How Simone Kirlew Mentors and Produces with Purpose
For the past couple of years, producer Simone Kirlew has been a steady creative force behind the Youth Cinema Project Alumni Fellowship films, serving as producer mentor for the program’s last two alumni productions while acting as a vital link between the Latino Film Institute and each production team. Beyond nurturing the fellows’ creative vision, she oversaw the coordination that allowed each film to come to life, managing logistics, schedules, and on-the-ground production needs with precision and care.
A first-generation Jamaican American storyteller from Prince George’s County, Maryland, Simone brings a deep commitment to amplifying diverse voices and championing stories centered on women of color. Her approach to producing is rooted not only in craft, but in access, creating pathways for young filmmakers to step into leadership, confidence, and authorship early in their careers.
“Championing stories about women of color is instinctive for me—it’s the world I come from, and it’s where my curiosity lives,” she says.
That ethos continues to shape her work, even as her current production schedule takes her elsewhere. Simone is presently on set in St. John’s, Newfoundland, producing the independent feature Purgatory, while the YCP Alumni Fellowship moves forward this year with new mentorship.
Set in 1983, Purgatory follows a teenage girl whose life is upended when her mother separates from her father, forcing her to question faith in everything and everyone around her. Simone was drawn to the script for its emotional range and sense of humor. It is a moving and often hilarious coming-of-age story that captures the uncertainty of adolescence while grappling with belief, family, and identity.
Her commitment to nurturing emerging voices is most visible through her work with the YCP Alumni Fellowship. Simone produced two alumni films, Lost Memories and Perfect, and of all the projects she works on across formats and scales, the YCP Alumni films remain the most meaningful to her.
“Working with young filmmakers reconnects me to why I started making films in the first place,” she explains. “Their ideas are bold, unfiltered, and full of possibility.”
That commitment extends beyond the fellowship itself. Simone hires YCP Alumni on professional productions, recognizing how difficult it can be to enter the film industry without meaningful opportunities. For her, providing access at an early stage is essential.
In addition to YCP, Simone has produced films through other Latino Film Institute fellowships, including two projects created through the LFI Inclusion Program. Rata, directed by Giselle Bonilla, and Love Me Tender, Love Me True, directed by Colby Barrios, reflect her dedication to stories rooted in specificity and emotional honesty.
Her philosophy as a producer is deeply informed by her own work as a filmmaker. Her thesis film, La Bruja, screened at both Hola Mexico and the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival. The film tells the story of a young boy named Pablito grieving the loss of his mother and the fairytale his grandmother shares about a magical witch known as La Bruja del Mar. Through imagination and myth, Pablito learns that love does not disappear with loss and that some goodbyes can exist, even if only in our imagination.
Simone’s commitment to storytelling with depth and emotional honesty naturally informs her approach as a mentor. She encourages emerging filmmakers to explore the full complexity of the characters and worlds they create, trusting that specificity and authenticity resonate universally.
Championing stories centered on women of color and the full complexity of Black life is instinctive for Simone. As a mentor, she encourages filmmakers to lean into specificity and trust that honesty creates universality. As a producer, she advocates for choices that protect nuance and depth, from casting to the emotional spine of a script.
“The moment that always stands out is on the final day of production,” she recalls. “The fellows who arrived months earlier unsure suddenly step fully into leadership. Watching that click is the most rewarding part of the entire process.”
Whether she is producing an independent feature abroad or mentoring emerging filmmakers through foundational projects, Simone Kirlew’s work is guided by the same belief: stories matter, and so do the people learning how to tell them.
“Seeing young filmmakers step into their voice is why I do this,” she reflects. “Every film is a chance to discover something new about yourself, and that’s what makes this work so meaningful.” Through her mentorship and films, Simone continues to shape storytellers who will carry these stories forward, ensuring that the next generation has the tools, confidence, and inspiration to tell their own.