Lori Webster is a native of Eastern North Carolina, where you’re either kin, friends, or one hello away from a good story. For Lori, life is cinematic—a way of being sparked by her own bored kid attempt to write one stormy afternoon, when her aunt cut off the TV “while the Lord does his work." She’s been at it ever since, telling stories with truth and grit. A Writer and Director (the kind producers like), Lori’s work centers on liberative imagination, intersectionality, and women who color outside the lines. Her work has been supported by the Sundance Episodic Intensive, Gotham TV Series Lab, and SFFILM Kenneth Rainin Foundation. She’s the winner of the SeriesFest x Wondaland Pictures Storytellers Initiative. She’s also a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, where she taught as an Adjunct Associate Professor. Grounded by humble beginnings and her roles as a caregiver and advocate, Lori tells stories that feel lived in, stories that feel like home.

‍

ABOUT Signs and Wonders

In a world where race and disability are often overlooked in the same breath, Valerie McMillan—Black woman, only hearing child of Deaf adults (OHCODA), and professional sign language interpreter—reclaims her voice, reshapes cultural norms, and bridges generational gaps in a community too often left unheard.

‍

Film

Signs and Wonders

Program Affiliation

Firelight Fund

Cohort Year

2025

Website

hiddengemstories.com