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Rafaella Arnaez spent most of her life dreaming about the spotlight. Today, she is chasing a different dream — creating stories from behind the camera.
The 20-year-old Peruvian-Italian actor moved to the U.S. at 17 to pursue a career in film. What began as a childhood fascination with acting has now evolved into a passion for writing, producing, directing and editing.
“Even though it was really, really, really hard after living there for 17 years and getting here, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” she said.
As a child, Arnaez often watched movies and reenacted scenes in front of her mirror. But it wasn’t until after high school that she decided to turn that passion into a profession.
In August 2022, she moved from Lima, Peru, to Palm Bay, Florida, with her parents and earned an associate’s degree from a community college. She then spent the summer of 2024 studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York before moving to Gainesville to study film at UF.
She initially applied to the theater program but switched her major to media production, management and technology before classes began. With a minor in entrepreneurship and a specialization in digital film and production, she discovered a new love for screenwriting, directing and editing.
She still loves acting and does it “from time to time” but said she can express herself better through the controlled source of creativity found in TV and film production. Her acting background, she said, gives her valuable insight into character development — a skill she now uses to guide her work as a writer, producer and director.
Still, Arnaez hasn’t left acting behind entirely. This past summer, she won Best Lead Actress in the 100 Hour Film Race for her performance in “Because of This,” which placed second overall in the international competition.
The contest gives teams a prompt and 100 hours from midnight to write, shoot, edit and submit a 10- to 15-minute film. Having worked with the team previously, Arnaez was asked to join the cast again.
“I had, like, zero time to learn lines, and it was a very intense film,” she said.
Danny Burtless, the film’s director of photography, said Arnaez faced the unique challenge of creating a fully developed character in less than 24 hours. Having worked with her both on and off camera, he described her as extremely talented and hardworking.
“When she’s acting, you can just see there's a different level of performance in her facial expressions and the emotion that she brings,” Burtless said. “Also when we’re not rolling, she’s actively studying the script, reciting and rehearsing her lines.”
After the film was ranked among the top 10 internationally, the team attended the Cobb International Film Festival in Georgia for the award ceremony. Arnaez called the experience her biggest career accomplishment so far and a valuable introduction to the film industry.
Madison Buonomo, the film’s producer, said Arnaez’s talent and collaborative spirit stood out on set.
“As a crew member, I’d love to see her in more creative positions,” Buonomo said. “I’d love to see her writing. I’d love to see her direct ... I see a lot of potential in her.”
Looking ahead, Arnaez hopes to carry the relationships she’s built at UF into her professional life. She said she wants to preserve the supportive, collaborative energy she’s found with her peers on future film sets.
No matter where her career takes her, Arnaez credits her drive and ambition to her Peruvian roots.
“The reason why I’m doing this — the want I have to tell meaningful stories and have good production quality — definitely has to do with the fact that I’m Latin, or Hispanic, or Peruvian,” she said. “It keeps you going.”
Contact Bruna Arnaes at bmoreira@alligator.org. Follow her on X @bruna_arnaes.
