We had the good fortune of connecting with Ana Moioli and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ana, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Since I was as young as 5 years old, I’ve been fascinated by the power of stories – while they’re definitely one of the most universal sources of pleasure, I am a passionate believer that their effect also goes far beyond entertainment. Empathy is the most powerful weapon to bring people to action, and that’s what stories do. For instance – besides working as an artist, I also teach chess to young kids through storytelling for a school called Chess At Three, and my work with my students has brought me to witness the power of tales as an educational tool. The kids want to play chess because they want to help the character King Shaky overcome his “fear of the grass” by “tiptoeing one step at a time”, so the stories both shape their knowledge and bring them to action. When I see the impact I cause on the children I teach, I am reminded of why I chose to be a creator. By reaching more and more people with truthful, unheard stories, and hopefully providing both fun and intellectually enlightening experiences, I strive to contribute to a world with more empathy.


Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The path of finding a space for myself in the theater and film industries is definitely not easy, and it’s even less so as an immigrant. I was lucky to find here a family of friends with whom I have been creating several projects in both theater and film to make sure our stories are heard. I co-founded Et Alia Theater, a company of international women based in NYC, with whom I’ve been developing narratives through feminist and culturally diverse lenses. I directed, co-wrote, co-produced and performed in our last show ‘None of the above’, as part of Rattlestick’s Global Forms Theater Festival, in which we comedically explored our struggles, as foreigners, with expectations, stereotypes and cultural shocks, all while trying to hold on to our own identities. I am also honored to have found a community of filmmakers with whom I have collaborated multiple times on TV series and short films that also reflected our experiences as immigrants, such as the comedic series CherryBomb, which I produced and acted in, the dramatic short ‘Til Morning, which I co-directed with Ryan Cairns, and the also dramatic shorts Elsewhere and I Am Love, by Guilherme Pedra, which I acted in. There is nothing I am more proud of than to connect my voice with my peers’ and use our combined strength to tell compelling stories.


If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
A picnic at the Four Freedoms Park in Roosevelt Island is always a go-to for me when I want to show off the beauty of the New York skyline. The combo Whitney Museum/Chelsea Market/High Line/Hudson River is also an easy but always successful choice. At night, I would take them to bars in the village and/or Williamsburg – definitely one with a dance floor and Latin music, such as Yuca Bar or Miss Favela. We’d finish the night with a slice of Artichoke Pizza, because… there’s no better way to end.


Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would definitely like to dedicate my shoutout to my amazing collaborators/friends and my family. I’ve been lucky enough to find an incredible community of artists here in New York, who are not only extremely talented but also exceptional human beings. Starting with my fellow company members from Et Alia Theater – Maria Muller, Giorgia Valenti, Luísa Galatti and Deniz Bulat. For other projects in both theater and film, I can’t fail to mention Guilherme Pedra, Marina Zurita, Ryan Cairns, Kaylee Shahira, Larissa Castilho, Liana Sonenclar, Shai Frumkin, Quinn Cavin, Mafalda Pinto Correa, Ricardo Acioli, JP Pacca, Pranav Kothary, Cornelius Boeder… And the list goes far. Also, of course, nothing would have been possible without the support of my family, so this goes to my Cecília Santana, Tchô Moioli and Julia Moioli as well!

Website: www.anamoioli.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anamoioli/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ana.moioli

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb7GHwWzU-p7wmfDNLC0rSg

Image Credits
Headshots: Billy B Photography Et Alia photo: JP Pacca Map: Guilherme Pedra

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.