For Bavlina Youri, the arts have presented a number of opportunities to explore corners of the nation that she otherwise wouldn’t have. Even as a native of Turlock, there are cultural traditions that have taken place in her backyard that she had never experienced until her work as a creative opened new doors.

Youri’s latest endeavor has taken her and colleagues Fabian Pourmand and Trina Keller to the circular arenas of the Central Valley to share the history of “dancing with the bull,” the tradition of Portuguese bullfighting. Over the past year, the trio has captured film for their original documentary series, The Great FAENA.

A faena is the third and final act of a bullfight in which the matador displays his bravery and artistry as he prepares for the kill. In states like California, bullfighting is “bloodless” as there is no stabbing, cutting or actual killing of bulls with lethal weapons. Instead, bullfighters typically use Velcro sticks and aim to place them on Velcro squares on the bulls’ backs.

“I think it's an amazing story to tell and one that needs to be highlighted,” Youri said. “It's such a beautiful sport and has such cultural significance. I want to open eyes and offer perspective to why it's being done. I want people to understand why these men are risking their lives doing this.”

Youri is the owner of The BRICK, a creative studio at 3020 Geer Road in Turlock. It’s a 2,700-square foot space that can have multiple uses. Since its opening in the fall of 2024, it has hosted art exhibits, photo and video shoots, paint nights, acting classes, comedy shows, live music and more.

On Saturday, April 18, the venue will host “A Night in Portugal,” a fundraiser to support the making of the documentary. Guests will be treated to a night of live Fado music, a Portuguese art exhibition, hors d’oeuvres prepared by Farm Truck Catering, traditional drinks including wine and beer, and a silent auction. Tickets are $55 and can be purchased at The Brick's website at www.thebrick.studio.

“I’ve already learned so much about the Portuguese culture, and it is so beautiful,” Youri said. “This is going to be a night of celebrating that.”

Youri graduated from Turlock High School in 2002 and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanislaus State in political science. She earned her Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from The Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University in New York. Youri made her directorial and screenwriting debut in early 2016 with the short film “I Meant To Tell You” that she also wrote, acted in and premiered at Regal Cinemas in Turlock.

Despite growing up in Turlock — where there is such a large Portuguese community that holds regular cultural events — Youri had never been to a bloodless bullfight.

The seeds of The Great FAEDA were planted by Pourmand, a Turlock photographer and videographer who began attending and shooting local bullfights. Pourmand and Youri have collaborated on several projects in the past, most recently filming an upcoming documentary on Pitman High School wrestlers. The moments Pourmand captured ignited a spark in Youri.

“Fabian was showing me some of the photos he took at the bullfights and they were amazing,” Youri said. “I saw them and knew that there was potential to do something meaningful and impactful. I knew there was a story at these bullfights that deserved to be told. The horsemen, the forcados, the matador, they all have stories.”

Youri is serving as the director, producer and writer for the documentary. Pourmand is the director of photography. Keller, another close friend and creative, is the project’s second camera and production assistant. Together, the trio has gathered hours of footage at bullfighting venues anr ranches in places like Stevinson, Gustine, Hilmar and Tracy. A two-minute trailer can be viewed on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY3cIdmK-DI. An inside look at the filmmaking process is being chronicled on the Instagram page @TheGreat_Faena.

The team hopes Saturday’s event can raise enough funds to branch outside of the valley and even to Portugal.

“We have interviews, but we need more,” Youri said. “I want more horsemen, forcados and bull owners. I'm searching for more stories. What about the guys who have been involved in this for decades? And what about the younger ones stepping into that arena for the first time? The one who had been seriously injured and never came back. The ones that did manage to get back in there?

“And to travel to Portugal would be huge and could really help show the roots of this tradition. I want to show where some of these people grew up or where their families are from. To get shots of the older arenas and speak to masters and get their perspectives, it would be amazing.”

Additional funds could also allow for more people to join the filmmaking team. Youri explained that hiring editors and motion graphic artists can help them come closer to releasing the first episodes. And with episodes released, the process of entering their documentary to festivals and pitching the project to film and television studios can begin.

“We need to get editing going so that I know as the director what we need to tweak, if there is anything we need to subtract or if there is anything that I feel that is missing that we need to dedicate time to gather,” she explained. “Once we know that and start piecing some episodes together and putting them out, maybe we can get some backing and we can turn this into something much bigger.”