Ultimately, KCP was my playground where I got to dream big; it gave me the foundation and tools necessary to go into the world and work hard, to turn those big dreams into a tangible reality, and for that, I am eternally grateful
Rosita Lama, Class of 2004, has a B.S. in Film and Television at Boston University where her film SOMBRA AZUL won first place at the Redstone Film Festival, and a M.F.A. in Directing at the American Film Institute Conservatory where she wrote and directed her thesis film LA SIRENA (currently in the festival circuit and Dances With Films Grand Jury Award winner).
Rosita was selected as one of 30 college graduates across the US for the International Radio and Television Society (IRTS) Summer Fellowship Program, and was one of the 25 women selected for FOX Filmmaker’s Lab in 2017, an initiative looking to fill the need for women directing large-scale studio films.
In a short interview we asked Rosita about her life during and after KCP:
What are you currently doing?
As a director and screenwriter, I am currently living in Los Angeles where I am managed by Randy Kiyan at Luber Roklin Entertainment. I’ve been developing several features and have been pitching projects to producers. I just wrapped another film called TABULA RASA, which is set to start its festival run in November, and have continued to screen my film LA SIRENA, a psychosexual fairy tale about a woman who surrenders to her own inner monster to avenge her broken heart, which won the Grand Jury Prize at Dances With Films in Hollywood, and will be screening in several festivals worldwide.
What is your greatest professional or personal achievement to date?
Personally, having had the opportunity to go to Los Angeles and write and direct LA SIRENA, a film that had been living inside of me for so many years, is an achievement that I am incredibly proud of. Not only was I able to create a film that has catapulted my career, I was also fortunate enough to meet and work with incredibly talented actors and a crew that made my vision come to life in a way that surpassed all expectations. Furthermore, the relationships I created with my fellow filmmakers are some that I know will continue to flourish in future collaborations. There is certainly more to strive for as I continue to develop my career as a filmmaker, and I am grateful for the opportunities and relationships that led me to where I am today.
How did KCP prepare you for your career? // What did you enjoy the most about studying at KCP?
One of the aspects of KCP that I appreciated the most was that it provided the opportunities that allowed me to discover and practice my passion. From a very young age, I developed an interest in entertainment, whether it was through singing in song festivals or performing in school plays. I felt there were always opportunities to be creative through class projects, school events, or extra-curricular activities, and, at the time, KCP certainly gave me that freedom to explore my creativity through its curriculum. When I knew that filmmaking was the medium through which I wanted to express myself, it was teachers like Eva Faillace who encouraged me to pursue my passion by introducing me to programs like the New York Film Academy (where I solidified directing as my career path) and advised me on universities that would best fit my career ambitions. Teachers like Darlene Farr who, at the time, organized annual school plays, provided me with the opportunities to act and direct, which inevitably created the platform from which to bounce off of. KCP also introduced me to the people that I would develop my most cherished friendships and creative collaborations with. People like Roberto Saieh and Daniella Jassir are fellow KCP alumni with whom I continue to collaborate with creatively, and those relationships were cemented at KCP. Ultimately, KCP was my playground where I got to dream big; it gave me the foundation and tools necessary to go out into the world and work hard to turn those big dreams into a tangible reality, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
