Elle León Nostas
Elle León Nostas is an award-winning, non-binary Bolivian-Palestinian-American director, writer, and producer. As the child of immigrants from two indigenous lineages, Quechua in the Amazon and Aymara in the Andes, their work is forged by their multicultural heritage and motivated by the primal forces that shape modern society.
“Elle León creates through many lenses, but the one that is consistently highlighted in each piece of work is empathy. He has the ability to deconstruct the original rule book, and find each project’s unique identity. He is not showcasing others’ differences; he is fine-tuning variations of life experiences so well that you have no choice but to be captured by their commanding existence.”
Elle León began their entrée into the film industry in Los Angeles, California as a costume designer for films such as The House (starring Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler), Miles (starring Molly Shannon and Paul Reiser), Nocturne (starring Sydney Sweeney), and the L.A. units for Men In Black: International and Terminator: Dark Fate.
In 2022, Elle León transitioned to producing, writing, and directing as their sole focus with a mission to develop and produce authentic cinema and empower underrepresented storytellers.
As an executive producer for Anthrocene Entertainment, Elle León oversaw virtual production, physical production, and stills campaigns for beauty powerhouse client Lancôme, producing spots with acting and fashion icons Zendaya and Lilly Collins. As Head of Production at Engine Studios, Elle León spearheaded physical production strategy and development alongside the international marketing team known for crafting branded spots for films like Spider-Man: Homecoming (Sony/Marvel), Hotel Transylvania 2 (Sony), Kingsman: The Golden Circle (Fox), and Big Hero 6 (Disney). As Head of Production at DayJob Studios, Elle León launched the creative agency’s physical and post-production arm while serving as Creative Producer, crafting visual brand strategies and marketing campaigns — including the launch visuals for A24's Movie Chocolate.
“As a Queer, Latinx, and Indigenous artist, Nostas is passionate about championing for more representation both in front of and behind the camera, and exploring the stories of individuals and communities that are not often enough told through film.”
Today, Elle León is the creator and executive producer of the documentary film Fix My Kid, currently in development alongside Academy Award®-winning manager-producer Michael Sugar’s Sugar23. They are the Executive Producer of the new horror/thriller It Ends from director Alex Ullom alongside Academy Award®-nominated producers Keith and Jess Wu Calder. They are also the Executive Producer, Writer, and Co-Creator of the live-action series adaptation of Someone Is Always Watching by New York Times Best Selling Author Kelley Armstrong and the live-action adaptation of the award-winning YA novel Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass.
With a heavy focus on intellectual property development, Elle León has spoken on various industry panels, including the 2023 San Diego Comic-Con Panel "From Script to Screen," discussing the adaptation of IP in the entertainment industry, where he premiered his first graphic novel Mark Of Death: Year Of The Rat, currently being developed into an animated series alongside Stellar Creative Lab known for its work on Kung-Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, Sausage Party, and Marvel’s What If…?
In 2021, his directorial film Savior won the Bruce Corwin Award for Best Live-Action Short at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, which led him to partner with producer Deven LeTendre (Co-Producer of Men In Black: International and Lions Gate’s Borderlands) for his animated feature debut Cloud Child.
In 2023, he launched his production shingle, AYMARA FILMS, a multi-hyphenate creative studio cultivating emerging talents, groundbreaking visions, and untold stories. In addition to dozens of active film and television projects in development, this year, they have joined forces with former Senior Vice President of Acquisitions at HBO, Doris Casap, and GLADD nominated producer and director Rodrigo Bellott to form ALTAR, a technology-driven Film Fund specializing in production, development, and talent incubation at the center of the world’s second-largest streaming market.
As a civil rights advocate, Elle León has worked with survivors of institutionalized abuse, LGBTQ+ youth, child laborers, and indigenous communities to help share their stories with a global audience.
“There has been endless talk of reaching across the aisle and being divided, but Nostas’ puts it very plainly. We have the tools to make our world better. We have to call upon our own bravery to make changes.”