MEET THE TEAM
MEET THE TEAM
DIRECTOR, PRODUCER | CASSE KIHUUT
Cassandra Kihúut Alaniz, is an indigenous/mexicana artist and filmmaker, who grew up in McAllen, Texas. Due to the separation from her native heritage growing up, racist representations of indigenous peoples within media became her own way of understanding that part of herself which she now aims to dismantle.
This story that needs to be heard. The violence against native women and femmes is at an all time high and is not being spread in the media. Eve’s story will help other survivors realize the ancestral strength that they have; in the hopes of one day that they will xwáyyi.
SCREENWRITER, PRODUCER | CAMARAY DAVALOS
Camaray Davalos (Payómkawichum/Xicana) graduated from Humboldt State University with a major in Native American Studies. Her work has been published in Everyday Feminism, Indian Country Today, and News From Native California. Her play, “Thresholds and Threads” was performed at the 2020 Native Voices 10th Annual Short Play Festival, where she was awarded the Audience Prize. As her first film, Woman Who Blooms at Night is as monumental as it is personal for Camaray; By finding her voice in storytelling, she has found healing, and hopes others can too.
LEAD PRODUCER | ANDRES GIMENEZ
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY | MARTA MORENO
Marta Moreno is a Portuguese cinematographer based in Mexico City.
Marta is very excited to be a part of this project, as it is her first time working in Southern California. She connects with this particular project on a deeper level, as it speaks about self-empowerment through embracing heritage, something she tries to live by every day. It fills Marta with joy to tell Eve's story, and to work along with other femme voices. There is a need for more genuine femme characters in the stories depicted on-screen and Marta believes that part of the path is having more femme-led departments in the industry.
Andres Gimenez, a Producer/Director born in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, whom grew up in Miami, FL has had the pleasure of aiding the creation of films and projects centered around underrepresented groups and stories. The Woman Who Blooms at Night holds a special place in his heart as he has seen it blossom from a short story into a deeply engaging screenplay. He understands the importance of the topic at hand and sees the vision that Casse & Camaray have built, planning to do everything in his power to see it through into the film it has all the potential to be.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR | PARKER GAYAN
Parker Gayan was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. From an early age, he worked in many different artistic mediums which ultimately led him to attend college for art and design. While in school he began to switch his focus from the various art forms to primarily narrative filmmaking. Being surrounded by fine artists and designers led to a unique learning experience, ultimately helping to craft a personal filmmaking methodology not often seen at film school. For Parker, working on Woman Who Blooms at Night is an exciting project to be a part of as it blends lines between traditional cinema and fantastical or experimental filmmaking while also telling an important story not often shown in the mainstream.
LINE PRODUCER | BRIAUNA DRAPER
Briauna Draper is a filmmaker from Philadelphia, PA. She currently resides in Los Angeles where she does freelance work and is a graduate student at Loyola Marymount University. She is a multifaceted filmmaker proficient in Producing, Editing, and Directing. Her personal work consists of psychological thriller, horror, comedy, and dramas. For Briauna, working on the Woman Who Blooms at Night gives her the opportunity to tell an important story that doesn't get to be shown frequently in the mainstream world of entertainment.
PRODUCTION DESIGNER | ISABELLA RIVERA SUAZO
Isabella Rivera Suazo is a production designer based out of Miami, FL. She has experience in large scale productions such as working on promos for The Recording Academy & fast paced music videos, yet her artistry has also allowed for her to create among intimate settings as well. Isabella is ready to interpret the knowledge that has been passed down to her about the Payómkawish people. She feels it's her duty to design a space that not only is true to the story, but also allows other natives to resonate with minor details.