Alumna Yossera Bouchtia '19 participated in The Gotham's TV Series Lab with her show Yasmine/Jasmine from May 24-28, 2021. Bouchtia is one of only ten outstanding debut or “breakthrough” series creators selected for the lab which provides creators/writers and producers/EPs with the knowledge, resources and mentor support necessary for writing strong pitches and creating solid development strategies. The five-day program was composed of workshops, case studies, and particular attention was given to study the inner workings of the writers room.
Yasmine/Jasmine follows a grieving daughter who, after the sudden and mysterious death of her mother, starts to contend with haunting visitations from her doppelganger and is forced to confront a family curse and reclaim a part of herself she never knew.
Yossera Bouchtia is a Moroccan-American drama and thriller screenwriter/director whose work is committed to challenging stereotypes, dispelling misconceptions, and shedding light on hidden truths while bridging the gap between the eastern and western worlds. Her past film work has explored the role of religion and culture in shaping feminine identity and has been featured in The Huffington Post, Jezebel, and Morocco World News. Most recently, she co-wrote and directed an Alfred P. Sloan funded short film on the life and work of astronomer Vera Rubin. She currently lives in Virginia and is an Assistant Professor of Cinema at VCU School of the Arts.
Now in their 17th year, the Gotham Labs work to ensure that talented emerging voices receive the support, resources, and industry exposure necessary to develop and complete their visions and reach audiences and industry decision makers. Creators in the areas of fiction and documentary feature filmmaking and TV series content meet multiple times during the year including pitching their projects at the Gotham Project Market in September.
After participating in the program, past Gotham TV-Series Lab alumni have gone on to, among other successful stories, find partners and executive producers, connect and sign deals with production companies, work in writer’s rooms, find representation with top management companies, and have their project acquired by television and streaming companies.
