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.

BAILEY BASS

Co-Producer

Bailey Bass is a creative and advocate known for her roles as Claudia in Season 1 of AMC’s INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE, delivering a widely acclaimed performance, and Tsireya in James Cameron’s AVATAR franchise, including THE WAY OF WATER, which went on to become the 3rd-highest-grossing film of all time. Bailey has used this momentum to promote environmentalism, mental health, and voting education. Her many activism efforts include producing OCEONS ON FIRE (2024), a documentary short on the coral bleaching crisis, participating in the U.N. World Food Program’s Next Gen Council, and Kerry Washington’s Influence Change movement. While balancing her entertainment endeavors, including the AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH release, Bailey is a published research assistant and grant writer pursuing a degree in Psychology at Columbia University.

OLIVIA DOERR

Co-Producer

Olivia Doerr is a model, artist, and activist whose commitment to the veteran community has remained central to her creative and professional work. She currently serves as the Director of Communications for the Military Veterans of Columbia University, the largest veteran population in the Ivy League, where she is dedicated to elevating diverse voices within the student veteran community. Olivia is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in political science at Columbia University, where her academic research primarily focuses on policy-driven aspects of veterans’ affairs, including healthcare access, GI Bill reform, and legislative hurdles service members face during their transition. Olivia is dedicated to using visual mediums and advocacy to ensure the stories of all who served are recognized by the nation with the honor and respect they deserve.

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.

Michael Culyba

Editor

Michael Culyba is a director and editor with nearly two decades of experience shaping documentary films with narrative precision and emotional depth. His directorial debut, KEEPER OF TIME, explores the world of mechanical watchmaking and the artisans who preserve the craft.

As an editor, Culyba has collaborated with leading nonfiction filmmakers including Barbara Kopple, Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady, Gary Hustwit, Liz Garbus, Dan Cogan, Jeff Zimbalist, and producer Edward Norton. His credits span a wide range of acclaimed films and series, among them DIXIE CHICKS: SHUT UP & SING, URBANIZED, RUNNING FROM CRAZY, MY OWN MAN, GERMANS & JEWS, THE INNOCENCE FILES, CHILDREN OF THE UNDERGROUND, EAT THE RICH: THE GAMESTOP SAGA, RUDY! A DOCUMUSICAL, PARAGOLD, UNKNOWN: COSMIC TIME MACHINE, BLIND AF, and THE CARMAN FAMILY DEATHS.

He also edited two‑time Academy Award–winning director Barbara Kopple’s feature THIS IS EVERYTHING: GIGI GORGEOUS, a documentary following YouTube creator and former competitive diver Gigi Gorgeous as she publicly transitions and navigates identity, family, and visibility; the film premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

Across both directing and editing, Culyba’s work is defined by strong structure, emotional sensitivity, and a deep respect for the people at the center of each story.

ALLYSON NEWMAN

Music Composer

Allyson Newman is an Emmy-nominated queer composer and songwriter whose work blends modern synth textures with intimate chamber ensembles and pop sensibilities.

Her music can be heard on Showtime’s THE L WORD: GENERATION Q, Netflix’s PARTNER TRACK, and Hulu’s FIRST. She has earned multiple nominations from the Society of Composers and Lyricists, the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, and the International Sound and Film Music Festival. She was also selected for the Spot the Composer program at the Marché du Film in Cannes.

Newman’s documentary work includes the award-winning LIMITED PARTNERSHIP (PBS Independent Lens), the Emmy-nominated series HER STORY, and KUSAMA—INFINITY, which premiered at Sundance and was released worldwide. She collaborated with Oscar-winning directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman on STATE OF PRIDE (SXSW Opening Night) and scored MAKING WAVES: THE ART OF CINEMATIC SOUND, which premiered at Cannes. Most recently, she composed the scores for Hulu’s DIANE VON FURSTENBERG: WOMEN IN CHARGE (Tribeca Opening Night) and ARREST THE MIDWIFE (SXSW).

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