Ceci

Swept in by the sea to a coastal city, a mysterious woman finds herself entangled in a haunting search for her lost sister, Viola. As she navigates a delicate romance with Orsini, a wealthy and powerful figure in the small town, a detective from her past looms ever closer. Amidst love, loss, and self-discovery, she emerges in this new place as Ceci.

  • Mario José Ibarra
    Director
  • Julia Garcia Combs
    Director
  • Mario José Ibarra
    Writer
  • Julia Garcia Combs
    Producer
  • Asher Huey
    Producer
  • Dash Pomerantz
    Key Cast
  • Julia Garcia Combs
    Key Cast
  • Amar Sotomayor
    Key Cast
  • Emory Royston
    Key Cast
  • McCristol Harris III
    Key Cast
  • Carene Mekertichyan
    Key Cast
  • Estela García
    Key Cast
  • Dillon Nelson
    Production Design
  • Mario José Ibarra
    Cinematography
  • Mario José Ibarra
    Sound Design
  • Mario José Ibarra
    Editing
  • Elena Flores
    Costume Design
  • Monique Paredes
    Hair & Make-up
  • Adrian Prévost
    Original Music
  • Cory Zembower
    Sound
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 4, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    7,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Mario José Ibarra, Julia Garcia Combs

Mario José Ibarra and Julia García Combs are a Brooklyn-based directing duo making their film debut with Ceci. As former ensemble members of Los Angeles’ Rogue Artists Ensemble, they bring a unique, stage-inspired storytelling approach to the screen. Their work delves into themes of identity, transformation, and social class, blending poetic narrative with a sharp eye on societal dynamics. Now rooted in Brooklyn with their 2-year-old daughter, Ibarra and García Combs continue to expand their creative horizons, translating their theatre experience into visually immersive and emotionally resonant film storytelling.

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Director Statement

With Ceci, our goal was to explore the fluid boundaries of identity and the haunting pull of the past within the confines of a small, insular city. Drawing on the story framework of Twelfth Night, we sought to create a character who, having shed her former life, must confront the echoes of it while discovering her own sense of self. Ceci is not only a personal journey but also a story of resilience in the face of social class constraints and the powerful expectations that shape us.

Our backgrounds in theater have deeply influenced our storytelling approach, allowing us to blend realism with symbolic elements to portray Ceci’s complex world. In a space where love and transformation meet isolation and judgment, we wanted to create a visual and emotional language that would resonate universally. The Mediterranean-inspired coastal setting became the perfect backdrop for Ceci’s journey—a place of beauty, promise, and confinement, mirroring her internal struggle.

Through this story, we hope to challenge audiences to reflect on their own perceptions of identity, love, and acceptance, and to find compassion for those who navigate life on the margins. Ceci is a tribute to the courage it takes to embrace oneself in an often unforgiving world.