In some ways, 鈥淚 Dream in Widescreen鈥� 鈥� the 鈥檚 annual senior thesis film showcase 鈥� is a little bit Academy Awards meets graduation pomp and circumstance.
It鈥檚 a chance for budding filmmakers such as to bask in the spotlight for eight or 10 precious minutes as their films 鈥� the culmination of four years of study and trial-by-fire experience 鈥� are shown for the first time on a big screen.
This year鈥檚 annual event will be shown on a much smaller screen as the 2020 showcase goes virtual, being streamed on YouTube, courtesy of the coronavirus pandemic.
鈥淚 am definitely frustrated that I couldn鈥檛 see my film on a big screen with amazing surround sound and loud, bold colors and music,鈥� said Altoubal, 21. 鈥淏ut I think, me, as well as my classmates, all of us have a future so I think that it鈥檚 frustrating, and it鈥檚 disappointing, but the best thing to do is use that disappointment and use that as fuel for the motivation to make something big and something impressive down the line.鈥�
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鈥淚 Dream in Widescreen鈥� 2020 was originally scheduled for May 2 at the Fox 蜜柚直播 Theatre, but the event was postponed in response to the pandemic. The Fox has been closed since March and will remain closed at least through December.
Back in March when Gov. Doug Ducey issued a stay-at-home order that closed the UA, public schools and all non-essential businesses, Altoubal and her classmates were in the thick of editing their films.
鈥淥nce everything shut down, we lost all of these resources, and we had to put our heads together and think,鈥� Paz said.
UA faculty was on hand to assist, but the loss of access to the film studios and its equipment threw a wrench in the process. Paz said this forced him and Altoubal, with whom he made the film 鈥淒ick鈥檚 Caf茅 Amrikano,鈥� to pivot.
Altoubal agreed.
鈥淲e really had to figure out a way to do everything remotely and figure out solutions to problems we never thought we鈥檇 ever have. We did it. I think it鈥檚 a testament that creativity shines at its best when things are at their worst.鈥�
Altoubal wrote the screenplay for 鈥淒ick鈥檚 Caf茅 Amrikano,鈥� about a Mexican man and a Syrian woman who work together to free themselves from a sleazy gentleman鈥檚 club where they are being held against their will. Altoubal, who also stars in the film, said the storyline resonates with what is happening in the country today where segments of the population feel marginalized based on race, religion and socioeconomic factors.聽
The movie was filmed on location in Altoubal鈥檚 family鈥檚 restaurant , housed in the former Molina鈥檚 Midway Mexican Food restaurant at 1138 N. Belvedere Ave. Altoubal said the restaurant partly inspired her movie. When her family took over the Molina鈥檚 space in October 2017, they left intact some of the Mexican-inspired designs of the 5,000-square-foot building 鈥� double the size of the family鈥檚 original location at 4122 E. Speedway that Altoubal鈥檚 father, Riad, opened in 2012.聽
The story, like the family's restaurant, is a marriage of cultures 鈥� Paz's Mexican-American and Altoubal's Syrian-American 鈥� with the restaurant serving as the perfect backdrop.聽
鈥淲e are a Syrian-American family serving Syrian food, but the building itself has all these beautiful mosaic tiles, and windows have mosaic scenes. It鈥檚 very Mexican inspired,鈥� Altoubal said. "That was the inspiration: This is 蜜柚直播; this is the U.S.鈥�
Paz, 23, said among the advantages of shooting at the restaurant: free food. Altoubal said her father and his staff were on hand during the three nights they filmed and provided food for her crew.
鈥淭he fusion of Mexican and Middle Eastern culture, from the family鈥檚 restaurant that is themed Mexican but the Middle Eastern Syrian culture, has created a unique fusion of the two styles,鈥� Paz said.
Here are the films that will share the spotlight with 鈥淒ick鈥檚 Caf茅 Amrikano鈥� this weekend, Aug. 8 and 9, at . Summaries are provided by the UA School of Theatre, Film & Television and the films run eight to 10 minutes.