About

PRIDE & HONOR follows Lilly Stephan Steffanides (they/them), a terminally ill Navy veteran who rose from 24 years of homelessness to lead a historic battle for military rights.

Racing against time with just months to live, Lilly became one of the plaintiffs in a groundbreaking federal lawsuit that secured a historic Pentagon settlement, restoring honor and benefits to over 100,000 LGBTQI+ veterans who were wrongfully discharged for their identity.

In their final year, Lilly cemented their legacy through PRIDE & HONOR, ensuring their story would continue to inspire others to tell their own stories and pursue equality long after their death in July 2025.

BIOS

MAI ISKANDER

Producer, Director and Director of Photography

Mai Iskander is a multi-award-winning director and director of photography whose work spans documentary features and commercial campaigns, with a proven track record of creating content that drives social change. Her films have reached audiences at over 100 prestigious international festivals, including Berlinale, SXSW, IDFA, and the Los Angeles Film Festival.

Her debut feature documentary, GARBAGE DREAMS garnered 26 international awards, secured a place on the Academy Award shortlist, earned a Directors Guild of America nomination, and—most significantly—helped secure a million-dollar Gates Foundation grant for its subjects.

In the commercial space, Iskander has directed high-profile campaigns for global brands including Apple, Dove, Garnier, and Walmart. Her “Care Counts” campaign for Whirlpool earned four Lions at the Cannes Festival, an AICP Next Award, and a D&AD Impact White Pencil, while generating a billion media impressions.

JOHN HOFFMAN

Executive Producer

John Hoffman is a six-time Emmy-winning documentary and Academy Award nominated filmmaker whose work has tackled some of the most pressing health issues of our time. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his short documentary THE BARBER OF LITTLE ROCK.

His recent films include the acclaimed FAUCI (Telluride Film Festival) and THE ANTIDOTE (Amazon Prime). Throughout his career, Hoffman has produced critically acclaimed documentaries like THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION, ADDICTION, THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT, and FIRST IN HUMAN.

Beyond his filmmaking, Hoffman has also held executive positions at major networks, including Executive Vice President of Documentaries & Specials at Discovery and Vice President of Documentary Programming at HBO. His experience as a filmmaker and industry leader has solidified his reputation as one of the most respected figures in documentary cinema.

HEIDI REINBERG
Co-Producer
The daughter of a career Air Force officer, Heidi Reinberg is currently producing Simon Mendes’ untitled debut feature doc on Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, a recent Jewish Story Partners recipient. Recent works include BORN TO BE, nominated for Best Director and Best Documentary national Emmys and the ITVS/arte SWR co-production 93QUEEN. Her work has been supported by the Sundance Documentary Institute; the Ford Foundation; the National Endowment for the Humanities; XTR; the Tribeca Film Institute; Catapult Film Fund; Fork Films; NYSCA; the IDA Pare Lorentz fund; the IDA Enterprise fund; the Economic Hardship Reporting Project; and the Austin Film Society.
MARC SMOLOWITZ
Consulting Producer
Marc Smolowitz is a multi-award-winning director, producer, executive producer, and consulting producer who has been significantly involved in over 50 successful independent films. His works have touched 250+ film festivals & markets on 5 continents, yielding substantial worldwide sales to theatrical, television, and VOD outlets, notable box office receipts, and numerous awards and nominations. His credits include films that have screened at top-tier festivals such as Sundance, Berlin, Venice, and Tribeca.

In 2009, Smolowitz founded 13th Gen, a San Francisco-based boutique entertainment company that works with a dynamic range of independent film partners globally to oversee the financing, production, post-production, marketing, sales, and distribution efforts of a vibrant portfolio of films and filmmakers. With talent development as its focus, the company is typically involved in some 10-15 projects concurrently and has successfully advanced Smolowitz’s career-long commitment to powerful social issue filmmaking across all genres. In 2016, he received one of the prestigious Gotham Fellowships to attend the Cannes Film Festival’s Producers Network, marking him as one of the USA’s most influential independent film producers.

LILLY’S WORDS

Ever since I was a little kid, I believed in the American dream. When the Navy discharged me for homosexuality and I spent 24 years living on the streets, I felt completely abandoned. Unworthy of justice, belonging and honor. But this American dream must embrace us all. Every veteran, every service member, every person fighting to be seen. It belongs to us, and we must keep fighting.
For me this is a dream come true and to see my story told so beautifully brings a sense of relief and an amazing sense of vindication. I thought I would die alone in a gutter. To see the turnaround and to be honored in this way, it is really something.
For LGBTQIA+ veterans, our stories preserve history and demand acknowledgment. Sharing isn't just about personal healing. It's how we make the world see, understand, and act. Every time they try to erase us, it's just gonna make our voices that much louder.
We all learned in the military not to leave our wounded in the battlefield... And a lot of us are still waiting to come home. I will not rest in peace until I know that all of my LGBTQIA+ veteran comrades have come home.

CONTACT

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Lucius and Eva Eastman Fund