Lisa Cortés is going into business with Blue Ant Studios. The Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning producer and director inked a new first-look deal with the production company that will see her developing and producing new scripted and unscripted documentary, music, history, biography, and narrative projects, per a press release.
Works in progress include a docuseries based on Clover Hope’s book “The Motherlode: The 100+ Women Who Made Hip-Hop” and “No Retreat,” a scripted drama about Black and Indigenous women soldiers in Europe during World War II.
“Throughout my career, I have been passionate about telling complex, powerful stories from new perspectives,” said Cortés. “Cortés Filmworks is committed to inclusivity, and to elevating talent often overlooked by the mainstream. This collaboration with a company leading in dynamic, impactful, genre-spanning content is exciting, and I look forward to developing a diverse slate of scripted and unscripted projects with the Blue Ant team.”
Laura Michalchyshyn, Blue Ant Studios’ Chief Creative Officer and Co-President, added, “Lisa is a creative powerhouse who has an incredible eye for vibrant, visionary stories that are of our time. She brings curiosity and a wonderful range of talent to her projects. The impact of her work is inspiring. We are already developing several exciting projects together and are honored to collaborate with her to bring culturally relevant and talent-driven projects to life.”
Cortés’ credits include “All In: The Fight for Democracy” and “The Apollo.” The former was shortlisted for an Oscar and the latter won an Emmy. She served as an executive producer on “Precious.” Outside of her deal with Blue Ant, her upcoming slate includes “The Empire of Ebony,” a doc exploring the rise and impact of Ebony magazine and its sister publication, Jet.
