Alumna’s short film ‘TRYOUTS’ nominated for College Television Award

Having done work in countries ranging from Spain to Germany to Tunisia, Susana Casares has been around more than most recent UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television graduates. However, her main recognition comes from her award-nominated work in the United States.

Casares’ thesis project, the short film “TRYOUTS,” has been nominated for a College Television Award under the “Drama” category. The 14-minute film follows the story of Nayla, a Muslim American teenage girl who aspires to be a school cheerleader. Despite her noticeable talent, she is ultimately rejected because of her headscarf, forcing her into a conflict between public image and personal welfare.

The awards are held by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation, the same organization that runs the Primetime Emmy Awards. In a category of three nominees, Casares said she is hopeful for her film’s chances at the gala being held in Hollywood tonight.

“Making the movie was so much work,” Casares said. “To be validated from an institution who knows what they’re doing feels very good.”

Born in Barcelona, Casares had initially been interested in fine arts, but began to incorporate video art into her studies. Though she was previously studying in Germany, she found inspiration for her first film project in her home country.

“My grandmother was living in a home and they were moving the old people into a new home in the middle of nowhere,” Casares said. “So I made a documentary for TV out of it and I realized that I really loved making movies and telling stories through the film.”

She proceeded to work on film projects in numerous countries, later receiving a scholarship to work on her master’s degree at UCLA, graduating in fall 2012. Though she said she has since found motivation to work on films in the United States, the concept for her thesis project originated from an experience she had while part of a feminist performance group in Barcelona.

“There was a case in the newspaper about a girl in France who couldn’t go to high school because she was wearing the headscarf as a Muslim,” Casares said. “That image of that girl finding a way of her own to escape the rules, but also comply with them, was very inspiring somehow.”

Casares’ role was multifaceted, as director, writer and main producer of the short, shot over the course of a year. She handled the interlaying themes of culture and youth from all perspectives, sometimes through unorthodox methods, including the use of inexperienced actors.

Marissa Clifford, a third-year art history student who portrays Nayla’s best friend, said she was spontaneously cast when Casares caught her leaving a film midterm.

“We ended up auditioning right by Broad, and then we went to one of the sound stages right then and there,” Clifford said. “I was pleasantly surprised by the nature of her project. She’s really firm and nurturing. It was really, really cool to see how she pulled it together.”

Kimya Marefat, a high school junior who plays lead Nayla, had acted on stage before, but never in front of a camera. Having little background knowledge of the subject matter as well, Marefat was taken to an Islamic Center to learn about their stories, lives and religion. Marefat said she discovered the significance in Casares’ story that she needed to bring to the screen.

“I (initially) didn’t have any connection with it,” Marefat said. “But I slowly built my own understanding of the script: finding the balance between American culture, Middle Eastern culture and what’s expected of you and what you want to do.”

Casares’ crew also noted her abilities in filming, before, during and after production. Monika Lenczewska, director of photography, said Casares’ grasp of the story called her back from a hiatus on short filmmaking after working with other directors worldwide.

“Working with (Casares) was pretty easy,” Lenczewska said. “She knows what she wants, she’s very precise, extremely prepared, she’s amazing with the actors, she’s exceptional. … Not every director has precipice on the visual side. But she is extremely, extremely good and I think you can see that in our collaboration. I hope she’s pleased with the result.”

After the College Television Awards, Casares said she hopes to distribute the film to a wider audience, both locally and overseas. She also said she is interested in making a feature film on the subject, with the support of her peers to continue the controversial cultural tale.

“All she wanted was for people to talk about things they don’t normally talk about,” Marefat said. “Usually most people go with what they’re told to do, not what they want. Somehow (Casares) found a way to do both.”