A BRIGHTER LENS

We sat down with directors Julie Cohen and Betsy West and producer Talleah Bridges McMahon to chat about their new film MY NAME IS PAULI MURRAY, which premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. The film takes an in-depth look at the life and ideas of Pauli Murray, a non-binary Black lawyer, activist and poet who influenced both Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Thurgood Marshall. The film comes out in theaters today (September 17) and will be available on Amazon Prime after theatrical release.

Emily Best is the founder and CEO of Seed&Spark, a platform that makes entertainment more diverse, inclusive, connected and essential. Over the last 8 years, Seed&Spark has developed an unprecedented pipeline of unique voices and award-winning content through its education and crowdfunding platform. Seed&Spark’s platform and national education program have helped thousands of bold storytellers raise millions to bring to life entirely new stories, and Seed&Spark delivers those stories into workplaces for employee training, engagement, and intelligence through its proprietary Impact Screening Platform.

This week, we chat with Ariel Marx, composer of the documentary Rebel Hearts, which premiered at Sundance this year. An eclectic composer and multi-instrumentalist, Ariel draws from many genres and often combines orchestral and rare instruments with electronics to create unique worlds of sound. Her scores have premiered in films at Sundance, TIFF, SXSW, Tribeca, Woodstock, Criterion Channel, as well as Amazon, Netflix, HBO, and is a Sundance Film Music and Sound Design Lab fellow. We really enjoyed hearing about her collaborative process with Pedro Kos (director of Rebel Hearts), discoveries she had while working on the music, and her Sundance Lab experience. Enjoy!

This week, we chat with writer/director Mei Makino, about her feature film debut Inbetween Girl, which just had its premiere at SXSW! For three years, Mei taught filmmaking to youth in the Austin area which inspired her to tell honest stories about kids and teens. She's written and directed short films that have played at The Dallas VideoFest, PBS, and ESPN's Longhorn Network, and is an AFS grant recipient. Makino is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a B.S. in Radio-TV and Film. Enjoy!

This week, we chat with Whitney Skauge, director of the short documentary The Beauty President, premiering at SXSW this week. The Beauty President asks the question, “If a bad actor can be president, why not a good drag queen?” In 1992, Joan Jett Blakk made a historic bid for the White House as an openly queer write-in candidate. Today, Terence Smith, the man behind the persona, reflects back on his place in gay rights history at the height of the AIDS crisis. By making this film, Whitney's vision is to fill in one of the many gaps in the oral history of queer America. Though popular history has often swept the triumphs of gay heroes under the rug, documentary film helps us bring these incredible stories back into the light of day. As a black queer person, Whiney understands how imperative it is to share perspectives from underrepresented communities. Whitney Skauge is an award-winning filmmaker dedicated to diverse storytelling and representation. Their films act as an extension of social and political activism with hopes of helping audiences understand themselves and the world around them better. Having worked at Breakwater Studios, Women In Film, Sundance Institute, and the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, their career has demonstrated a consistent commitment to the art of independent filmmaking. They received their B.F.A. in Digital Filmmaking from the University of Montana. We loved chatting with Whitney about the perseverance needed to make the film, the process, and what they hope people will come away with after watching the film. Enjoy!

Brenda Wachel is a veteran script supervisor. She has worked closely as a script supervisor for directors and producers including Joe Johnston, Paul Haggis, Steven Spielberg, Michael Mann, John Dahl, Gary Sinise, on projects such as Jurassic Park 3, Hidalgo, October Sky, and The Next 3 Days. Additionally, Brenda recently wrote, produced, and directed a Get Out The Vote video called “America, Vote!” We chat with her about all things script supervision, and about her exploration into directing. Enjoy!

This week, we check in with Jessie Barr, director of SOPHIE JONES. We talked to Jessie at the beginning of the pandemic and wanted to chat with her again now that her film is out in the world. The film tells the story of a teen who [ushes the boundaries of her newfound sexual awakening as she copes with the recent loss of her mother. Jessie discusses the distribution journey during a pandemic and what she's looking forward to in 2021 (hint: lots of space to daydream). The film is now available on VOD. After our check-in, we re-air our first conversation with Jessie, who talks more about the process of making the film.

This week we chat with Emmy award-winning production designer, Amy Williams. Amy has worked on over 40 films, including a number of Sundance selections, in addition to several TV shows. She won an Emmy for her scenic design work on A Crime To Remember, and some of her other work includes Master of None season 2, HBO's Crashing, and the Apple+ series Little America. We chat specifically about Amy's recent work on Amazon Prime's new series, The Wilds. Enjoy!

This week, we chat with director Ashley O'Shay and producer Morgan Johnson about their film Unapologetic. They talked about collaborating, their love for Chicago, and why this doc following two fierce abolitionist leaders coming of age within the Movement for Black Lives in Chicago is a timely watch. The film most recently screened at TIFF Next Wave Festival and will be playing at the Black Lesbian Film Festival and Big Sky Documentary Film Festival this weekend. Check out unapologeticflm.com to see where you can watch. Enjoy our conversation!

This week, we chat with Gillian Wallace Horvat, a Los Angeles-based filmmaker, writer, and film programmer about her new film I BLAME SOCIETY. I BLAME SOCIETY is Gillian's feature film debut; previous projects include KISS KISS FINGERBANG, which was awarded the Jury Prize in the Midnight Shorts category at the 2015 South by Southwest Film Festival, and a Vimeo Staff Pick. She has also produced several documentaries and is a guest columnist for Filmmaker magazine. I BLAME SOCIETY is available to watch on demand February 12!

It's a Sundance tradition! We welcome back friend of the pod + film critic Beandrea July to chat with us about her Sundance Film Festival 2021 virtual experience and her favorite films. Beandrea July (@beandreadotcom) is a freelance film critic based in Los Angeles who works in print and audio. Her work has appeared in several publications including Vanity Fair, The New York Times, Time, The Hollywood Reporter, Hyperallergic, Level and NPR. She has also been a guest on the NPR shows 1A and The Takeaway as well as KPCC SoCal's The Frame. Of the nine films that Sidney Poitier has directed the eighth one is still a favorite.

Happy (virtual) Sundance Film Festival! We're warching films from our living rooms all week and bringing you interviews with Sundance filmmakers. We chatted with a favorite past guest, Amey René, casting director of MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE, directed by Kate Tsang. She tells us about the casting process for the film and what special skills she brought to the table for this project! MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE synopsis: Thirteen-year-old Sammy is struggling to cope with the death of her mother. After she is caught vandalizing one of her school's restrooms, her father, fed up with her wild behavior, enrolls her in a summer course—if she fails, she'll be sent to a boot camp for delinquent youth. After storming out of her first class, Sammy meets Margot, a surly magician. Margot forces Sammy to be her assistant for a performance, and although Sammy seems uninterested, she seeks Margot out after the show and asks to become Margot's pupil. Margot agrees, and as their unlikely friendship grows, we learn that she and Sammy understand each other more than they expected.

Happy (virtual) Sundance Film Festival! We're watching films from our living rooms all week and bringing you interviews with Sundance filmmakers. First up, we chatted with co-director/co-writer Julia Baylis, and actor Deanna Gibson, about their short film WIGGLE ROOM. WIGGLE ROOM synopsis: Determined to save her wheelchair ramp from repossession, Daisy confronts the shady insurance agent who owes her money. *This short is available on-demand throughout the Festival with purchase of a pass.

This week we sat down with award-winning director, producer, and writer, Chantal Potter, and talked with her about her directorial debut, Balloon Man. Chantal founded Made For T.V. Productions in 2008 and she was previously known for BET Network's award-winning docu-series, The Defining Moment & Turning Point, where she was the creator, Executive Producer, and host. Her feature directorial debut Balloon Man, is an intimate portrait of a her father--a former NFL athlete who learned how to navigate through the clouds, becoming the first African American Hot-Air Balloon Master Pilot in the world. Balloon Man will be released worldwide on-demand on February 2, 2021.

This week, we chat with costume designer Laura Cristina Ortiz. She chats with us about discovering her love for costuming (it's in her blood!) and her passion for ethical fashion. She talks with us about her recent project, the film Synchronic which can be found on VOD, and the fascinating design challenges she faced on that. Enjoy our conversation!

With her infectious personality and unique sense of humor, Pittsburgh native Sujata Day has established herself as a performer, creator, writer, and director. She regularly performs in Upright Citizen Brigade's hit Asian AF show. Sujata is known for her starring role as CeCe in Issa Rae's The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. She's recurred for three seasons on HBO's Insecure. Sujata is a Sundance Lab fellow, Sundance Film Festival influencer, and Sundance Collab advisor. Her short film, Cowboy and Indian, sold to a major studio for series development with Sujata writing, producing and starring. She served as HBO Visionaries Ambassador in 2019. She directs This Is My Story, a series in which beloved storyteller LeVar Burton narrates real life personal experiences of everyday racism. Sujata's debut feature film, Definition Please, is currently touring the film festival circuit.

This week, we chat with Sade Ndya, an LA based Cinematographer, who also specializes in Fine Art Photography and Community Organizing. Through her creative work, Sade is actively dedicated to providing safe creative spaces for fellow BIPOC to carry out their personal visions and endeavors. At only 19, she started her own freelance production company called The Red Futon, where she cultivates space for BIPOC talent to freelance creating content for local brands and musicians. Additionally, she is also a Cinematography mentor at Made In Her Image, which is a non-profit that provides young brown and black girls education, resources and industry opportunities to learn the world of filmmaking.

This week, we have a conversation with writer/director Tara Miele about her recent feature film, Wander Darkly, which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Tara is well known for the viral video 'Meet a Muslim' which she created to combat Islamophobia. The video has been featured on Refinery 29, Buzzfeed, Upworthy, and was shared around the world over 45 million times. Tara recently directed the backdoor pilot Green Arrow and The Canaries, and has directed episodes of Arrow, Batwoman and Hawaii Five-0, as well as four micro budget feature films. She is also a graduate of Ryan Murphy's Half Foundation and the CBS Directing Initiative. Wander Darkly is now available to watch on VOD.

This week, we bring you a delightful conversation with Kenna Wright. Kenna is an actress, dancer, and choreographer based in Los Angeles. She has appeared on TV shows such as Veronica Mars, Grown-Ish, The Affair, Fresh Off The Boat and multiple national commercials. Kenna recently directed, wrote and produced her own short film PALMS, that takes a deeper look at the world through the eyes of a young African American girl. PALMS is currently being submitted film festivals around the country and has received a series of awards and acknowledgements. Enjoy!

Special Episode! We're so excited to re-air this conversation (and one of our last in-person interviews!?) with film production designer, Tracy Dishman. We chatted with Tracy at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival about the film Black Bear, which she designed for. Black Bear was directed by Lawrence Michael Levine and stars Aubrey Plaza. We loved getting to hear about how Tracy found her way into production design and what her process was like designing for Black Bear. Tune in for our conversation with Tracy and check out Black Bear on demand, today!

Hillary Spera is a cinematographer based in Brooklyn, NY. We've coinicidentally watched a handful of Hillary's films during the pandemic, so we were delighted to chat with her about a couple of her most recent ones! We specifically talked with her about her work on the Blumhouse/Sony Pictures reboot of THE CRAFT, directed by Zoe Lister Jones, as well as the Lionsgate feature RUN, directed by Aneesh Chaganty. Hillary's credits include Zoe Lister-Jones' BAND AID, Miguel Arteta's DUCK BUTTER, Craig Johnson's ALEX STRANGELOVE, and THE PACKAGE, directed by Jake Szymanski, executive produced by Ben Stiller. Her narrative television work includes the pilot for P-VALLEY for Starz, THE LOST BOYS for Warner Brothers/CW and currently she is working on Warner Brothers' THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT.

Kelly Walker is an Australian multi-hyphenate award winning filmmaker. She's had multiple short films in the festival circuit, most notably The Brownlist, directed and edited by Walker, which received the Jury Award for Best Short Film at Bentonville Film Festival. We chatted with Kelly about her debut feature, My Fiona. She was invited to participate in Australian's In Film's Writers Lab for her script and completed shooting the film in the summer 2019. My Fiona was set to world premiere at BFI Flare in London in March 2020, but due to Covid-19 the premiere was cancelled.

Anna Kerrigan is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker with a background in independent film, digital storytelling and theater. HOT SEAT, which she wrote and directed, premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. She also directed THE CHANCES, a digital series written by and starring two deaf actors, which also premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. We specifically chatted with her about her film Cowboys, which was a 2020 Tribeca selection, in addition to Outfest, Frameline, Nashville, Newfest, and Leiden. Anna won the award for Best Screenplay at Tribeca and the film won the Audience Award for Best Feature at Nashville Film Festival. And since we chatted, Cowboys got picked up by Samuel Goldwyn and will be released early next year!

Kyra Jones is a Black queer screenwriter, actor, and filmmaker based in Chicago. She holds a degree in Theatre and Gender Studies from Northwestern University. In 2019, Kyra co-wrote, executive produced, and starred in the award-winning web series,The Right Swipe (OTV), which was an official selection at Austin Film Festival, Urban World Film Festival, and several others. Her half-hour comedy pilot script, Good Vibes Only, has placed in several competitions, including the Sundance Episodic Lab, Diverse Voices, and the Nashville Film Festival. She's currently in pre-production for her first feature, Go to the Body, a boxing film that explores sexual violence in the Black community. Her extensive work as a sex educator and survivor advocate lends itself to her artistic endeavors, inspiring scripts that focus on Black women's experiences with relationships, sex, and intimacy.  Since we chatted, Kyra's script Good Vibes Only won Best Half Hour pilot at the Nashville Film Fest and Kyra's feature Go To The Body won The Pitch at the Chicago International Film Festival. Kyra also just wrapped production on the proof of concept for Go To The Body.

This week, we chat with Jessie Kahnweiler about her short film He's The One. Jessie first became known for writing, directing and starring in a short film called ‘Meet My Rapist' that imagines Jessie bumping into her rapist at the farmer's market, and then dating him. Jessie then wrote, directed, and starred in ‘The Skinny', a dark comedic series based on her 10-year relationship with bulimia. ‘The Skinny' was produced by Jill Soloway, Paul Young, and Refinery29, and premiered at Sundance. Jessie also developed ‘Viagra Diaries' for CW, ‘Bump' for ABC Digital, and staffed on ‘Skam AUSTIN' for Facebook Watch. Jessie's short film, ‘He's The One,' premiered at Sundance this year. She is currently writing a series for Sharon Horgan at the new streaming service, Topic, based on that short. Check out Jessie's latest horror short, RETREAT, that she directed for Hulu.

This week, we chat with Kim Tran, a first-gen Vietnamese writer, director and comedian who once rode her bike from Texas to Alaska. Her films have been official selections of SXSW, Palm Springs ShortFest and Short of the Week. Her film Zoe and Hanh recently earned a Vimeo Staff Pick. She received the Michener Fellowship to pursue her MFA in Screenwriting and Playwriting at the University of Texas at Austin. As a writer, she has written for Amy Poehler's Smart Girls, was a semifinalist for the Humanitas, NBC and Disney writing programs and a finalist for the HBO Pitch Competition at the Women in Comedy Festival. In her work, she explores messy Asian American women trying to find their way in the world. Since we chatted with Kim, some exciting updates have come up! Kim was awarded a development grant from the Austin Film Society to develop Zoe and Hanh into a feature film. The short played at Palm Springs Shortfest and will be playing at Hollyshorts.

For this week's episode, we talked with Bridget Moloney, back at the beginning of quarantine! Bridget is an award-winning writer and director working in television, film and commercials. We talk to her about the short film, BLOCKS, that she wrote and directed. She is also the writer/director of the independent television pilot I Was A Teenage Pillow Queen that premiered at the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival. Bridget shot Blocks while a member of AFI's Directing Workshop for Women 2020. The AFI Directing Workshop for Women has been dedicated to advancing the number of women working professionally as narrative screen directors since 1974. The workshop annually provides eight gifted directors with immersive training in screen directing, professional development resources and inroads to the industry – all at no cost to participants. Blocks was an official selection at Sundance, SXSW, Brooklyn Film Festival, Women and Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, and Oxford Film Festival, and will be playing at this year's AFI FEST. AFI Fest starts today, so buy a ticket to watch Blocks at FEST.AFI.com.

For this week's episode, we talked with writer, director, and U.S. Army veteran, Satinder Kaur about her short film Blood and Glory. Blood and Glory premiered at Tribeca Film Festival and won the Grand Prize in Women in Media CAMERAderie initiative. Kaur is a fellow of the Writers Guild Foundation's Veterans Writing Project. She recently started the Global Talent Development & Inclusion program through NBC/Universal, where she is currently writing two features as part of the program. Blood and Glory Synopsis: Two homeless, female veterans' friendship is tested when they confront adversity, discrimination, and even mother nature itself in their attempt to find work and survive the day.

Keylee Koop-Sudduth is a Texas born and raised actor, writer, producer, and director now living in Los Angeles. In 2013, she co-founded the award-winning independent production company Bob Billiams Productions with her husband and creative partner Micah Sudduth. Keylee's original projects have become Official Selections of Tribeca Film Festival (2018, 2020) and won awards like Best Series at LA Indie Fest and Sunset Comedy Series. Keylee's latest project, BACKSLIDERS, is an Official Selection of Tribeca Film Festival 2020. She is currently co-writing a half-hour comedy pilot under the same title with Micah Sudduth and co-writing a feature film with Micah Sudduth and Matt Cook of Hazard Pay Productions.

An emerging auteur recognized by the Museum of Modern Art as a “rarity among the young generation of Filipino filmmakers for her muted, serene aesthetic", Isabel Sandoval is a US-based filmmaker who has written and directed three features. Isabel's third feature LINGUA FRANCA (2019), co-starring Eamon Farren (Twin Peaks: The Return), premiered at the Venice IFF, where she become the first trans woman director to compete at the festival. LINGUA FRANCA follows an undocumented Filipina trans woman Olivia (Isabel Sandoval) after she has secured a job as a live-in caregiver for Olga (Lynn Cohen), an elderly Russian woman in Brooklyn's Brighton Beach neighborhood. Olivia's main priority is to secure a green card to stay in America. But when she unexpectedly becomes romantically involved with Olga's adult grandson Alex (Eamon Farren), issues around identity, civil rights and immigration threatens her very existence. Distributed by ARRAY, the film is now available to stream on Netflix.

With 15 years in the entertainment business, Monica Sotto is just beginning her path as a full-time Production Designer. Monica is a first generation Filipina-American who grew up in Pasadena, CA. Earlier this year, Monica won an Art Directors Guild Award for her Production Design work on the hit Comedy Central TV series, “Drunk History.” Additionally, she and the Drunk History Art team recently nabbed a Primetime Emmy nomination in the 72nd annual awards. While we just found out she and the Drunk History team lost the Emmy to SNL, we're still so excited for Monica and, as she says, ‘the honor of being nominated.' In addition to Drunk History, Monica's credits and clients include the shows RuPaul's Drag Race (World of Wonder), American Horror Story, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Bones (FX/FoxTelevision), Miss 2059 (Go90) and Rizzoli & Isles (TNT).

Back at the beginning of quarantine, we chatted Jessie Barr. Jessie is a filmmaker and 2020 Sundance Fellow based in Los, Angeles. She is an actor, writer, director and producer with a background in independent film, digital storytelling and theater. She makes her feature film directorial debut with Sophie Jones, from executive producer Nicole Holofcener. Sophie Jones will have its world premiere in competition at the 2020 Deauville American Film Festival in France today, Sept 10th. Jessie is one of the seven first-time directors screening in competition. Additionally, eight of the 15 films in competition are directed by women. Stay tuned for upcoming festival announcements that will include virtual offerings, and in the meantime, enjoy our conversation with Jessie!

Leah Meyerhoff is an award winning independent filmmaker who wrote and directed the narrative feature film I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS starring Natalia Dyer and Peter Vack, which was released theatrically after premiering at SXSW, winning the Grand Jury Prize at the Atlanta Film Festival and additional awards from Tribeca Film Institute, San Francisco Film Society, Woodstock Film Festival, and the Adrienne Shelly Foundation. Leah is the founder of FILM FATALES, a non-profit organization which advocates for parity in the film industry and supports hundreds of women feature film and television directors around the world. Over the past five years, she has produced over one hundred panel discussions, educational workshops and networking events for marginalized filmmakers in collaboration with organizations such as Sundance Institute, Tribeca Film Institute, Hot Docs, and Toronto International Film Festival. In an entertainment industry where women direct less than 5% of the top box office films and less than 20% of episodic television shows, Film Fatales provides a structure that enables women directors to get their films made and seen. By offering space for mentorship, peer networking and direct participation, Film Fatales is expanding the landscape of storytelling to bring exciting new films to the screen.

For today's episode we interviewed film publicist, Tahajah Samuels. Tahajah (pronounced: ta•hay•ja) serves as Senior Digital Publicist at BRIGADE where she manages digital publicity campaigns for films' theatrical, streaming, PVOD and/or home entertainment releases. Clients of hers include Focus Features (The High Note, Johnny English Strikes Again) Lionsgate (John Wick: Chapter 3, Uncle Drew), Netflix (6 Underground, Da 5 Bloods, Dolemite Is My Name, The Irishman, Project Power), United Artists Releasing (Creed II, No Time To Die), and Universal Pictures (Breaking In, First Man) to name a few.  Additionally, in 2017, Tahajah founded community and digital platform Black PR Girl Magic™ which hosts seasonal mixers and an array of programs for Black women in the PR and Comms space as well as partnered events with organizations that cater to a wide range of millennials, professionals of color and women.

We're happy to have friend of the pod, Beandrea July, return for a discussion about the film landscape during pandemic times. Beandrea is a freelance writer and audio producer focused on culture. Her film criticism has been published in several outlets including The New York Times, Time, The Hollywood Reporter and broadcast on NPR. She is a regular contributor to TheCherryPicks.com a website that prioritizes women's voices in film criticism. She has also been a guest on the NPR shows 1A and The Takeaway as well as KPCC SoCal's The Frame. She is based in Los Angeles, although definitely not from there. She grew up in Dayton, Ohio. Her cinematic comfort food is the eighth feature Sidney Poitier directed. It's a solid B movie about a group of kids from Ohio who move to NYC to make it big as dancers. Google it. @beandreadotcom

Tanya Saracho is a playwright and television writer who serves as creator, showrunner, and executive producer of the critically-acclaimed series Vida on Starz, which earned 100% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes for its first, second and third seasons. The show, which recently aired its third and final season, featured all Latina directors in seasons two and three, including Saracho, who made her television directorial debut last year. The series had an all-Latinx writers room for seasons one and two, and in season three, the room was composed of all Latina writers. We chatted with her about making the jump from writing and showrunning to directing, and the importance of Latinx representation on television. Enjoy!

Linda Goldstein Knowlton is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, working in both documentary and scripted feature films, as well as in television. Linda directed and produced WOMEN AND HOLLYWOOD, one of the six, one-hour documentaries for the Emmy-nominated PBS MAKERS: Women Who Make America series. Prior to that, she produced CODE BLACK, Best Documentary winner at LA Film Festival and the Hamptons International Film Festival, and the basis for the new CBS one-hour drama of the same name. Previously she directed and produced SOMEWHERE BETWEEN, which won the Sundance Channel Audience Award at the Hot Docs Film Festival, and was released theatrically in over 80 cities across the US. The film was chosen as one of 10 films for the 2012 Sundance Film Forward: Advancing Cultural Dialogue program. For her directorial debut, Linda co-directed THE WORLD ACCORDING TO SESAME STREET, which debuted at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival in completion and aired nationally on PBS. Linda started her career producing feature films, including the award-winning WHALE RIDER and THE SHIPPING NEWS. Today, we talked to her about her most recent documentary, WE ARE THE RADICAL MONARCHS. The film follows the first troop of Radical Monarchs, an alternative to the Scout movement for girls of color, aged 8-13, for over three years, until they graduate. The film also documents the Co-Founders, Anayvette Martinez and Marilyn Hollinquest, struggle to respond to the needs of communities across the US and grow the organization after the viral explosion of interest in the troop's mission to create and inspire a new generation of social justice activists. Stream now on PBS until 8/19!

We're excited to announce our new name: A BRIGHTER LENS! In this time of reflection and learning, we wanted to have a more inclusive and expansive name. We're still committed to spotlighting women in the film industry, but also want to feature more trans and non-binary folks as well and wanted our name to reflect that. For our first episode of Season 3, we chatted with Sue Ding, director of The Claudia Kishi Club. Sue is a documentary filmmaker and new media producer based in Los Angeles. As a freelance filmmaker, Sue directs and produces nonfiction media—from feature documentaries to VR—for a wide range of clients, including The New York Times and PBS. Her documentary work explores the intersection of identity, storytelling, and visual culture. Her short documentary explores the legacy of Claudia Kishi, the iconic (and all too rare) Asian American character from the hit Baby-Sitters Club book series. Claudia inspired a generation of young readers of color, many of whom are now successful writers and artists creating new stories of their own. The film was an official SXSW selection and is now available on Netflix.

We have a special bonus episode for you today featuring one of our favorite past guests, Nisha Ganatra, director of the recently released The High Note, starring Tracee Ellis Ross and Dakota Johnson. Check out watchthehighnote.com to find out where you can digitally watch it! Hope you enjoy the conversation and stay tuned for our upcoming Season 3!

We were so sad to hear of the passing of beloved filmmaker and director, Lynn Shelton. We wanted to honor her memory by re-airing her episode in which we discussed her recent film Sword of Trust. Lynn was deeply loved in the film community (and beyond) and known for both her own films and her extensive TV directing resume. Her films include We Go Way Back, My Effortless Brilliance, Humpday, Your Sister's Sister, Touchy Feely, Laggies, Outside In, and Sword of Trust. She had also directed episodes for The Good Place, GLOW, New Girl, The Mindy Project, Casual, Fresh Off The Boat, Mad Men, and most recently, Little Fires Everywhere. In our interview, we were especially struck by her journey of becoming a filmmaker later in life, in addition to the joy of collaboration she felt with Marc Maron. We are so grateful we had the chance to talk with her. She will be so deeply missed.

We're back from Sundance and have finally had a chance to catch our breath and regroup in Los Angeles! We were so inspired by the festival and by all of the films we saw. First, we interview our favorite film critic Beandrea July for her festival hot-takes and in-depth thoughts on her favorite films. We had the chance to watch some films with her during the festival and loved hearing her takeaways. Next, we interview production designer Tracy Dishman. Tracy designed for Black Bear, which was directed by Lawrence Michael Levine and stars Aubrey Plaza. We loved getting to hear about how Tracy found her way into production design and what her process was like designing for Black Bear. Finally, we interview Jess Engel, founder of production company Crimes of Curiosity, and Myriam Achard from the PHI Centre in Montreal, who both produced the New Frontier mixed-reality experience, Breathe, which uses body movement, gesture, and breath (through biometric sensors) to immerse participants in the story of air. Larkin and Elise had the chance to experience the project firsthand!

Season 2 Finale! Thank you to all our listeners for tuning in this season. This week we reflect on our personal favorite moments about women in film in 2019, as well as our favorite AFL moments! Then, we interview Sandra Mae Frank. Sandra is a deaf trained stage and film actress, best known for her role as Wendla from Deaf West's Spring Awakening on Broadway. She's performed in numerous regional theatre productions, as well as Netflix's Daybreak and Freeform's Switched at Birth. We interview her with the help of her translator, Paul Racy. Please find a transcript of our interview on our website under Sandra's profile page via the link in our show notes! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from Jennifer, Larkin, and Elise at A Female Lens! If you have enjoyed listening this season, please take a moment to rate and review on Apple Podcasts, and sign up for our newsletter via our website to receive updates about Season 3!

This week, we chat about the recent Golden Globes nominations and the absence of women in the Best Director category. Then, we interview Natalie Bronfman, costume designer for film, TV, and theatre. Most recently, she has designed for The Handmaid's Tale. In between projects, she can be found doing runway shows during fashion week.

This week is the third installment of our collaborative series in partnership with Free the Work, which is a curated talent-discovery service of underrepresented creators. Free the Work is a non-profit founded by Alma Ha'rel. Check out their new platform at freethework.com. For our third episode of this series, we interviewed writer and director Sophia Takal. Sophia directed ALWAYS SHINE starring Mackenzie Davis and Caitlin FitzGerald, which played at the Venice Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival. Takal co-wrote and directed NEW YEAR, NEW YOU, the January installment of the INTO THE DARK Hulu horror anthology series. And Sophia's latest film is the Blumhouse / Universal feature BLACK CHRISTMAS, which she directed and co-wrote. Black Christmas will be released in theaters today, Friday the 13th!

This week, we chat about the recent DGA report on female and minority TV directors and how they directed 50% of all episodic TV this year. Then, we interview writer Samantha McIntyre, who recently wrote Netflix's Unicorn Store, directed by Brie Larson. Samantha has written for HBO's Bored to Death, TBS's People of Earth and is an alumnus of both the Warner Bros. Writers Workshop and the Sundance Screenwriters Lab (where Unicorn Store received the Annenberg Film Fellowship Grant). Samantha is currently a Supervising Producer on NBC's upcoming musical dramedy, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist.

This week, we're discussing the streamlined “French Hours” shooting schedule Marielle Heller used on A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, which made it feasible for cast and crew to see their children while in production. Then, we interview actress and producer Yvonne Huff Lee, who is Co-CEO of Lagralane Group. This year, Yvonne has executive produced The Body Remembers When The World Broken Open, as well as Sundance darling The Infiltrators through Lagralane Group. Yvonne currently serves as president of the board at Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble and is also a board member of Array Alliance, an initiative founded by Ava Duvernay.

This week, we're discussing the Hollywood assistants' revolt and #PayUpHollywood and the implications this has for the rest of the industry. Then, we interview costume designer Gersha Phillips. Gersha is a costume designer who has designed for more than 30 films and numerous TV series. She currently designs for CBS's Emmy-nominated Star Trek: Discovery, now in its second season. Her work on Season 1 earned her a Costume Designers Guild Award nomination. She has also worked on House of Cards, Black Panther, and American Psycho.

This week is our second installment of our collaborative series in partnership with Free the Work, which is a curated talent-discovery service of underrepresented creators. Free the Work is a non-profit founded by Alma Ha'rel, whom we recently interviewed. Check out their new platform at freethework.com For our second episode of this series, we interviewed Minhal Baig, writer/director of Hala. Hala is her debut feature film, about a Muslim teenager coping with the unraveling of her family as she comes into her own. It premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Hala is out in theaters today, and on Apple TV+ on December 6. Enjoy! HALA Seventeen-year-old Pakistani American teenager Hala struggles to balance desire with her familial, cultural and religious obligations. As she comes into her own, she grapples with a secret that threatens to unravel her family.

On this week's episode, we discuss The Academy's recent announcement that their "Best Foreign Language Film" award is now titled the "Best International Feature Film" award, and the controversy surrounding the disqualification of the entry films from Nigeria and Austria. Then, we interview film and television composer Sherri Chung. Sherri currently composes the scores for Riverdale (CW) and Blindspot (NBC). Her most recent show, The Red Line, produced by Greg Berlanti and Ava DuVernay, is a limited series which premiered on CBS and currently airs on CBS All Access. Her latest Warner Bros. film, Nancy Drew and The Hidden Staircase was released March 2019 in theaters nationwide.

On this week's episode we discuss recent controversy over the censorship of same-sex love scenes in Olivia Wilde's film "Booksmart" for in-flight entertainment. Then, we interview cinematographer Alison Kelly. Alison is the cinematographer behind the ABC drama Grand Hotel, which is executive produced by and stars Eva Longoria. Alison has worked on other notable projects including AMC's Dietland, MTV's Finding Carter, Who's Afraid of Vagina Wolf?, and STARZ's Counterpart. Enjoy!

This week, we discuss Geena Davis, the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, and their new tool "GD-IQ: Spellcheck for Bias." Then, we interview Nena Erb, ACE, an Emmy-winning editor based in Los Angeles. Nena has been the editor on productions for HBO, Universal, CBS, ABC, and others. In 2016, she received an Emmy award for her work on HBO's documentary series Project Greenlight, and in 2019, she received an ACE Eddie nomination for her work on HBO's Peabody award-winning series Insecure. Currently, she is editing Little America, an anthology series on America's immigrants, produced by Kumail Najiani, Emily V. Gordon, Alan Yang, and Lee Eisenberg.