Congratulations to Randi LeClair and Todd Fuller for their winning script “Cross X Stitches!”
Created by Todd Fuller and Randi LeClair, “Cross X Stitches” is the story of two rag-tag teams of Native baseball players as they travel across Oklahoma and the southwest, playing weekend tournaments, and causing chaos from town to town, and where the present and past merge as a pitching phenom grandson and his pitching phenom great-grandfather seek to provide for their families.
“It is absolutely vital that as an industry we continue to make space for Native stories. The Cherokee Nation and our incredible partners, such as SeriesFest, are doing our part to create more opportunities for proper representation and accurate portrayals of Natives in television and film. We’re proud to join SeriesFest and Green Pastures in congratulating the team behind Cross X Stitches on earning this recognition.”
Jennifer Loren, Senior Director of the Cherokee Nation Film Office
Randi Leigh LeClair (Pawnee Nation) graduated from Oklahoma State University with a BA in English (Creative Writing) and the University of Oklahoma with a Master of Professional Writing (MPW). In 2010, she received a Sundance Native Filmmaker’s Lab Fellowship for her short script, “The Other Side of the Bridge.” In 2015, she was awarded another Sundance Native Filmmaker’s Lab Fellowship for the production of “The Other Side of the Bridge,” which premiered at the Tulsa American Film Festival. Her short film, “Rariihuuru,” aka The Letter, about Pawnee baseball player Moses YellowHorse, premiered at the Native Crossroads Film Festival and Symposium at the University of Oklahoma in 2017. The same year, she also directed the play Blood Boundary for the Native American New Play Festival. In 2020, she earned an LA SkinsFest Native American Feature Film Writer’s Lab fellowship. Most recently, LeClair was awarded a Vision Maker Media Creative Shorts Fellowship for her short film, “The Circle of Chawce.”
“I’m honored and humbled that our script, “Cross X Stitches,” was selected as the winner of the SeriesFest Storytellers Workshop. So much gratitude to Green Pastures Studio and the Cherokee Nation Film Office for believing in our story. I can’t wait to get to work and make them proud!”
Randi LeClair
Todd Fuller serves as curator of the University of Oklahoma’s Western History Collections, University Libraries. His first book, 60 Feet 6 Inches and Other Distances from Home: the (Baseball) Life of Mose YellowHorse (Holy Cow! Press), has been optioned for a full-length screenplay, which he is co-writing with his wife Randi LeClair. His first poetry collection, To the Disappearance, was published in 2015. In 2022, he co-edited Level Land: Poems For and About the I35 Corridor (Lamar University Literary Press).
“I’m so honored to be working with Randi, Green Pastures Studio, and the Cherokee Nation Film Office on CROSS X STITCHES! I look forward to the collaborative effort it will take to bring this multi-generational, Native family’s story to life. The opportunity to expand and grow authentic Native-focused entertainment is thrilling and humbling.”
Todd Fuller
“So many gifted storytellers shared their voices with us! It was a true pleasure reading so many wonderful scripts. “Cross X Stitches” ultimately came out on top due to its deeply authentic subject matter, strong native characters, and creative storytelling. We are excited to help share “Cross X Stitches” with the world.”
Amy Janes, Green Pastures Studio
We had the privilege of speaking with all of the Finalists for this Storytellers Initiative about their experience in the Storytellers Workshop and the way it has continued to shape their stories.
“It is absolutely vital that as an industry we continue to make space for Native stories. The Cherokee Nation and our incredible partners, such as SeriesFest, are doing our part to create more opportunities for proper representation and accurate portrayals of Natives in television and film. We’re proud to join SeriesFest and Green Pastures in congratulating the team behind Cross X Stitches on earning this recognition.””All of the suggestions for my work were positive, without any of the hollow tweaks that agents and execs often make, maybe inadvertently to give them the benefit of the doubt, but in order to essentially earn their spot in the room. There was none of that here! No ego. This was all onward and upward energy. And the fantastic realization is that this works; when writers feel supported, we can all get back to the exciting “let’s make a show” excitement of why we came to arts in the first place.”
Liz Stephens, Finalist
“It honestly helped humble me. Having your project completely dissected and gone through was very important to me. I felt I grew significantly as a writer from this experience and will prepare me for the next time.“
Jake Kelley, Finalist
“We were able to create a much more cohesive story. The advice and edits given really helped us create what we believe is a much better and more fun script.“
Wes Ward, Finalist
Learn more about all of the Finalists’ projects and our partners here, and about our open submission opportunities here.
