We recently connected with Sophia Castuera and have shared our conversation below.
Sophia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
The first year I moved to the city, I was lucky enough to know a small handful of folks already. I collaborated with people from college and high school on my first short film, and they brought in folks from their networks to build out the full team. But I was always excited about the idea of meeting new people with whom I could collaborate artistically. Meeting new people in such a huge city felt incredibly overwhelming, especially considering I was still so new to the city. There was a point around November and December of 2018 when I actually felt quite lonely and isolated from other creatives. Then one day, I was sitting in a coffee shop journaling when I kept hearing someone talking loudly on the phone next to me. Not exactly a new experience to me, but this person was sitting RIGHT next to me and I was hoping to relax a bit. Annoyed, but curious, I started to eavesdrop— if you’re going to be talking that loudly, can I help it?! I heard the names of big film festivals: Sundance, Tribeca, and SXSW. Interesting… and she spoke with such authority on her phone call, which I really loved. I sat there for a few more minutes, quietly respecting the fellow female filmmaker next to me, before I packed up my stuff to run to the gym. But before I walked out the door, truly mid-door swinging open, I stopped abruptly. Something in me was like, “DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT INTRODUCING YOURSELF TO THIS STRANGER.” So I immediately turned around, walked up to her, and before I could convince myself to stop, I stuck out my hand and introduced myself. I clearly took her aback, but we exchanged numbers. She ended up coming to a local screening of my short film. We got coffee a few weeks later. I brought her in as a producer on a feature film my friend had written. Mere months later, we were embarking on our first feature film adventure together. That feature went on to screen at festivals like Provincetown Film Festival and Bushwick Film Festival, where it won Programmer’s Choice. Not only did we click immediately as creative partners, but she is now also my best friend, Mary Elizabeth Monda. She has been my biggest creative champion and is also the person I can talk to about anything and everything. I really don’t know where my life would be if I hadn’t listened to that voice that told me to introduce myself to a complete stranger.
Sophia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’ve been an actor since before I can really remember. My dad was a pastor, and my mom was very involved in the arts, so I inevitably ended up on the stage in front of the congregation. My first memory of a rehearsal was when I was playing an angel who still hadn’t gotten her wings. I apparently also used to put on epic, hours-long puppet shows in my family living room. From elementary school to high school, I was involved in any theatrical project I could get into. I loved it and couldn’t get enough of it. I ended up going to Boston University for Film & Television, however. I focused on screenwriting and directing classes, which I found I had a knack for, given my acting background. I made a short film there that ended up serving as a proof of concept for my first short film out of college: “VOCE.” I ended up acting in this short as well, which felt very empowering. So many actors are told we have to wait for our opportunities, but after seeing other actors find success through the creation of their own work, I felt emboldened to do the same. My feature directorial debut “august at twenty-two” was my next big career milestone. I’m really proud of that project. We had an all-female crew, and it was the best set I’ve ever worked on to this day. It’s extremely indie, low-budget, and has a mumblecore feeling that the writer and star, Ali Edwards, envisioned it would have when she penned the script. It was fun to explore that side of my artistry, since “VOCE,” which I wrote, was set more in the magical realism world. I think I was influenced by what I learned from those two projects when I wrote the script for my next feature, “Living Dead,” which very much lives in between naturalism and magical-realism/surrealism. I’m excited to have Mary Elizabeth Monda, who produced “august at twenty-two,” helping me develop and pitch “Living Dead” now. Since 2023, I’ve also been involved as a Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Making Our Space Theatre Company. When the strikes really slowed down film and television, I turned back to my original love, theatre. Ellie M. Plourde invited me to act in an industry showcase she was putting together, which turned into me, Ellie, and my scene partner, Eli Mazursky, producing two more showcases and then a full-fledged production of “Kin” by Bathsheba Doran in December 2024. We also acted in that production, which proved to be a lot of work! But it was another exciting opportunity for actors to take the reins and create their own work, rather than waiting. Making Our Space Theatre Co. has grown so much, and we are now focused on producing readings of new works by playwrights, and creating monthly community art sharing nights, NOVAS. We just had our first NOVAS last night, and it went so much better than I could’ve imagined. Now more than ever, we need to come together as a community to create space for artists to find a nurturing environment to share whatever it is they’re working on. Especially given the funding that was ripped from so many organizations this year, we need to support each other as much as we can. My work as a filmmaker is extremely collaborative because I don’t want to pretend like I have all the answers as the writer or director. Why would I have this team built of other incredibly talented artists and not take a moment to listen to their ideas? What a waste! As an actor, I love being an active part of the storytelling process. I love getting to inhabit different circumstances and connect with a scene partner to create something ephemeral and exciting together. As a theatre producer, I love being in a leadership position to help tell new, original stories and keep the art of theatre alive in New York. Making Our Space is extremely passionate about making good theatre accessible to people. The ticket prices for Broadway shows are astronomical, but why should people be priced out of the beauty of sitting in an audience and experiencing the magical, transformational power of excellent theatre? It’s been really wonderful to meet other theatre companies who share this passion, and for Making Our Space to be a part of a communal effort to provide accessible theatre. All this being said, I think one can deduce that I don’t sleep much, haha. But I love nothing more than making art, sharing art, and supporting fellow artists.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I am a recovering perfectionist. I honestly think this perfectionistic streak came from various aspects of my upbringing, and I wouldn’t be able to pin it down to one thing. But it is a beast! And it held me back creatively for. years, especially as an actor. It wasn’t until I was studying acting at Terry Knickerbocker Studio that I was truly able to begin to unlearn my perfectionistic tendencies and how they plagued my entire process as an artist. I will never forget when Terry pointed out in class one day that it appeared I was crafting from a place of what I shouldn’t do. It was such a simple but powerful observation that I still to this day have to shake off, but when I notice that I’m crafting from a place of what I shouldn’t do and I rid myself of that limiting framework, the possibilities that come to me are endless and so freeing! This observation certainly helped me free myself as an actor, but it influenced every aspect of myself as an artist. I don’t think I would’ve been able to write “Living Dead” if it hadn’t been for that understanding of my perfectionism.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I’m certainly not an expert on this, but in my opinion, one of the simplest ways society can support artists right now is to see local theatre and independent films. I don’t think people understand how many talented artists there are on this planet. I guarantee that if you take a risk on seeing a random show at a small local black box theatre, you will find someone or many people in that cast who will blow you away and take you on an adventure for 90 minutes. Or maybe the script with resonant with you and you’ll leave the theatre thinking about the story for days or weeks after! If you go to a theatre that screens independent films, you may be surprised by the quality of work that you’ll see! You may find yourself feeling more seen by an indie filmmaker’s debut film than anything you’ve ever seen from a big studio or franchise. If you do this, and you are moved by the work you see, encourage your friends and neighbors to go, or see it a second time and bring them along!
Another way that society can help support artists is to educate themselves about Guaranteed Income or UBI programs. I was lucky enough to have been a participant in the Creatives Rebuild NY Guaranteed Income for Artists program, which gave artists $1,000 a month to support themselves in their creative efforts. You can read about their research that came out of the program study, but to speak personally, I am so eternally grateful to that program and am now a huge advocate for Guaranteed Income and UBI programs. The freedom I felt as a creative to not worry every single month about rent, bills, and food while I pursued my creative career is one that I hope every artist, and every person, can feel at some point in their lives. Many other cities and states have done programs like this, so I encourage people to check those studies out as well. You may find yourself wanting to advocate for the permanent installation of these programs!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sophiacastuera.com
- Instagram: @sophiacastuera
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaBau6b-U4Ofgi_gPZdANng
Image Credits
Eli Percy Photo, Fabrice Trombert Photography, Yichen Zhou Photography, Oliver Covrett