Monica JY Lederman has a mission. Born with a passion for art and the ability to touch people's lives with her talents, she views filmmaking as the Ultimate Medium to create with. She wishes more than anything to enlighten, to inspire, and to lead people to their best potentials while delighting them with fantasy and entertainment. Creativity is as natural to Monica as breathing. She was born with a passion for color and would spend (and still does) hours upon hours filling journals with her drawings and designs. She bounces to the beat of her own drummer, and has always followed her own instincts. Studying art throughout her youth, she was a leader amongst her peers, deciding to graduate high school a year early so that she could enroll in the School of Visual Arts' film program. There she met her husband and partner, Brian Scott Lederman, and together they are a dynamic force, sharing a united vision to contribute extraordinarily to the art of filmmaking. Living in Los Angeles, Monica worked as a set dresser, learning what she liked and did not like about the way some productions are run. She returned to school and studied fine art, followed by Interior Design at UCLA's Extension Program. She has worked continually as an Interior Decorator, and has managed design teams, making her a skillful Production Designer and Leader. After returning to their East Coast origins in New York, the Ledermans produced their first feature film, "Mo", together. As first-time filmmakers, the couple was able to bring all of their skills and experiences into alignment. The film starred Erik Per Sullivan (of "Malcolm in the Middle"), Margo Martindale (of "the Riches" and "Million Dollar Baby"), and Adam LeFevre (of "Arthur and the Invisibles"). Monica JY Lederman was the producer and production designer (under the alias of "Alexandra Clementine") of the film. It premiered at Tribeca Film Festival's Drive-In Series at Rockefeller Center and the Boston Film Festival in 2007. "Mo" won several award s in the festival circuit, including: Audience Choice Award at the Malibu International Film Festival, Best US Feature Film at the Wine Country Festival, and Best Film at the Long Island International Film Festival. In January of 2009, "Mo" was distributed by Cinetic Rights Management on iTunes. Monica attributes much of Mo's success to the collaboration of all of the talented, hard-working people involved with the project. She is fulfilled by the leadership role of producing, and believes that it is her purpose to provide wealth and career fulfillment to all of the people involved with her ventures. She regards experience as the greatest gratification and finds reward in the process. She feels confident that her films will provide charm, amusement, and illumination to their audiences, and she is contented to produce in an efficient, timely, and lucrative manner.
Every kid wants to be cool and fit in - life's a blast even when you're different. When Mo's reflection is revealed, he sees a body that doesn't quite resemble any of his peers. Here, he tells the tale of his youth, growing up on the south shore of Long Island, New York- How his parents support him, how his wacky brother keeps him laughing, and how his friends help him to escape. After discovering that the reason behind all of his physical differences is a genetic mutation called "Marfan Syndrome", Mo is forced to come to terms with a more serious reality: he will never be able to do many of the things that the people around him take for granted and he will have to prepare himself for a major heart surgery. As we venture away from our own realities, Mo takes us into his world of hanging out, discovering girls, dealing with school and the doctor's office, going to parties, trying sports, getting stoned, and contemplating God.