For twins Miriam and Sonia Albert Sobrino, it was always a childhood dream to create films. So when a new film school opened near their hometown in Spain, it was no question to attend. Their dream is coming true as they now showcase productions with the help of the College of Fine Arts.
The Sobrinos, known as the “ALSO Sisters” are second-year graduate students in film production and see themselves as independent filmmakers with a special interest in European art film. The sisters operate the camera and photograph the scenes while editing and writing the scripts.
Chris Lippard, associate professor and director of graduate studies in film and media arts, said the Sobrinos have a unique mix of interest and pursuit of ideas, as well as having the technical competence to work with a green screen.
“They are a tremendous pleasure to work with,” Lippard said. “They are very kind and generous people, but they are also extremely talented filmmakers.”
The Sobrinos said their favorite project is always the upcoming one. They love to imagine how the characters look, act and how they will come to life in front of the camera. And when it comes to creating a style for the film, the sisters are on the same page.
“There is no question about the fact that both of us have [our] own opinions and ideas,” Miriam Sobrino said. “The good thing about our partnership is that we always feel completely free to share our ideas. There is nothing stopping us from being totally honest with each other.”
The Sobrinos said the U has been a great experience as they work with colleagues and get help from professors to showcase their projects. They also met with filmmaker Mira Nair, who visited the U a week ago, and were able to show their latest film “Recurrence.”
It was a dreamlike experience, Sonia Sobrino said.
“The creative freedom that we have here and that the faculty gives us has opened a door for us into a more personal and creative visual style,” Sonia Sobrino said. “It was probably inside of us already, but the film department has been key in unfolding it.”
Currently, the Sobrinos are working on their thesis, an international co-production which will be their first black comedy filmed in Spain and post-produced in Utah.
The ALSO Sisters will premiere “Recurrence” at the Indian Film Festival in Los Angeles April 9-14. A few of their films will also be shown at the Central Utah Art Center in Salt Lake City from April 18 to May 4. Their films have previously been showcased in The Raindance Film Festival in London, The Edinburgh International Film Festival and in the Galician Academy Awards in Spain.
“In many ways, the possibility of making films independently is a great achievement already,” Sonia Sobrino said. “Telling the stories we want to tell with our own visual style is already a success.”
Trailers and teasers of the ALSO Sisters’ films can be found at: https://vimeo.com/alsosisters.