Sister President

Written, produced, and starring Nicole J. Butler, best-known for her turn as "She Shed Cheryl" in State Farm's viral commercial, “Sister President” is a comedy about two sisters who find themselves in a complex, unexpected situation with supremely undesirable consequences for failing. Their answer to the question “Am I my sister’s keeper?” Is a resounding “YES I AM!"

After criticizing the President of the United States at a virtual town hall meeting, the quietly-intelligent Shona and her outspoken sister Kitara, are challenged by the current President to run the country. The only catch is at the end of six months, their approval rating must be 10 points higher than his, or they both go to prison.

The series serves-up serious, real-life issues with a side of humor. It is an expression of love for culture and country, and an admonishment to meet opportunity head-on, however imperfectly.

  • Nicole J. Butler
    Writer
    Missing Peace, Shootin' The Sh*t
  • Joe Camareno
    Director
    Tin Holiday, Fixing Paco, Componiendo a Paco, Falling Upwards, Encounters, Ylse
  • Julie Dove
    Producer
    Kids Get Real, Social Media Misfits, Welcome to Nash Vegas, My McDiet, The Girl Writer, The Audition
  • Nicole J. Butler
    Key Cast
    "President Shona Washington"
    State Farm's "She Shed Cheryl", Space Force, Unbelievable, GLOW, Superstore, Jimmy Kimmel Live
  • Michelle N. Carter
    Key Cast
    "VP Kitara Washington"
    Runaways, Speechless, The Librarians, Grimm
  • Killebrew
    Key Cast
    "Ms. K"
    Major Crimes, Funny or Die Presents, Shootin' The Sh*t,
  • Byron Marc Newsome
    Key Cast
    "Mike Mobley"
    Motown Magic, Criminal Minds, Days Of Our Lives, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
  • Project Type:
    Web / New Media
  • Genres:
    Comedy, Women, Political, African-American, Black
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 15 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    July 1, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    25,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Blackmagic 6K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16.9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Joe Camareno

Joe Camareno is a multi-award-winning producer, writer, director, and co-owner of Celtino Entertainment Group (CEG). This Los Angeles native was nominated for a 2019 Imagen Award in the Best Actor category for his latest feature film, “Tin Holiday,” alongside Antonio Banderas, Andy Garcia, and Anthony Ramos. "Tin Holiday" has garnered multiple nominations and wins including Best Director, Best Comedy, and Best Story all across the globe.

A true New Media pioneer, Joe took Best Audio Recording honors for his comedic narrative podcast “Virgin Falls” (2006 Parsec Award), one of the first podcasts of its day. Most recently, he was the series director for the web series “Sister President,” as well as the educational web series “Fixing Paco,” starring Paul Rodriguez. Joe’s work on “Paco” lead to him taking Best Director honors at the 2012 Reel Rasquache Film and Art Festival, and the series went on to receive a 2013 People’s Telly Silver Award for Best Program or Webisode, in addition to several 2013 and 2014 Imagen Award nominations. Joe was also the series director and producer for the 2010 Imagen Award-winning web series “Ylse.”

With a solid background in theater and live show production, Joe has produced and directed a number of original plays at theatre companies across Los Angeles, including the critically-acclaimed “Lost Angeles” at the Lillian Theater in Hollywood. As a writer of educational children’s shows, Joe co-wrote “The Environmental Defenders,” produced by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, as a touring production for the Los Angeles County elementary schools from 1995 to 2005. Praised for its merits by educators and a fast favorite among students,”The Environmental Defenders” won numerous awards, including the 1999 Productivity & Quality Award of Los Angeles County; the 1999 PRSA Prism Award; a 2001 Telly Award; the 2000 National Association of Counties Achievement Award; and the 2000 Association of Visual Communicators Award of Distinction.

As an actor, Joe has a career spanning over 25 years in front of the camera, having performed in more than 400 TV commercials and over 600 radio spots. He has been a campaign actor for Farmers Insurance and AT&T, as well as the campaign voice for Homeland Security, White Castle, Burger King, Taco Bell, Citré Shine Shampoo, and most recently, NutriBullet Rx. He has guest-starred on many hit television shows, including memorable recurring roles on “The Shield” and “Unfabulous.” Film roles include turns on “Expired,” “Tin Holiday,” and “Edith & Harvey.”

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Director Statement

As a filmmaker of Native American (Tohono O'odham) and Latino mixed background, I was inspired to tell the story in 'Sister President' because of the lack of roles for African-Americans in traditional Hollywood fare. I believe I brought a unique aspect to the series in that- while I am not of African-American descent, I am from a group of people that has historically had their voice oppressed by systemic racism and the like. I have also been fortunate to break through some of those barriers and find my own voice amidst the Hollywood landscape. I gravitate toward people who operate in the same manner and have been able to forge alliances in order to create opportunities that can catapult us toward mutual successes.

The characters in this story are smart and relatable to audiences because they are, at their core, fully-realized and three dimensional in their writing. The show's creator, EP, and lead, Nicole J. Butler (best known as "She Shed Cheryl" from State Farm's viral commercial) did a fantastic job of illustrating these diverse voices in a fun and smart way by depicting women of color as strong yet vulnerable. She touched on topics such as mental illness, social inequality, and political drama that is currently unfolding in the USA.

Working with Nicole was an illuminating experience as she was open to suggestions in the writing and story as well as open to making sure the characters came off as true and reflective of her original intentions in the narrative she wanted to tell.

I am elated that we have been able to bring this series to life and connect with audiences in a grassroots way. In the fundraising phase of pre-production, people saw the need for this story and the significance of what the characters would offer. The excitement from supporters was truly incredible from the beginning to the premiere of the series. This overwhelming enthusiasm bespeaks of the tenable need for a series like this to be a part of the fabric that makes up the vast amount of entertainment options available to audiences as a whole. "Sister President" has been able to carve out a niche and hold its own in this space. We are so proud.

It is my hope that you enjoy the series and see the wonderful aspects of it and are able to help us share this story with the rest of the world at large.