Alyssa Brayboy is a Los Angeles-based actress, producer, writer, entrepreneur and SheEO/Founder of Buttons, a Black and Latina female-owned production company that gives prominence to the personal narratives and traditions of underrepresented and diverse voices through the power of film.
Brayboy launched her acting career in 2014 with parts in productions such as Already Lucky, 30 Nights and 2018’s The Mix and Serve, a TV series that she also produced. She has since created, directed and written several films, shorts and series, including the upcoming short film Shadow Self, a collaboration with director Jesse Randall (with whom she worked on his series The Safety Plan) about how COVID-19’s lockdowns impacted the mental health of queer women of color.
She was also nominated for Best Comedic Performance in 2021’s Best of NFMLA Awards for her role in The Safety Plan, Maverick Movie Awards’ Best Supporting Actress nominee for her role in Already Lucky and won Best Supporting Actress at the Silicon Beach Film Festival for her role in Coyote.
In the past year, Brayboy has traveled the country to promote Sugar, a darkly intense comedy/drama directed, written and starring Alyssa Brayboy herself. The film found itself being seen at numerous festivals. An exclusive screening was held at the 2024 Black & Brown Femme Films Festival at the Logan Center for the Arts in Chicago. Brayboy’s short film, produced alongside Elisa Vazquez and Jillian Stewart, delves into the gritty and complex lives of three sex workers in a tale of unique relationships. Through their journey, they confront the harsh realities of their existence and the masks they put on to face the world.
“I was so incredibly excited for Sugar to be featured at the Black & Brown Femme Films Festival in Chicago,” said Brayboy, who operates her indie production studio, Buttons, in LA. “This film is deeply personal and reflects a raw, unfiltered look into the unique challenges that sex workers face on a daily basis.”
Since Sugar’s debut, the film has screened at the Tucson Sex Worker Film & Art Festival, A Royal Chance Film Festival, Dances with Films in LA and the California Women’s Film Festival, where it received an audience award.
“Sharing the personal narratives of these characters is so important to me, and I’m so grateful to the Black & Brown Femme Films Festival for offering a brilliant platform to celebrate bold, independent storytelling featuring Black and Brown cisgender, trans, and nonbinary women of color.”
The Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival is renowned for empowering women filmmakers and storytellers from around the world, while SNAP! is celebrated for its focus on diverse, cutting-edge cinema. The Micheaux Film Festival, now in its sixth year, continues to honor the legacy of pioneering African American filmmaker Oscar Micheaux by providing a platform for multicultural and BIPOC filmmakers to showcase their unique art and foster a sense of community.
Other Festivals Include:
- Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival in New York City
- SNAP! Fest in Brussels, Belgium
- Micheaux Film Festival in Los Angeles
“Having Sugar screen at these festivals is truly a full-circle moment for me,” Brayboy added. “Each festival has a unique mission that aligns with my passion for creating stories that matter and resonate on a profound level. It’s an incredible opportunity to share the personal narratives of these characters and highlight the complex realities they navigate. This piece is a passion project and represents a significant piece of my heart. It’s a raw, honest exploration of these characters’ lives, filled with courage and authenticity. I am proud to bring this story tothe forefront, showcasing the tough choices people make in a world that’s quick to judge. Dances with Films festival is the perfect place tointroduce Sugar – where independent spirit and bold storytelling are not only accepted, they are celebrated.”
“After an incredible experience at the Dances with Films Festival in New York City where a highlight was a 70-year old viewer – a fellow filmmaker’s mother from Vermont – telling me that she did not expect to connect with sex work and then thanked me for a beautifully unexpected twist and new perspective, I am quite excited to present Sugar to LA audiences at the California Women’s Film Festival this week,” enthused Brayboy, who based the story on her real-life sex work experiences.
“It’s a profession that’s often looked at in a negative way and I want to shine light on that and show a different perspective because it’s not always about sex, which has lead me to advocate for the rights of sex workers,” Brayboy told NYC’s Patch.com.
Find Alyssa Brayboy on IG @alyssabrayboy and @buttons.studio.