Today we’d like to introduce you to Alessia Cruci.
Hi Alessia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am an Italian producer, filmmaker, and actress living in Los Angeles, California. At the age of seven, I discovered my love for acting while performing in various plays and musicals at her city theater. In Italy, I studied acting at the Florence Movie Academy (FMA). At FMA, I worked closely with the directing department, which enlightened my vision of film production. In 2018, I moved to the United States and attended Santa Monica College. SMC gave me the tools and knowledge to lead successful projects. I then transferred to USC School of Cinematic Arts in the fall of 2020, where I recently graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and TV Production. While at USC, I produced my first 5 minutes short film for the Junior thesis film. The short, called “Heart or Mind,” has currently been nominated for 11 awards and won four of them. The experience was so fulfilling for me that I decided to master her producing skills in the following months. In fall 2021, I produced her first independent short film called D-Day for Denise with a budget of nearly $30,000 and union agreements. I was also the associate producer for a web series, currently in post-production, called Imposter. For this project, my team and I raised over $55,000 in 30 days. Before graduating, I was the producer of the USC Senior Thesis Virgins for Satan (currently in the festival run). I am looking forward to working in female-led productions or any narrative project (especially dramas and dark comedies). I am passionate about historical pieces, especially the ones adapted from true stories.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Does an artist ever have a smooth road? I moved to the United States when I was 19. For most Americans, leaving home after finishing high school is normal, but it is not in Italian Culture. I was the first of my group of friends to leave home so early (I am still the only one who did it, actually), and it was tough. Especially when the family is 14 hours off the plane away with also 9 hours of time difference. I am very close to my family, especially my grandparents, so living so far away was heartbreaking. But I like to say, “you live, you learn,” and so I did. When I moved to Los Angeles almost four years ago, I wasn’t 100% sure what I was getting into. But I knew one thing, and for how cheesy that might sound, I knew I was in the right place. I have been waiting my whole life to study cinematic arts, and I was about to do it. My first few months were rough, I got homesick a lot, and I thought of quitting. It was so hard to be away, and the school system was so different too – which made me feel even more like an outsider. I grew a lot, I learned to adapt fairly quickly, and when I started making friends is when my life in LA really began. Not until a year and a half ago did I know I wanted to be a producer. It was the first semester of my Junior year at USC when I really understood what the role of the producer is. My professor, Carolyn Manetti, was so passionate about the subject that I could’ve listened to her talk for hours – the whole week, I was looking forward to her lecture. The following semester I produced my first 5 minutes short film, and there I knew that that was what I wanted to focus on during my last year at USC. From that moment on, it has been a lot of trial and error. Over the summer, I produced my first short film outside school, called D-Day for Denise, which included sag agreements and underwater shooting. Following that, there have been two more short films from USC, “Pam” and “Virgins for Satan,” two promo videos, one music video, and one feature. So yeah, I guess the biggest challenge I faced was to adapt to this new environment and overcome the home sickness that I had (and still sometimes have).
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a film producer and filmmaker passionate about historical pieces, especially the ones adapted from true stories. I am always looking forward to working in female-led productions or any narrative project (especially dramas and dark comedies). Growing up in Italy, I was surrounded by arts from a young age, and from a young age, during the weekends, my parents took me to every kind of museum. Sometimes, my dad took me on his motorcycle to the Chianti hills to enjoy Florence’s landscape or to visit little towns – like Vinci – to show me where great masters of arts were born. From my high school class window, I could see Strozzi Palace, and when the sky was clear, the Dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence appeared. This contact with the arts that I had from a young age shaped my view, giving me a deep understanding of both modern and ancient art. I believe that this deep knowledge of art is what makes me stand out and make my work unique.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Oh man, I was hyperactive as a child. I had so much energy. And I was curious – about everything. While the energy dropped (sadly, I’m ready to bed at 9 pm), the curiosity stayed. I loooove reading, learning new skills, listening to people, and doing anything that will teach me something. I was really sad to graduate from USC because I knew I would’ve missed classes, exams, and assignments -man, I loved that stuff. But for me, learning is not only intellectually but also physically. I love to try new sports, new gym workouts, and new adrenaline activities. Anything that is new to me is exciting, and I’m always striving to discover something new. Another thing that I’ve always loved and always interested me was film photography. I discovered it at 14, and I have loved it since – I even learned how to develop my own B&W pictures and how to print them. I still do it nowadays as a hobby.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alessiacruci.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alessia.cruci/
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10378238/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr4
Image Credits
George Dale, Anna Cappello, Daniel Van, Andrew Svistunov, Andrew Levay
