Meet the Makers: Yossera Bouchtia

Yossera Bouchtia is a Directing student currently in her fourth year.

How did you get started in film?

At an early age, my father used to always have my brother and me join him in watching pirated VHS movies he uncovered from the underground souks in our hometown Rabat, Morocco. These were obligatory occasions, ones I would appreciate in retrospect. He was a big fan of the classics, absolutely loved anything starring Kirk Douglas and everything made by Hitchcock. And he loved sharing any foreign movie he got his hands on. This exposure planted a seed and led to a deep yearning and desire for expression. With film, the possibility for expression felt limitless. 
 

Did you have a background education in cinema before starting the MFA Program?

It wasn’t until my undergraduate studies where I rediscovered what my father had exposed me to. I went on to study Cinema at VCUarts where my perception was forever changed. I no longer was sitting back and enjoying a movie but I became an active participant and started dissecting films as a would-be creator. And what felt visceral and universal as an audience member became a guiding light as I reconnected to my early yearning to express what felt inexpressible.

After graduating from VCUarts I moved immediately to New York City and started working on any and all film related opportunities I could get my hands on. I produced and wrote indie shorts, I shot videos for street art blogs, I assisted the director of a local film festival, and I edited a documentary that went on to win the Sundance Jury Prize for Best Non-Fiction Short of 2013. Yet, although these experiences taught me much, I soon realized I was having trouble balancing time for personal work, and the struggle of surviving in New York City started to take its toll.
 

How has the program helped/challenged/changed your path as a creator?

I decided to pursue an MFA degree in order to immerse myself in a committed atmosphere where I’d be able to devote all my time and energy toward developing my craft. I still had a lot to learn (and still do!) so I applied to Columbia because of its specific focus on narrative storytelling. Looking back now. I can see how the program’s intensity has completely transformed the way I understand and approach storytelling.
 

How many films have you made while in the program and have you had the opportunity to showcase them anywhere?

My initial focus was to allow myself the freedom to experiment and fail as many times as I could afford under faculty guidance and within the safe environment of my peers. So with that, I have had no desire to showcase my work! Still, I can appreciate how every exercise, 3-5 and 8-12 I’ve worked on has been part of an intense preparation that’s stretched me beyond my limits both mentally and physically.
 

What are you working on right now?

I am currently busy preparing for my Thesis film, Into the Void, which was awarded the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Production grant earlier this year. The film is a biopic based on the legendary female astronomist, Vera Rubin, who was the first to come across evidence of dark matter. Right now, my producer Ciara Doll and I are in the midst of pre-production and are preparing for a crowdfunding campaign to help cover additional costs for our December shoot.

It’s been an exciting and gratifying feeling bringing this story to life, especially in honor of Vera Rubin’s legacy whose work has paved a needed path for uncovering the mysteries of the universe.
 

You are currently teaching at VCUarts. Could you share a little about that experience?

It’s such a familiar and warm feeling to return to the school where I started my film studies as an undergrad. Although it’s been tough commuting back and forth from NYC to Richmond, Virginia, I have fallen in love with the profession. This is my second year as an adjunct professor, teaching classes on directing and montage and I feel a deep responsibility to offer my students what I wish I had received in my early 20s and empowering them to utilize the tools of the medium consciously.
 

If there's one thing you wish you had known earlier, what would that be?

Start meditating, early on. I was thrown off balance and distracted during my first year into the program and I wish I had been better prepared for the surprises life threw at me.
 

What do you hope to do after graduation?

I plan to continue teaching at VCUarts and writing and directing films that champion underrepresented voices and inclusivity.