We are excited to announce that MPI filmmaker Monica Cecilia Lucas has been awarded MPI’s 2025 Short Film Lab $10,000 grant for her outstanding project proposal and script.

Monica’s winning project, You’ve Got Matches, is a rom-com with a sci-fi twist. The film follows a hopeless romantic and a curmudgeonly cynic who form an unexpected bond—and begin to question why their AI-powered dating apps have worked so hard to keep them apart.

Monica first became involved with MPI through the 2021 Short Film Lab and went on to work as a production assistant on several MPI Originals, including Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game, Motherland, and One Second After. She also attended the 2023 Producing Summit and the Advanced Filmmakers Summit, further developing her skills and expanding her network within the MPI community.

During the 2025 Short Film Lab, Monica participated in the Narrative Short Screenwriting Workshop, where she developed her script through cycles of writing, revision, and constructive feedback from experienced mentors and peers. She then advanced to the Directing Workshop, where she learned how to bring her story to life—working with actors, managing a crew, and preparing for pre-production and production.

A former Washington insider turned TV drama and rom-com writer, Monica graduated from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and has since received several writing honors, including the Inevitable Foundation’s Visionary Fellowship. She was a member of the 2025 cohort for Mentorship Matters and was an official selection for this year’s Women’s List. She has written for PocketFM and Crazy Maple (ReelShorts) and worked as a showrunner’s assistant and production assistant. Monica’s first short film was funded by a grant from Netflix and recently premiered at the Academy Museum.

Reflecting on her time with MPI, Monica said:

“Working with MPI over the past few years has been my most robust film education to date. Having the opportunity to work as a PA on multiple MPI Original shorts and features provided me with incredibly thorough learning experiences that I carry with me into my writing. Continuing that education through the Short Film Lab allowed me to put those lessons into practice. Receiving notes from other participants helped me refine my story, and attending lectures and workshops led by our instructors gave me the confidence to put my script on its feet.

Being recognized as the winner of the 2025 Short Film Lab means the world to me, as I’ll be able to put all these lessons and experiences to good use as I embark on the next chapter of my career as a storyteller and filmmaker—by making a short film!”