By Drew Thompson

When Virginia Commonwealth University’s cinema program debuted, a friendship began taking root that, more than a decade later, continues to spark creativity in and beyond the School of the Arts – and, notably, on the screen.

A collaboration from the trio – Yossera Bouchtia of the Class of 2011, with Claire K. Wilson and Nikita Moyer from the cinema program’s inaugural Class of 2010 – earned notable recognition recently. Bouchtia, a Moroccan-American screenwriter/director, is making the film “Yasmine/Jasmine” with support from her colleagues, and      its script was included on the 2024 Muslim List, which promotes the depth and range of Muslim perspectives on the big and small screens.

“Because we were one of the first beginning cohorts, we were very close,” Bouchtia said. “That was the first time that three of us really got to know each other and started working with each other.”

Graduations saw the trio take separate paths. Bouchtia went to graduate school before returning to the VCUarts cinema program, which she now leads as the program director and an associate professor. Wilson went to Los Angeles, where she helps scout and guide the careers of new talents in the entertainment industry. Moyer has worn multiple creative hats, including at VCU and Richmond content agency Tilt Creative + Production, and earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in 2020. 

But they remained close and kept reuniting to work on projects.

“Collaborating with Yossera and Nikita after graduation feels very natural,” Wilson said. “Reuniting now feels organic — and we bring together our individual talents, skill sets and business relationships, making our collaboration both creatively fulfilling and professionally rewarding.”

Among their projects, “Yasmine/Jasmine” may reach a wider audience through the script’s inclusion on the Muslim List. The list is an initiative of the MPAC Hollywood Bureau, which highlights Muslim impact on social and cultural change, and the Black List, which initially spotlighted unproduced screenplays and is now a platform to nurture storytelling and empower writers.

“Yasmine/Jasmine” takes place between Richmond and parts of Morocco. It centers around a young woman who begins receiving haunting visits from her doppelgänger following the death of her father. The death forces her to travel from Richmond to Morocco to confront them.

Bouchtia said the film is about finding yourself through your art and surroundings, a concept that resonates with her.

“Coming back to Richmond, I was really inspired by the space and the setting,” she said. “Even though it’s a fictional story, I think the themes are very personal to me.”

The trio’s partnership is continuing – with even stronger VCU connections. They reunited for an expedition to Morocco in May for Bouchtia’s next short film, based on the novel “Love in Two Languages.” The trip was offered as a two-credit study abroad program through the Global Education Office in which VCUarts cinema students created their own short films and collaborated on a faculty-led production.

“I think for the students, a lot of them, this was the first time they ever traveled outside of the U.S.,” Bouchtia said. “It was such an eye-opening experience where they got to experience such a rich culture that has so much history, too.”

“It’s such a gift to help young artists access opportunities, and it was amazing to work with the team in this capacity,” Moyer added. “Coming back to VCU, I wanted to help plant those seeds for students: to help them think beyond borders and see themselves as global artists.”