Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Alessandra Lacorazza, the Writer-Director Behind In The Summers

by Bailey Pennick

One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a front-row seat for the bright future of independent filmmaking. While we can learn a lot about the filmmakers from the 2024 Sundance Film Festival through the art that these storytellers share with us, there's always more we can learn about them as people. This year, we decided to get to the bottom of those artistic wells with our ongoing series: Give Me the Backstory!

When asked about one thing that people don't know about her, Alessandra Lacorazza offers up her secret skill: I'm excellent at untying knots. The writer-director of In The Summers assumes that no one knows about her nimbleness, but after the release of her debut feature, Lacorazza's abilities won't be such a secret anymore.

With its premiere in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Lacorazza deftly unties the knots of her own complicated childhood memories. After my father died unexpectedly I had a lot of anger and unanswered questions, she says. Making this film was a way to access those answers. In The Summers follows the story of Violeta (Sasha Calle) and Eva (Mutt's L o Mehiel) as they spend their summers with their father (Ren P rez Joglar), whose troubled past complicates their relationship.

Beyond the emotional knots, as a first-time filmmaker, Lacorazza had to pull apart all the threads of actually being able to tell her story. It was all a big challenge, she explains. First time filmmaker, queer, latin, making a film that spans different time periods, with children, a first time actor in the lead role, shooting in the desert during the summer heat, with of course, not enough money. But we did it and I'm very proud of the outcome. Lacorazza even has advice for her future self: Also, note to self, avoid any scenes with cars.

Below learn more about who Lacorazza hopes to reach with In The Summers, her history with Sundance Collab, and how she got into filmmaking in the first place.

LINK:	https://www.sundance.org/blogs/give-me-the-backstory-get-to-know-aless...
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