LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 28: Director Gino McKoy attends "LUMINA" LA Premiere at Television ... [+] Academy on June 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Luminamovie LLC) Getty Images for Luminamovie LLC As we wait in anticipation of the final season of Netflix’s Stranger Things (almost three years have passed since the season four finale), there is a film called Lumina from Gino McKoy currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and YouTube to ease the delay. There is no Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Hopper, Joyce, or the rest of the residents of the fictional Hawkins, Indiana. However, it does feature a group of modern-day young adults as they embark on a journey for the truth where they encounter unexpected challenges. And it is just enough to whet your appetite for what lies ahead on Stranger Things. From Goldove Entertainment, Lumina tells the tale of a young woman named Tatiana (Eleanor Williams) who disappears following a sudden flash of light from the sky and the attempts by her boyfriend Alex (Rupert Lazarus) and his friends to find her. The group desperately treks from Los Angeles to the desert in search of Tatiana, who Alex believes is being held in a Deep Underground Military Base (DUMB) after having contact with alien forces. There they meet Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts as the mysterious Thom. And what they discover is a dystopian future where humanity has harnessed a mysterious energy source known as Lumina, which for reasons unknown is trying to solve the world’s energy crisis. Shades of Stranger Things, there are mysterious human and extraterrestrial forces beyond comprehension in the search for Tatiana in Lumina. Blending elements of psychological thrillers, science fiction, and horror, the set designs and special effects enhance the narrative. Lumina is the first science fiction entry to be shot in Morocco, particularly in the mountainous regions of Marrakech and Ouarzazate, providing it with a distinct cinematic appearance. And, debuting in theaters in 2024, the film has been showcased at packed fan gatherings like Comic Con New York and Monsterpalooza. "Lumina," a science fiction horror-themed dramedy, follows the story of Alex, whose girlfriend ... [+] Tatiana disappears in a flash of a blinding light. Goldove Entertainment “At first, I wanted to do a sci-fi comedy, but I also wanted to show what the impact is psychologically following an abduction,” noted Gino McKoy, who wrote, produced and directed Lumina. “The film is tongue in cheek at times, but it deals with serious topics and unexplained phenomena. At the core, this is a story of reality, love, and survival. And because it was a mixture of different genres, it took some convincing to explain what my vision was for the film.” “It dares to be different,” he said. From the Beginning Born in Trinidad and raised in Canada, show business was in Gino McKoy’s roots. His parents, Hudson and Lynda McKoy, are musicians, banking professionals and the founders of Goldove Entertainment, and McKoy’s entry into the business and entertainment space mirrored his family’s path. “I majored in political science in college, which was always one of my great interests. And I studied world religion, specializing in Judaism and Christianity,” he said. “I also had classical training and grew up surrounded by music. But after entering the business world working for a financial institution, my creative side took over and I eventually segued into music and filmmaking. I wanted to perform and produce the type of music I could include in my movies, which I do throughout Lumina.” In 2008, McKoy’s career in music got a boost after he met Canadian sound engineer/producer Nick Blagona and they began to work on his debut pop rock album. In 2010, the project was taken over by legendary Hollywood producer David Kershenbaum, which resulted in his debut album Step Forward. “I had the opportunity to compete on America’s Got Talent, but I did not want to sing anybody else’s music. I didn’t want to portray myself as a cover artist,” he said. At the same time, McKoy started working on screenplays for two feature films, while also launching a merchandising line, Lydgio Fashions, co-founded by he and his mother, Lynda. Then, in 2015, McKoy wrote the script for Little Mizz Innocent, which followed a UN interpreter entangled in a conflict between the FBI and a criminal organization. “With Lumina, we initially had a distribution deal with Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios for a wide release, but Covid hit and everything was put on hold,” remembered McKoy. “So, we spoke to other investors we knew and I started scouting locations where we could safely shoot the film, which ended up being Morocco. Not without its hiccups, including the pandemic-related delays and a cast and crew turnover, getting Lumina off the ground was a no easy maneuver. In addition to writing, directing, producing and singing the songs in the film, McKoy co-composed the soundtrack and served as visual effects supervisor. “Overall, it’s been a mixed response. Some people don’t understand Lumina and I think some of the critics unfairly misjudged it because this is a sci-fi comedy. Everything was intentional when I set up scenes and,” he said. “I grew up in the days where you had movies like The Naked Gun, Blazing Saddles and Billy Crystal in City Slickers. And I wanted something lighter, something funny in a parody sense, and all with a bit of a love interest in there.” “When I go to an event like Comic Con, I realize that people saw the experimentation. They felt the vibe. And that is what I want to accomplish with any film I do,” he said. Looking Ahead MORE FOR YOU ‘The Floodgates Open’—Bitcoin And Crypto Brace For A $9 Trillion Fed Price Flip ‘NYT Mini’ Clues And Answers For Wednesday, March 19 Google Slashes Pixel 9 Pro And Pro XL Prices In Major New Deals At present, McKoy is collaborating with Michael Sloan (The Equalizer) to produce a new film, Spidersweb, set to begin shooting in Morocco. Also in the science fiction space, Spidersweb, per McKoy, is about a “post-apocalyptic future where time travelers are banned and discover an alien race.” Also in the planning stages at Goldove Entertainment are a sci-fi flick about a scientist that creates the first anti-gravity spacecraft, a biopic about former football executive Jack Warner, and a sports film showcasing Howard University in the early 1970s, the first African American college to win a soccer championship. “The first black coach to win that collegiate championship at that point in time in the history of the country happens to be from Trinidad and Tobago, which are my roots. I felt an immediate connection,” noted McKoy. “I'm directing and writing the script and Spike Lee is executive producing it.” “Basically, I don't want to pigeonhole or typecast myself into one type of genre, so I continue to seek a diversified array of projects,” he said. “And I will always still pursue music. 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