October 2012 Filmmaker of the Month - Theresa Bucci

Theresa Bucci is a Washington, DC based filmmaker who specializes in documentary short films about social causes.

With a background working at nonprofit organizations such as the International Center for Research on Women and the Center for American Progress, Theresa produces films that help achieve the greatest impact for an organization or issue, whether the film is used for fundraising, visual storytelling, visibility or awareness.

Her experiences backpacking through Asia and South Asia for six months and her volunteer work with a learning center for relocated refugees, helped to establish Theresa's special affinity for both international and women's issues that are often showcased in her films.

For example, one of her recent films, Finding a Way Home, is the story of a woman named Katrina, who finds a safe space at local women's shelter, called N Street Village, as she struggles to get back on her feet physically, mentally and emotionally after becoming homeless. Her powerful story and poignant way of telling it, reminds us that anyone can fall on hard times but gives us hope that places like N Street Village are there to help pick us back up.

Theresa studied broadcast journalism at Marquette University and spent a year abroad in New Zealand where she studied Film at Otago University. She has previously worked in the journalism industry as a video production specialist for the Milwaukee based broadcast company Journal Communications.

She recently completed the backpack journalism course from Emmy-winning journalist Bill Gentile, where her film was voted "best in the class" among other talented journalists and filmmakers.

Some of Theresa's current film projects include:

Bikes for the World: A short documentary film about a local nonprofit that collects bicycles and delivers them to community programs in developing countries where they provide work and affordable transportation for people. This project is currently in post-production. View the sister project to this film, Bikes for the World, Connecting Communities Across the Glode, created for Salsa Labs.

Untitled Film about Women's Involvement in Peace Process: A short documentary that shows women have the capacity to play a critical role in peacekeeping operations; told through the story of a woman who survived raids and witnessing her friends being raped and tortured when she was a child. Her message is that although our bodies can be bound, your mind and you heart can never be silenced. This project is currently in the development stage.

Besides her work creating socially themed films, Theresa is working on two narrative shorts with other local DC filmmakers and her brother filmmaker JJ Bucci. The films currently in development include:

The Pawnbroker: A short film about a deceiving pawnbroker who shows that sometimes you can't get something without giving something in return.

Special Delivery: A short film about a young man with a very peculiar food delivery job and the even more peculiar crush he develops on one of his customers.

Find Theresa on Twitter @VideoDC or Facebook for updates on all her recent and current work.

Visit our Previously Featured Filmmakers to see more Filmmakers of the Month.