will include lodging, travel, on-the-ground support, and research.
Administrative Costs: These funds will go towards administrative fees as we apply for grants and any other miscellaneous administrative fees to support the development of the film.
PLEDGE: Any amount helps us make this film a reality. Our perks and incentives are as BIG as a JACKPOT ---->
FOLLOW: Follow our Seed & Spark page. We need to reach 350 followers to qualify for the AAPI Renaissance Rally prizes!
SHARE: Share this crowdfund to your friends, family, and community.
And follow our journey @winningthefilm on IG!
We have cultivated a passionate and supportive community through our various short film projects throughout the past year. Through our tiny but mighty indie production company, Empowerhouse, we have created 4 short films in just ONE YEAR! Our projects include the 2025 CAPE Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge Grantee, Milk & Honey (dir. Rachel Leyco), Tiffany Blues (dir. Rain Valdez), Lola Never Smiles (dir. Alex Tobias), and the forthcoming Mimic (dir. Kiersten Villanueva). Our team is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive community on our sets and aim to create opportunities for underrepresented filmmakers to learn, thrive, grow, and create magic together.
Let's WIN together!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Casting/Packaging
Costs $1,335
These funds will go towards working with a casting director and attaching talent early on.
Location Scout
Costs $665
These funds will go towards our location scouting trip that will include lodging, travel, on-the-ground support, and research.
Business Start-Up Costs
Costs $1,000
These funds will go towards setting up our film as a business that include LLC costs, bank account services, and insurance.
Legal Fees
Costs $1,500
These funds will go towards the legal services for our core team, attaching talent, and any other legal support needed during development
Administrative Fees
Costs $500
These funds will go towards administrative fees as we apply to grants and any other misc. admin fees to support development.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Rachel Leyco (she/her) is an award-winning queer Filipino American filmmaker, actress, and content creator. She is the founder of Empowerhouse, a mission-driven company that empowers storytellers through creativity and community. A student Emmy winner for “The Sub Club”, her work has screened at Outfest, BFI Flare, and more. Her feature script “Violet, Violet” was Runner-Up in the 2020 Script Pipeline Competition. She co-wrote “Re-Live” (GLAAD LIST x BLACK LIST) and is a 2025 CAPE Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge grantee for “Milk & Honey.” As an actress, she’s appeared in “Atypical,” “Bel-Air,” “Chicago Fire” and “What Happens in Miami.”
Raised in Guam, Lailanie Gadia (she/her) is a Filipina American community builder, independent film producer, and financial professional based in Los Angeles. She is the Founder of Mango Stories, where she is developing and producing impactful stories rooted in community. She serves as the Operations Director at the Asian American Documentary Network, supporting 2,000 film workers. Lailanie's current producing slate includes Essential Islanders, upcoming short films 2024 CAAM Pitch winner Bridging Our Stories and 2025 CAPE Julie S. Gouw winner Milk & Honey, along with several features and shorts in development. Her credits include Third Act (Sundance 2025), and Dive Bar (2019), which was featured onboard Alaska Airlines for two years. She has spoken on various film panels, served on festival juries, and previously held roles in sponsorship, marketing, and event operations. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University and serves on the API Alumni Association board. She formerly had a six-year career in mortgage banking and remains passionate about financial well-being.
Kiersten Villanueva is a Filipino American independent filmmaker based between the Bay Area and Los Angeles, and is the founder of Tribu Tales and Head of Film/TV/New Media at Empowerhouse. He has written and directed over a dozen character-driven films centering the Filipino American community and experience. Beyond writing and directing, Kiersten has 10+ years of experience creatively collaborating on and off set and wearing many hats — from editing, assistant directing, and producing — to industry assistance roles, including James Wan’s Atomic Monster, Trevor Noah’s Day Zero Productions, CBS show So Help Me Todd, and AMC shows Mayfair Witches and Talamasca.
April Edquiban is a Filipino-Haitian writer, director, and producer whose work is rooted in cultural memory, community, and lived experience. Across narrative film and music, they are drawn to emotionally honest stories that center underrepresented voices and the complexities of identity. April has led and supported projects such as the short films Black Mold, Mimic, and Lola Never Smiles — with Mimic (dir. Kiersten Villanueva) and Lola Never Smiles (dir. Alex Tobias) recognized by the Birns & Sawyer Grant. They also served as Production Coordinator and Tagalog Consultant on Milk and Honey (dir. Rachel Leyco), a CAPE grantee of the Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge. In addition they have co-produced music videos including “No Good” by SOBBRS and “On Your Face” by Kid Souf. April serves as Co-Creative and Program Lead at Empowerhouse, where they help shape new projects while mentoring emerging filmmakers. Whether developing their own stories or supporting others in telling theirs, their work reflects where they come from — and the communities they are committed to uplifting.
Emma Ramirez is a 3rd-generation Filipino-American writer and filmmaker whose work is rooted in the micro moments of life. Emma is the social media manager of Empowerhouse, overseeing the promotion of original and acquired films. On set, Emma can be found with a phone in hand, always ready to capture BTS content for the film! Outside of work, Emma loves lifting, creating custom CDs for her loved ones, and exploring new places to eat!