YOSSERA

Yossera Bouchtia is a Moroccan-born writer, director, and educator whose work explores diaspora, identity, cultural memory, and belonging. Born in Rabat, Morocco, Bouchtia developed her love of cinema through her father’s VHS collection of classic films. At age seven, she emigrated with her family to the United States after unexpectedly winning the Green Card Lottery and was raised in the Washington, D.C. area.

Fluent in English, French, and Arabic, Bouchtia’s filmmaking bridges East and West, bringing untold stories and underrepresented perspectives to the screen while challenging stereotypes and expanding ideas of cultural identity. Her work spans magical realism, neorealism, dramas and experimental film, often blending narrative and documentary approaches.

Bouchtia is an Associate Professor of Cinema at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts, where she has taught for ten years and currently serves as Program Director. She holds an MFA in Film Directing from Columbia University and a BA in Cinema from VCU. Her creative work has been recognized by the Doha Film Institute, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Women in Film & Video, and the Dr. Jack G. Shaheen Communications Scholarship.

As an educator and filmmaker, Bouchtia is committed to creating spaces where diverse voices can develop their own creative authority.

Her next film YASMINE/JASMINE is currently in development. To support, click here.