Alessia Cruci is an Italian producer and filmmaker. She is very young and she takes a courageous decision, which is to move to the United States, where she begins her career, reaching important milestones. Let's listen to it.

So Alessia, tell us a little about yourself.

I'm Alessia Cruci, an Italian producer, filmmaker, and actress living in Los Angeles, California. At the age of 7, I discovered my love for acting while I was performing in various plays. In Italy, I studied acting at the Florence Movie Academy (FMA). At the FMA, I worked closely with the directing department, which illuminated my vision of film production. In 2018 I moved to the United States and attended Santa Monica College. At SMC I had my first impact on the American school system. SMC opened its doors to the world of cinema for me thanks to the cinema department and my mentor Salvador Carrasco. In 2020 I moved to USC School of Cinematic Arts, where I recently graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and TV Production. During my time at USC, I produced my first 5 minutes short film for the Junior year thesis film. The short, titled "Heart or Mind," has currently been nominated for 11 awards and has won four. The experience was so satisfying for me that I decided to focus on the role of the producer.

In the fall of 2021, I produced my first independent short film called "D-Day for Denise" with a budget of nearly $ 30,000 and union agreements. I was also an associate producer of a web series, currently in post-production, called “Imposter” and created by an Italian colleague that I met here in LA - Veronica Maccari. For this project, we have raised over $ 55,000 in 30 days. Before graduation, I was the producer of the final year thesis at my university called "Virgins for Satan" (currently in the festival run). To become a producer of “Virgins for Satan” I was selected by the USC faculty together with another producer through an internal competition where other 20/30 producers participated.

What OBSTACLES / CHALLENGES did you face to get here today?

Does an artist ever have a smooth path? I moved to the United States when I was 19. I was the first in my group of friends to leave the house this early, and it was tough. Especially when the family is 14 hours away by plane with even 9 hours of time difference. I am very attached to my family, especially my grandparents, so living this far away was heartbreaking. But I like to say “you live you learn”, and so I did. When I moved to Los Angeles nearly four years ago, I wasn't 100% sure what I was getting into, but I knew one thing, as mushy as it sounded, I knew I was in the right place - I've been dreaming my whole life of studying film arts and I was going to do it. My first months were difficult, I was so homesick and it was so hard to be away. The school system was so different, which made me feel even more like a stranger. I certainly grew up a lot, I learned to adapt quite quickly and when I started making friends it was when my life in Los Angeles began. So yeah, I guess the biggest challenge I faced was adapting to this new environment and getting over the homesickness I had (and sometimes still have).

We would love to know more about your work. What do you do, what are you specialized in, what are you known for ... What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?

I am a film producer passionate about historical pieces, especially those adapted from real stories. I can't wait to work in productions with female protagonists or in any narrative project (especially dramas and melodramatic comedies). Having grown up in Italy, I have been surrounded by art since I was a child - on weekends my parents took me to all kinds of museums. Sometimes my father took me on his motorbike to the Chianti hills to enjoy the landscape of Florence or to visit small towns - like Vinci - to show me where the great masters of art were born. From the window of my classroom of the Liceo Artistico in Porta Romana I could see Palazzo Strozzi 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 has shaped my vision, giving me a deep understanding of modern and ancient art. Growing up, I began to express my creativity with photography and cinematography. I learned to shoot on film and digitally, to develop my photos and publish them. Due to my love for the film arts, I decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue my dreams by studying film.

How were you as a child? As for personality, interest ...

As a child I was hyperactive - I had so much energy. And I was curious - about everything. While the energy has decreased (unfortunately, I'm ready to go to bed at 21:00), the curiosity has remained. I love to read and learn new things, listen to people, and do anything that teaches me something. I was really sad to graduate because I knew I would no longer have lessons, exams, and homework - and I loved that environment. But for me, learning is not only intellectual but also physical. I love trying new sports, new gym workouts, and new adrenaline-pumping activities. Everything new to me is exciting and I always try to discover something new. Another thing that I have always loved and has always interested me is film photography. I discovered it when I was 14 and have loved it ever since: I even learned to develop my black and white photos and print them. I still do it as a hobby today.