Jillian Bullock

I've been in the film and entertainment industry for over 25 years, running my own company, Jillian Bullock Enterprises. My journey into filmmaking started with my stepfather, who was a member of the Philadelphia Italian Mafia. Every Sunday, he would put aside his mafia work and take me to the movies, telling me 'one day I'm gonna see your name in lights, you're gonna be a director.' Though he died when I was young and never saw me do anything, I kept that thought through college and beyond - his dream became my dream. I got my start as an intern on Spike Lee's movie Malcolm X, after working as a reporter for the Wall Street Journal while earning my bachelor's in communication with film courses. I worked on many other people's projects to learn the ins and outs of the business before eventually starting my own company to focus full-time on my own filmmaking. I've independently produced three films and am currently in pre-production on my fourth, Rebirth, which deals with domestic violence and boxing. All my movies tackle tough topics - I've covered military sexual assault, mental illness, and now domestic violence - but I always incorporate martial arts or boxing to give audiences a break from the heavy subject matter and keep them entertained. As a Black woman in a male-dominated, white industry, my greatest accomplishment is being able to secure funding and support for my independent projects. Last year I had to take a year off to deal with lung cancer, but I'm clear now and back to training. My doctors said my vegan diet and constant exercise helped me overcome it faster than other patients.