Before he came to Ohio University, third-year Master of Fine Arts graduate student Bilal Sami had already developed a résumé for himself that boasted experience in television, theatre and film.
Since 2007, Sami has directed a children’s show, a sitcom pilot, a weeklong theater production and three short films. He has also written, starred in and produced a variety of television shows and has managed, directed or produced for three different studios.
But during his time at OU, Sami has focused his time on his feature film Lavender Rocks, which just finished principal photography.
“It’s a psychological thriller that is set in a dystopian post-apocalyptic world and revolves around a coming-of-age ritual that will test the protagonist Mara’s — played wonderfully by (senior) Glenna Brucken — faith in the belief system she is born in and is expected to carry forward,” Sami said.
The movie will focus on “the five days before the ritual, the dark truths she uncovers about her family and community, and finally, the choice she has to make between accepting the relative evils of preservation and survival her community religiously enforces or break from the pack and trust her own moral compass,” Sami said.
Sami said he believes the film’s focus on religious radicalism, familial pressure and the rights of dissident voices is relevant to today’s society.
“I hope that the film will shed light on the power and role of ritualistic practices, and the use of physical and psychological violence in enforcing religious and social conformity,” Sami said.
Despite facing challenges including a small budget and finding shooting locations, Sami said the production of the film has been “surprisingly good.”
“I say ‘surprisingly’ because a student-feature film done on a shoestring budget is usually plagued with many problems,” Sami said. “It’s been an excellent learning experience for the entire cast and crew.”
Using IndieGoGo, a website that helps campaigns from around the world raise funds, Sami has raised $2,375 to put toward production.
Rowena Pedrena, a two-year graduate student and one of the film’s producers, said she believes that the project is “90 percent in the can” when it comes to finished footage. Sami has already begun editing, but the crew still has about two more scenes to film. Once the film is finished, however, Pedrena said she thinks it will be a strong festival contender.
“I’m confident when we’re into post (production) we’ll have some great footage to shape a strong narrative from, one worthy for festival competition,” Pedrena said.
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