The Filmmaker
If it were up to Yasmina Cadiz, a native of Chicago with a love for dancing mambo, everyone would have a soundtrack playing in the background that would alternate music tracks to match their changing mood. Everything Yasmina does is inspired by music—understandable when you consider she was a principal dancer at age 12 for the Chicago Dance Company led by Joel Hall Dancers.
Yasmina's love for the arts has led to a wide range of projects, from privately commissioned large-scale oil paintings and wall murals to graphic design, multimedia installations, and photography. Her most recent project involved photographing the 2010 ad campaign for Los Angeles–based footwear designer Calleen Cordero.
"Throughout my life, I have, like a struck match head, been ignited with ideas that I could not ignore. In filmmaking, I found a new way to express myself creatively while utilizing my knowledge of photography and light, understanding of choreography and staging, passion for music, and love of writing. Like my vivid and ambitious dreams, I am a continuous work in progress that is not likely to ever be complete. It's about the process. I have learned that focusing on the destination is fine, as long as you know when to take the scenic route. The shortest distance is often anything but a straight line. That has become the trademark of my creative process."
Yasmina is cofounder of X Chromosome Films, LLC, a filmmaking collective structured largely through volunteerism. The collective was established to promote, support, and help create opportunities for women and underprivileged youth interested in filmmaking.
A resident of Downtown Los Angeles for the past 4 years, Yasmina is still adjusting to the exotic nature of a city that wakes up to sunshine every day.
