7. Lucas Leyva

Cultist proudly presents "100 Creatives," where we feature Miami's cultural superheroes in random order. Have suggestions for future profiles? Email [email protected] with the whos and whys. 7. Lucas LeyvaLucas Leyva is a creative man of action. At only 24 years old, he is already sort of a hometown hero and is definitely an...

By Liz Tracy

February 23, 2011

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Cultist proudly presents "100 Creatives," where we feature Miami's cultural superheroes in random order. Have suggestions for future profiles? Email [email protected] with the whos and whys.

7. Lucas Leyva
Lucas Leyva is a creative man of action. At only 24 years old, he is already sort of a hometown hero and is definitely an overachiever extraordinaire. As the founder and director of Miami's Borscht Film Festival, Leyva, with the help of some friends and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, is fostering a film community locally that will probably one day intimidate Hollywood (CA, not FL). Borscht is dedicated to Miami's best interests. It encourages talented filmmakers under the age of 30 to create works about, for, and in Miami, helping to bring attention and dollars to South Florida, and getting the rest of the world to recognize our talent.

Also an accomplished playwright, the honors this creative have received are impressive: he's published in Hialeah Haikus, a poetry collection. He's received a Mastermind "genius" award from us here at Miami New Times. The short film he directed Day N Night Out written by Tarell Alvin McCraney premiered at Cannes International Film Festival.

Apparently, October 4 is Leyva's holiday, dedicated to him and six other (at the time) teens by the Mayor of Miami for "changing the world." Recently, the totally Miami, completely insane, and seriously brilliant video he created for songstress Rachel Goodrich's video "Light Bulb" was even featured on IFC's 10 Greatest Music Videos of 2010. You get it, Miami's a big deal to Lucas Leyva, and Lucas Leyva's kind of a big deal to us.

1. List five things that inspire you.

-Easy Riders, Raging Bulls by Peter Biskind
-The Brain as a Reductive Valve
-Extinct megafauna
-Werner Herzog
-Udonis Haslem

2. What was your last big project?

Painting the second room in the apartment yellow so we can rent it out. It's quite nice if you are looking for a place. Centrally located too.

I just shot my second video for Rachel Goodrich, the song is "Na Na Na" and should be released within the next month.

3. What's your next big project?

Developing about a dozen short films for Borscht 7, as well as directing one in collaboration with Rosie Herrera, Coral Morphologic, and ANR. Also directing ANR's new music video for "Big Problem."

Borscht 7 will be April 23rd at the Arsht Center, but we are also teaming up with O, Miami and Sweat Records to program a week of really cool grassroots events, starting with Sweatstock on April 16th and ending with Borscht on the 23rd. There is also a robot death match to kick things off on April 9th.

4. Why do you do what you do?

I am otherwise useless. Besides I am too short and unskilled to be in the NBA.

5. What's something you want Miami to know about you?

Please don't be mad if I am late anywhere. I have a terrible sense of direction and always get lost.

What's something you don't want Miami to know about you?

If I ever get a girl pregnant, I will drop this creative nonsense and go to law school. Real talk.

The Creatives so far:

8. Jen Stark
9. Adler Guerrier
10. Susan Lee-Chun
11. Andres and Diego Meza-Valdes
12. Beatriz Monteavaro
13. Timothy Buwalda
14. Edwidge Danticat
15. Juraj Kojs
16. Cat Dove
17. Campbell McGrath
18. Frances Trombly
19. Jose Mertz
20. Emma Trelles
21. Pablo Cano
22. Natasha Tsakos
23. Freegums
24. Aurora Natrix
25. Gean Moreno
26. Yaddyra Peralta
27. Barron Sherer
28. Brigid Baker
29. Daniel Fila
30. McLaine Oberhellmann
31. Fro Rojas
32. Annie Hollingsworth
33. Preston Allen
34. Cristina Molina
35. David Josef Tamargo
36. Jillian Mayer
37. Alfonso Vega
38. Natasha Lopez de Victoria
39. Aholsniffsglu e

40. Heather Malone y
41. Jorge Rubiera
42. Elaine Lancaster
43. Nick Duckart
44. Danielle Estefan
45. John Dufresne
46. Monica Lopez de Victoria
47. Bill Bilowit
48. Alette Simmons-Jimenez
49. Tawnie Silva
50. Ginger Bardot
51. Jonathan David Kane
52. Naomi Fisher
53. Rocky Grimes
54. Teresa Barcelo
55. Paul Tei
56. Lee Materazzi

57. Karla Garcia
58. Anna Mixon
59. Octavio Campos
60. P. Scott Cunningham
61. Elena Garcia
62. Summer Hill
63. Autumn Casey
64. Juan Navarro
65. Serge Toussaint
66. David Rohn
67. Diane Brache
68. Spencer Morin
69. James Anthony
70. Jim Drain
71. Claudia Calle
72. Kevin Arrow
73. Andrew Hevia
74. Ana Mendez
75. Michael McKeever
76. Diana Lozano
77. Ricardo Pau-Llosa
78. Agustina Woodgate
79. Tarell Alvin McCraney
80. Jennifer Kronenberg
81. Farley Aguilar
82. Colin Foord
83. Karelle Levy
84. Matt Gajewski
85. Antonia Wright
86. Allen Charles Klein
87. Christy Gast
88. Gustavo Matamoros
89. Shareen Rubiera-Sarwar
90. Kyle Trowbridge
91. Clifton Childree
92. Jessica Gross
93. Danny Brito
94. Nektar de Stagni
95. Anthony Spinello
96. Vanessa Garcia
97. Justin Long
98. Rosie Herrera
99. Rick Falcon
100. Ingrid B

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Liz Tracy is a culture and health journalist whose writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Atlantic, Glamour, and Vox. Previously, she served as New Times Broward-Palm Beach's music editor for three years. Wherever she goes, she brings a little bit of Miami with her.

Contact: Liz Tracy

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