Los Angeles, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/09/2017 --A warm reception at the Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner — and a win for "Best Thriller" at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival — have inspired writer/director Daniel De Menezes to re-create his critically-acclaimed short film Mia as a feature. And one of the thriller's most notable upgrades may be an expanded role for Spanish-speaking Swiss actress Tania Serrano.

Serrano plays a supporting role as the character Katie in the short feature, which delves into the mental journey of Mia, a 27-year-old writer seeking inspiration for the last few chapters of her book.

"I made the film Mia because I wanted to explore the human mind and how it works through a strong character like Mia," said De Menezes. "With Mia — the complex nature of her being — it shows through her writing. The various emotions that a person goes through and how quickly a person can go from being completely sane to insane."

A strong lead role called for strong supporting players, and De Menezes found one in Tania Serrano. "It was an absolute pleasure working with Tania," said the film's director and writer. "She played the role of Katie and did an exceptional job. She was easy to work with and took direction really well! Her performances brought out the full essence of her character."

"Daniel is working hard to develop the script and attract investors to make the feature film possible," says Serrano. "I think he has some intriguing ideas for the character of Katie, and I look forward to the opportunity to bring her to life once again."

Serrano has made her mark on the Los Angeles film community since moving there in 2014, after earning her Master's degree in acting for film at Madrid's prestigious Central De Cine. All told, she has appeared in over a dozen film and television projects, and a dozen more theater projects in both the United States and Spain.

Her work on Mia marked a return to collaborating with Carla Roda, the producer on this project. The two had worked together previously on the critically acclaimed short film Camila, which was also named an official selection of the Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner.

About Tania Serrano
Born in Switzerland and raised in Spain, Tania Serrano was invited to join the "Punto y Aparte" Theater company in Madrid at the age of thirteen. She performed in a number of stage productions and was eventually awarded First Prize in the third annual Interpretation Festival for live theater in Nuevo Baztán for her performance in "Thanks Grandma" by Sebastián Junyent. After earning her bachelor's degree in film in the United States, she returned to Madrid to finish her Masters in acting for film at the prestigious "Central De Cine" under the Direction of Eva Lesmes, where she received coaching and instruction from Maria Ripoll among many others. In addition to her theater work, Serrano's acting credits include roles in several short films, television appearances and the feature film Ted 2.

About Kathleen Hanover
Kathleen Hanover is a freelance writer and public relations consultant whose work has been published in local, regional and national newspapers and periodicals including the Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer and many more.

For more information about film and television actress Tania Serrano, please visit her website at http://www.taniaserrano.com.