From law to light, camera, action, Sauda Johnson-McNealis redefining what it means to lead and love yourself out loud with her debut feature film. The powerful lawyer-turned-filmmaker makes her debut with itLove The Skin You're Ina soul-stirring story with familiar faces and spotlights healing, heritage and hope.
Love The Skin You're In/ Source: Courtesy
Premiere Opening night at the La Femme International Film Festival in Los Angeles,Love The Skin You're In is inspired by McNeal's own journey, exploring family, caring, and the courage to choose self-love instead.
When Sauda Johnson McNeal first arrived at the University of Southern California to study theater, she saw a future shaped by stories, but not necessarily by law books or movie sets. Yet today the seasoned lawyer makes her debut as a filmmaker, writer and producer, boldly stepping into a new chapter of creative expression.
“I realized I had an entrepreneurial drive,” McNeal told BOSSIP. “Acting was my passion, but I also knew it would be challenging to make a living. So I decided to go to law school to empower myself—to finance everything I wanted to do.”
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That decision became the basis for a life built on self-determination. After opening her first law firm in New York and later moving to Los Angeles, McNeal balanced her legal career with a calling to tell authentic, emotionally resonant stories; the kind she rarely saw portrayed with nuance in Black families on screen.
“I tried to get my projects funded by others,” she told BOSSIP. “It didn't happen. So I decided to go against the norm; to invest in myself and believe in myself if I was ever going to make this dream come true.”
That leap of faith included crowdfunding and resulted in Love the skin you are indirected by Kenn Michael and produced by Kimberly L. Ogletree.
Love The Skin You're In/ Source: Courtesy
The raw drama follows Sasha, an award-winning photojournalist on the brink of a major international award. As Sasha uses her art to uplift overlooked communities, she secretly battles the weight of childhood trauma and a persistent need to please everyone.
When her estranged father – played by Obba Babatundé – returns home on dialysis and refuses therapy, Sasha's world begins to unravel.
Love The Skin You're In/ Source: Courtesy
Between taking care of him, managing increasing demands at her women's empowerment center (founded by her grandmother and mother), and dealing with a best friend who is transferring, Sasha thinks she can handle it all. But when both the center and her career come under threat, she is forced to ask herself the central question of the film: will she continue to sacrifice herself, or will she finally choose to heal and say “no”?
“Part of the story is part of my story,” McNeal told BOSSIP. “When I was in college, I went through some of the same self-harming behavior that my character experiences. It came from a lack of self-love. Once I healed, I wanted to create something that would help other black women—women who seem like they have it all together, but really carry so much inside.”
Love the skin you are in he did not shy away from difficult subjects.
It explores family care, mental health and the courage it takes to choose self-love, all while challenging stigmas surrounding addiction and recovery in black families. The film stars big names like the legendary Marla Gibbs, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Flor De Alcis, Blythe Howard, Kareem Grimes, Marcus Mitchell, Adilah Barnes, Jacqueline Flemming, and Kyrie McAlpin.
Love The Skin You're In/ Source: Courtesy
“Marla was incredible,” McNeal told BOSSIP about the icon. “When she took a break in her lines, someone tried to feed her the next one. She stopped and said, 'I've got this.' And she did. She came in fully prepared – a true icon.
McNeal credits producer Kimberly Ogletree, casting director Leah Butler, and her Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. sisters for helping bring the project to life.
“Kimberly told me, 'If you want this to be a classic Soul Food or Love Jonesyou need the right cast.' And she was right,” McNeal told BOSSIP. “It really came down to relationships, networking and sisterhood. So many people believed in me, even when I didn't have the big budget to match.”
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The film will make its debut on Opening Night at the La Femme International Film Festival in Los Angeles on Thursday, October 16, with a red carpet event at 5 p.m. followed by the screening from 6 to 8 p.m.
Beyond festival accolades, McNeal hopes her story resonates on a deeper level.
“If even one woman watches this film and decides to go to therapy or realizes she's not alone, that's success for me,” she told BOSSIP. “We all go through things, but the message is that you can still thrive. You can still love yourself in the midst of it.”
As she prepares for Love the Skin You Are To take the next step, McNeal said she was overwhelmed by gratitude for the outpouring of support and faith others have shown in her vision.
“Oh, I'm excited and I'm humbled and I'm so happy,” McNeal told BOSSIP. “I've already reached out to a few people who are potentially interested in distributing it. I couldn't have done this on my own—there's no such thing. Everyone came to the table believing in me, and some even lowered their rates because they knew what this movie represented. On the last day of filming, Marla Gibbs came up to me and said, 'We need more movies like this.' That meant everything. I thank my team, and I'm just so happy. “
