Filmmaker Vanessa Rae Lerma, co-owner of San Antonio’s Screenville Films, only learned a couple of years ago that her great-grandparents were professional bakers.
A baker herself, Lerma knew her love for pan dulce had to come from somewhere.
“I’ve always been drawn to baking, so to find out that it literally runs in my DNA was an a-ha moment,” Lerma, 39, told the Current during a recent interview.
Although Lerma worked in bakeries in San Antonio and New York City during college, she chose a path that led her to the cinematic rather than culinary arts.
“I’ve always wanted to open a bakery, but it’s like a dream I don’t think I would actually want to do,” she said. “I’ve done it and respect it and love the product, but I know that’s not the lifestyle I would want to live, where you have to wake up at like 1 a.m.”
Even so, Lerma found a way to combine her love for motion pictures and baked goods. She wrote and directed the new musical short SweetNess. The 16-minute film tells the story of Ines (Elizabeth Ramirez), an insecure young woman pursuing her dream of opening her own storefront bakery.
SweetNess will make its official premiere at Texas Public Radio on Wednesday, March 11. The screening is free to the public. RSVP for the screening at support.tpr.org/a/sweetness.
During our interview, Lerma, a graduate of Harlandale High School and Texas State University, talked about the inspiration behind SweetNess and the challenges of making a musical for the screen.
What inspired you to write Screenville’s first musical?
I went to Texas State for theater education and was a theater teacher until 2020. I’ve been directing musicals my entire career. That’s what I love to direct. I haven’t directed a musical since right before COVID. It’s the longest I’ve been without directing a musical. Musicals are where my heart is. So, I wanted to give it a shot.
What kind of high school musicals did you direct as a theater teacher?
It was a variety. We did musicals like In the Heights and Sweeney Todd. We did Bring It On: The Musical and She Loves Me – too many to name. I miss musicals so much.
Talk about your vision for the music and your collaboration with your composer, Jaime Lozano, and lyricist, David Davila.
I’ve been working with David for almost 20 years, and Jaime is a composer friend of his. We were looking for a very Tejano, South Texas [sound], but also something with a musical theater-style flair to it. I told David what I was looking for. A lot of the songs come from [Ines’] innermost thoughts and feelings. David was able to bring those to life. He’s extremely poetic. Once we had the lyrics, we sent them off to Jaime. Magically, music appeared.
What were you looking for musically?
I wanted something that was cinematic but with an ode to Broadway. I’m a Broadway fan, but I know some people are not. I wanted [the film] to be something for everybody to enjoy. So, I didn’t want the music to be over the top. I wanted it to be a little more subdued but still wanted to showcase the vocals and our city. I wanted it to be very San Antonio, Tejano-specific.
Speaking of the vocals, you cast Elizabeth Ramirez in the lead role, who was featured in the HBO Max documentary Home School Musical: Class of 2020. She is an absolute talent. Move over Rachel Zegler.
She’s actually a former student of mine! We’ve been working together since she was 14. She just turned 24. [SweetNess] was written for her. I wanted something to showcase her vocals.
As her former theater teacher, it must feel amazing to watch her career thrive.
Yes! I told her that I’m her No. 1 fan. I will do anything I can to let the world know who she is and continue to put her on a platform where people can see what she can do. Liz is another collaborator who I have a very trusting relationship with. She’s always down to do something with me. She knows I will only showcase her in her best light and let her drive. We work really well together.
What are some of the differences in directing a musical for film in comparison to a musical for the stage?
It’s very different. You know, in theory, on stage you get six weeks of practice and six weeks of rehearsal – at minimum. Everything happens in one space, and you just work around that. With [SweetNess], it was very specific. I had to think about every little action and how we could achieve it. I had to consult with my husband (cinematographer Sam Lerma) and our gaffer and ask, “Hey, is this doable?” They did a good job bringing me back to reality a bit.
Can you see yourself expanding on SweetNess later and writing it as a feature?
I think it could totally be expanded. The challenge was making a musical as a short film and getting the whole story under 20 minutes. But I think if given the opportunity, we could definitely expand it to a full-length film.
SweetNess Film Premiere
Free, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, Irma & Emilio Nicolas Media Center at Texas Public Radio, 321 W Commerce St, (210) 614-8977, RSVP at support.tpr.org/a/sweetness.
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