Chicago’s indie production community continues to grow with the arrival of Luminoso Studios.
The new venture from brothers Adrian and Andrew Nuño, AKA The Nuño Twins, is setting out to tell emotionally resonant, visually powerful stories across film, animation, and audio.
With a focus on elevating underrepresented voices and building collaborations in their hometown, Luminoso Studios joins Chicago’s thriving independent media landscape with a clear mission and a strong slate of projects already underway.
Rooted in their Mexican-American identity and commitment to meaningful storytelling, the brothers founded Luminoso to shine light on narratives too often left in the shadows. Their mission is clear: to elevate underrepresented voices, particularly within the Latine and LGBTQ+ communities, while delivering content that blends craft, representation, and heart.
“Launching Luminoso Studios is more than a career move, it’s a personal milestone,” said Adrian Nuño. “This company is the culmination of our journey as storytellers, artists, and brothers. We’re building a creative home where identity, emotion, and craft can thrive.”
A Track Record of Recognition
The Nuño Twins bring over a decade of filmmaking experience to their new venture. Their short film Little Things won the Grand Jury Prize at the Southern City Film Festival, while their award-winning web series Border’d, co-created with Lauryn Lugo, earned a Telly Award, multiple festival selections, and distribution through Emmy-nominated Open Television.
Andrew earned an Emmy Award in 2022 for Mardi Gras For All Y’all, produced during his time with Lightswitch Video and The Advocate, and received another Emmy nomination the following year.
A Multi-Platform Slate
Luminoso Studios is making its debut with an ambitious lineup:
- Final Frame – A live-action short film that explores queer love and work/life balance. The film is currently beginning its film festival circuit. The film is also produced by Chicago’s own Troy Pryor and industry veterans Joe Hodorowicz and Jackie Quinones.
- Draft Paper – An animated short film set in WWII New York directed by Olivia Moon and written by her husband Nathan Moon, both of whom are local Chicago filmmakers. Adrian and Andrew Nuño are on board as producers, supporting the phenomenal creative team behind the project. The film is also beginning its festival run.
- Twin Spin – The Nuño twins’ original podcast has launched under the Luminoso Studios banner. Each episode features candid, insightful conversations with guests about the life-changing experiences that shaped who they are today. With its mix of vulnerability, humor, and real talk, Twin Spin reflects the heart and spirit of Luminoso’s storytelling mission.
Building in Chicago
“Our projects may span genres and mediums, but the goal is still the same: to make people feel seen, heard, and connected,” added Andrew Nuño. “We’re proud to grow our roots right here in Chicago, and we’re just getting started. We hope that as we continue to collaborate with storytellers, we can empower them to tell their stories while supporting them from start to finish with the experience we’ve gained throughout our more than twelve years of experience as filmmakers ourselves.”
With Luminoso Studios, the Nuño Twins are not only creating a new production company, but also a platform designed to empower storytellers and illuminate voices that deserve to be heard. Focused on developing and producing narrative films, branded content, podcasts, and post-production services.
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