Q&A with Filmmakers Samantha Herrera
Samantha Herrera
Born and raised in New York City, Samantha studied drama at LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. Her directorial debut, Tales of a Shadowboxer, co-created with Sharif McFadden, won Best TV Pilot and Best Women Short at the Independent Shorts Award in Los Angeles. Her short film Saint Vegas premiered at the 2025 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and was a quarter-finalist for The Chimaera’s To.Get.Her Finishing Fund. Beyond acting and directing, Samantha works at The Neighborhood Playhouse, teaches yoga, and co-runs a Filipino food pop-up.
This Q&A is part of the Bushwick Film Fest Filmmaker
Q&A series
What inspired you to create this film, and how did the initial idea come to you?
At the time, I was living on the West Coast pursuing acting/filmmaking. It was my first time living away from home. One weekend, I visited my brother in Vegas during his work trip and as soon as he left, I opened my notebook and began to write. What came out was all my frustration of living in LA: the loneliness, yearning to find my creative spirit, being homesick and my struggle with my sexuality & depression
What do you hope audiences will take away from watching your film?
"NSaint Vegas is subtle in a way that long term depression felt for me. Thankfully, there was light at the end of the tunnel in my mental health struggle. When I came out to my family, it was only then I finally felt a heavy weight lifted. Whatever negative feeling that lives inside you that may feel permanent, I hope people can come away feeling inspired and hopeful despite their emotional struggles. I also wanted to portray my voice as a Filipina American that felt honest and vulnerable. This was the first time I’ve created something that feels closest to who I am.
What was a big challenge you faced while making this film?
Sound. We lost an entire day of audio and had to reconstruct everything in the studio and some in the actual shooting location. Overall, it was a journey of getting the film's sound to match with the emotional journey of the character. Thanks to my incredible team: Deeba Montazeri, Andrea Roccasalvo, Brian Nichols, and Nate Attias --- they were instrumental in elevating this film. Especially our composer, Deeba, she channeled Saint Vegas' story through music in a way I never imagined and will always cherish.
How do you approach storytelling in your films? What’s your process for developing a script or concept?
Music was instrumental in helping establish tone and simply getting the words out on the page effortlessly. It made the process enjoyable and natural. Saint Vegas started out as a feature script which I wrote in various places: in my car, on the beach, hours on the couch during co-vid. Condensing the feature to a short was the most difficult process of writing. Finding the happy medium of staying true to the story and working with a limited budget was a challenge. Having the script read out loud at one of INTAR Theatre’s Open Space Salons in NYC was helpful in figuring out what the audience responded to and what was confusing. Working alongside Ellin Aldana, our cinematographer, was an absolute gift. Her strong storytelling stills and deep passion in crafting imagery transformed Saint Vegas. She is a mastermind genius during pre-production as we were putting together our shot-list that has shifted and leveled up my perception of what it means to prep and to tell a story visually.
What’s the last film you watched?
Copycat (1995)
What’s the last book you read?
How to Stand Up to a Dictator by Maria Ressa
What three things do you always have in your refrigerator?
Sawsawan (Filipino Spiced Vinegar), beer (for those rainy days), eggs
This Q&A is part of the Bushwick Film Fest Filmmaker Q&A series