The Real American

Set in 1994, this comedy-drama follows Alya, a Russian exchange student living with an American family. As she attempts to navigate the cultural expectations of being a Western teenager, she discovers that her host father has developed romantic feelings for her.

The short film was directed by Darya Zhuk and written by a team including Zhuk, Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović, and Guy V. Cimbalo. Produced by Turnstyle TV, the project is a co-production between the United States, Russia, and Belarus. The cast features Tamara Sevunts in the lead role of Alya, alongside Gerard Assante as Trevor. Other supporting roles are played by James Crichton, Mariah Lee, Carolyn McCormick, and John Rothman.

Released on May 1, 2015, the film has a runtime of 12 minutes. It has received a generally positive response from viewers, holding a 6.9 rating on IMDb based on 23 votes.