Darya Zhuk to Direct ‘The Real American’ Next

Darya Zhuk has locked in her next feature directorial project! The Cinemaholic can confirm that the Belarus-born filmmaker will helm ‘The Real American.’ The principal photography for the project is set to begin in San Diego, California, in July 2025. Zhuk and Guy Cimbalo wrote the movie based on her 2015 short film of the same name. The cast of the film has yet to be announced.

In ‘The Real American,’ a 17-year-old Soviet exchange student named Sasha struggles to adapt to her new life as a typical American teenager following the collapse of the USSR. As she becomes increasingly disillusioned with the ideals of the American dream, she begins to question everything she once admired, ultimately setting her sights on igniting a social and socialist revolution. In the short film, the main character is named Alya, and Tamara Sevunts plays her.

Apart from the source short film, which won a Special Jury Award at the Minsk International Film Festival “Listapad,” Zhuk has several notable works to her name. The filmmaker is known for helming the drama movie ‘Crystal Swan,’ starring Alina Nasibullina. The film premiered at the 2018 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Furthermore, Zhuk previously directed an episode each of Apple TV+’s anthology series ‘Little America’ and FX on Hulu’s ‘The Premise,’ created by B. J. Novak. Her credits also include ‘Filfak’ and ‘Gold Diggers.’ Her upcoming projects include ‘Exactly What It Seems,’ the TV series ‘Zato,’ and ‘Our Breasts Are Our Weapons: The History of the Femen Movement,’ a fictional chronicle of the titular movement that is based in Ukraine.

San Diego is a sought-after filming location known for its coastal beauty, urban landscapes, and historic sites like Balboa Park. Recent projects that were shot in the city include Paul Thomas Anderson’s untitled upcoming movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn. Additionally, Chris Pratt was recently spotted filming ‘Way of the Warrior Kid’ in Mission Beach and Pacific Beach in the region.

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