NYWIFT Blog

By Daryl Bright Clay

Let’s give a warm welcome to new NYWIFT member Sonia Malfa!

Inspired by nature and myth, Sonia Malfa is a writer/director who creates visually poetic films that draw from her Puerto Rican-American roots. From music video and commercials to documentary and narrative film, her directing work has been featured in Tribeca Festival, AdAge, Vogue Italia, and won both Webby and Clio Awards.

Sonia is currently in development on her narrative feature debut, It’s Always Sunni, which was selected for the Gotham Project Market and Film Independent’s Fast Track. Most recently, Sonia was selected for the NALIP/Netflix Woman of Color Film Incubator and the Actors Studio Directors Unit.

In our interview, Sonia discusses her deep connection to nature, commercial projects, the importance of creative community, and her road trip film – with a twist!

Your work is deeply inspired by nature and myth. Can you tell us more about how these influences shape your storytelling, and how they manifest in your films?

Nature has always been my soul’s home. It’s where I find peace, healing, and inspiration. Since childhood, I’ve had a deep reverence and connection to the natural world. This love led me to my first career as an outdoor educator leading wilderness trips. 

Now, as a filmmaker, I love capturing nature in lyrical and poetic ways that enhance my visual storytelling. Nature is the greatest artist and one of my most influential collaborators. Whether it’s filming near the ocean, with my camera moving to the natural rhythm of the waves, or having a scene lit by golden sunset, my work aims to highlight the beauty of this planet.  

In Simone: A Survivor’s Story, I worked with nature as art direction, with natural settings guiding one woman’s journey to heal and overcome breast cancer. My upcoming directorial debut, It’s Always Sunni, which I co-wrote with actress/writer Trae Harris, takes a road trip across America. With the natural wonders of the U.S. as our backdrop, we discover what self-discovery and reconciliation looks like for a mother and daughter.

As an artist, I’m also interested in creating a representation of nature that embodies the sacred, divine feminine. Nature as an archetype that represents beauty, intuition, nurturing, wisdom, and transformation. My goal is to re-envision nature in modern filmmaking by creating films that show a respectful and integrated vision of the natural world. 

Your narrative feature debut, It’s Always Sunni, has received significant recognition, including being selected for Film Independent’s Fast Track. Can you share the story behind this project, and what drew you to it as your first feature film?

It’s part of the “American Dream” to see the multitude of beautiful landscapes in this country with our own eyes. We’ve all romanticized driving cross-country at some point in our lives, but Black and Brown women have been notably absent from the road trip film canon. It’s Always Sunni is a new exploration of the road trip genre, with two Black women behind the wheel. It transports the viewer from the urban world of Baltimore, across America showing a diverse midwest, and diving deep into nature. 

As someone who is passionate about creating new authentic stories for and about women of color, I’m excited to take on a beloved genre in a fresh way. We want to show that traveling as a path to self discovery is a rite of passage for everyone. Our film is a distinct, artistic vision that blends magical realism, poetry, and narrative storytelling. It’s Always Sunni aims to reach a culturally and socially diverse audience who are hungry to see uplifting stories. It shines light on diverse, emotionally rich, characters and the vastness of this gorgeous land we call home.

As you develop It’s Always Sunni, how does your background in commercials and short-form content influence your approach to long-form storytelling in a feature film? Are there any lessons from the commercial world that you’ve found valuable in your feature filmmaking journey?

The commercial world was a fantastic launch pad for me. In addition to developing my creative vision, leadership, and technical skills, I learned how to tell an impactful story in a short time. This background taught me to strip down to the essentials of creating emotional, impactful, and visual stories sometimes in as little as thirty seconds. Always thinking of each project as a film, rather than an ad, has helped me create some really powerful pieces. 

Most recently, I directed Argent: The Work Continues, which not only promoted the brand but also empowerment. In a time when many women are feeling the exhaustion, heartbreak, isolation, and anger around our current political affairs, we were inspired to create a film that carries a message of inspiration. Released on International Women’s Day, it was featured in Ad Age’s 13 CREATIVE CAMPAIGNS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY. 

You can find a look behind the scenes and interview with me HERE.

In your work for Nike’s campaigns or Facebook’s Latinx Heritage Month series, you’ve been tasked with representing cultures and identities. How do you approach telling these stories with authenticity while aligning with brand messaging?

I’ve been blessed to work on many brand campaigns with messaging I believe in, which makes authentic storytelling come with ease. Because I try to stay true to the values in my personal life, my work life is filled with clients and collaborators that I’m aligned with. This enables me to create stories that feel engaging, honest, and personal. Being vulnerable is key as an artist, so in each project I’m opening myself up to find a personal connection to the piece. And when the entry point is the heart space, the stories really write themselves. 

My approach starts with a reflection on what the brand’s message means to me. I always look for emotional connection. I was honored to direct the Latinx Heritage Month Series. As the daughter of a Puerto Rican woman who came to the United States to follow her dreams, I’ve witnessed and been inspired by the strength, perseverance and resilience it takes to be an immigrant in America. I look forward to bringing more stories like this to life. 

Given your experience with wilderness education and outdoor leadership, do you think there’s a deeper connection between environmental consciousness and the art of filmmaking? How can filmmakers use the natural world to tell compelling stories with environmental or social relevance?

Film is a really powerful medium to explore human interconnection with nature. As filmmakers we have the ability to make people aware of what’s happening in our environment through image, story, and song. Before becoming a filmmaker, I spent a decade leading wilderness expeditions, so a deep appreciation for the natural world is in everything I do. 

As an artist I feel compelled to tell stories that illuminate what is happening to our earth. I’m developing a sci-fi thriller set in the future during a global food crisis caused by climate change, overpopulation, and agricultural over planting. This was born from the desire to investigate a dying world where food is scarce, disease is widespread, and humans will die out if there isn’t a significant change. It points to indigenous peoples and their knowledge being the key to the planet’s survival. 

Indigenous people react to the impacts of climate change in creative ways, drawing on traditional knowledge and other technologies to find solutions that help society at large cope with impending changes. My hope is to entertain audiences while raising their awareness of future challenges and motivating them to take action for climate change.

What brought you to NYWIFT?

Community. I met Cynthia Lopez, NYWIFT’s CEO, through producer Louis Perego Moreno and am so grateful for this.

Now more than ever, we’re seeing how important community and connection truly is. Community is how labor of love projects get made. How first opportunities are had. It’s how untold stories find light. And often it’s what keeps us going in a very challenging industry.

NYWIFT is a great opportunity to build a supportive film/TV community of other women in the industry. Film is an art that we can only make together. 

You’ve already achieved a great deal in both commercial and independent filmmaking. What are your next steps as a director? What kind of projects are you most excited to explore in the near future?

Thank you! The next step is to direct my feature debut, It’s Always Sunni. I have a great team on the film including my co-writer and lead actress Trae Harris and producer Nikkia Moulterie. We’re currently in the financing stage after participating in multiple film programs including Film Independent’s Fast Track and The Gotham Project Market, US Features in Development.

I’m also excited to work on more projects that bring Caribbean culture to the forefront. This year I was awarded the NALIP/NETFLIX Women of Color Incubator grant to direct a short film to be distributed by Netflix after its festival run. That film, La Sangre Llama, written by and starring Shamikah Christina Martinez, will premiere this spring and is being developed into a feature. I was proud to curate a Latinx and woman-led team who traveled to the Dominican Republic to realize this shared dream.

Connect with Sonia Malfa on Instagram at @SonSoll, her website soniamalfa.com, IMDb, LinkedIn, and Vimeo.

(All images courtesy of Sonia Malfa)