Los Angeles-based writer-director Colin Francis Costello has another win to add to his reel. Costello and his Ela Road Films team just took home the top prize from the Gather Contest, a global cinematic competition sponsored by Ohhh! Contest and MBY x Maison Huis, with a spot that’s as colorful as it is heartfelt.
The 35-second film, titled Lemons, delivers a playful twist on the adage “when life gives you lemons.” In the story, a little girl struggles to attract customers to her lemonade stand—until her parents bring out the Maison Huis cold-pressed juicer, turning her luck (and the juice) around. Once the fresh lemonade starts flowing, so do the crowds. The spot closes with a clever voiceover: “When life gives you lemons, juice them.” Watch below:
Maison Huis’ CEO, Lou Gang, praised the commercial’s craftsmanship and visual punch, calling it “vivid and full of life,” and giving a special nod to the young star’s expressive performance.
The win is another milestone for Costello, who developed the spot alongside longtime collaborator Lily Kim (Creative Director/Art Director) for Ela Road Films. The project was co-produced by Christine Sclafani of Macaroni Entertainment and Julio Splinker of Existe Mas. Kim’s daughter, Nari Aleksey, steals the show as the determined lemonade seller.
Costello says the inspiration came straight out of his love for classic Peanuts cartoons: “I’ve always admired the simplicity and humanity in those stories. With Lemons, we wanted something warm, light, and a little surprising—about optimism, family, and how thoughtful craft can change the whole day.”
Kim added that the brief centered on togetherness and the juicer’s role in bringing people together: “From the start, I envisioned the spot bursting with color and energy. The lemonade stand itself became a character, designed to echo the vibrant palette of the fruits and vegetables.”
Producer Christine Sclafani described the shoot as “pure lightning in a bottle”: “We had one day, eight hours, to pull it off. Instead of slowing us down, the pressure charged the whole set. That urgency and collaboration show up on screen. I couldn’t be prouder.”
The Gather Contest is run by Ohhh! Contest is a new community-driven platform connecting brands with filmmakers through cinematic competitions. Founded just four months ago by two Moroccan entrepreneurs, Amine El Bouhssini and Soufyane El Anssari with backgrounds in cross-border e-commerce and filmmaking, the company has already partnered with major brands including Wolfbox, HBADA, and Sunaofe. Their mission? To merge creativity and commerce on a global scale while empowering filmmakers with fresh opportunities.
Existe Mas, co-founder and co-producer, Julio Splinker, summed it up best: “Existe mas helped and coproduced by providing the crew and Film equipment. We are very happy it won for the team.”
With Lemons, Costello and his team didn’t just make juice, they bottled up optimism, heart, and a bright win for Chicago-rooted talent making waves worldwide. The spot can be viewed online.
CREDITS:
BRAND: MBY x Maison Huis
AGENCY: Ela Road Films, LLC
- Creative Director. Copywriter, Director: Colin Costello
- Creative Director, Art Director: Lily Kim
PRODUCTION COMPANIES:
Macaroni Entertainment
Producer: Christine Sclafani
Existe Mas
- Producer: Julio Splinker
- Director of Photography: Rajvardhan Pagar
- 1st AC: Max Layman
- Camera Operator: Eduardo Lopez
- Production Assistants: Victor Martinez
- Script Supervisor: Hitesh Peddagangi
- Grip: Yesica Gonzalez
- Gaffer: Nolan Veneklasen
Editor: Sarper Gokbulut
Color: Jennifer Gaida
Cast
- Lemonade Girl: Nari Aleksey
- Mom: Jennifer Nguyen
- Dad: Tom Rowen
- Dogwalker: Nandy McLean
- Running Woman: Sheri Carruthers
- Clown: Kim Manning
- Background: Eligio Reyes, Sophia Nguyen, Cathy Muhlenforth, Josiah Benedetti, Pilar Perkins, Mike Donohoe, Luna Rollins
Lexi Carson covers the buzziest campaigns, brand beefs, and streaming shake-ups. She’s known for her razor-sharp takes, obsession with 90s ad jingles, and a red bob that’s never once missed a deadline.
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