All tagged Filmmaker

Cynthia Madansky - Always Avant Garde | S5 E09

Cynthia Madansky - Always Avant Garde | S5 E09

Katharine Heller

Cynthia Madansky, 58, describes herself as a Jewish, queer filmmaker and artist. For TOB, she embodies what it means to live a creative life. The recognition she has received – a Fulbright, a Guggenheim, the Rome Prize and so much more – has not altered her commitment to a minimalist life where her art always comes first. She follows her curiosity, her politics, her aesthetic voice and her instincts to create award-winning films that are impossible to categorize. They are not documentaries, they are not narratives: they are deeply beautiful, reflective and political. Her bold and creative genius extends to her own life, with frequent re-locations and explorations while living in Turkey, Palestine, Russia, and Italy, and a commitment to always returning to New York City. We caught up with her soon after she came back from living in St. Petersburg Russia, working on her last film entitled ESFIR. She is now in pre-production, planning and fundraising for her next great opus: a film that will portray the nuclear landscape in all 50 states and US territories.

Check out Cynthia’s paintings, films and travels at: http://madansky.com

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Debbie Zimmerman - Film with Feminism | S5 E02

Debbie Zimmerman - Film with Feminism | S5 E02

Katharine Heller

“I couldn’t do film without feminism. And, I don’t think I want to do the feminism without the film.”

The world needs much more of Debbie Zimmerman, the long-time Executive Director of Women Make Movies. Since 1983, Debbie has been the leading force in taking Women Make Movies from a grassroots production organization to the world’s largest distribution outlet for films by and about women. Now, at 62, Debbie is as fierce, powerful, and determined as ever to make sure that the independent film sector includes and honors the diverse stories produced by women media makers from around the world. A ‘baby feminist’ since high school, a lover of travel and adventure forever, a globally-recognized expert on women in independent film, Debbie observes that she got ‘the trifecta’ of life and career: work that is feminist, culture-changing and entrepreneurial. She also recognizes – in this podcast and always – the amazing women mentors that supported her along the way. Listen to Debbie’s inspiring story and don’t stop there! Check out Women Make Movies website and catalogue (www.wmm.com), support feminist film organizations, and watch independent feminist film. You’ll be glad you did!

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Sandra Guzman - At the Feet of Her Elders | S5 E01

Sandra Guzman - At the Feet of Her Elders | S5 E01

Katharine Heller

“I am 54. I don’t know what that means anymore. In my 20s and 30, when I thought about what 50 would feel like, I thought it was going to be old and cranky. And I’m coming together really nicely in my 50s. It feels wonderful to set boundaries, to know that I prefer banana pancakes.”

On the other side of 50, journalist, author and filmmaker Sandra Guzman still listens to her elders. Most notably, she spent two days listening to Nobel Laureate and literary giant Toni Morrison when she interviewed her for the wonderful documentary, the Pieces I Am. (Imagine the joys of sitting with Morrison for two days asking questions to elicit the story of her life? And then, your heightened sorrow at her passing this August?) Sandra listens to learn, share and, in her words, “amplify the voices and stories of marginalized people and communities.” She was the Editor-in-Chief of Latina, the country’s largest magazine for Latinx women; won an Emmy for her public affairs work at Telemundo, just one of the television stations she worked with over the years; was a reporter at El Diario/La Prensa and the New York Post; and is the author of The Latina’s Bible, a feminist go-to-guide for two generations of Latinx women. Sandra is a powerful and captivating storyteller evolving into an elder in her own right. We hope you enjoy sitting at her metaphoric feet as much as we did! (And to learn much more about Sandra and her work, visit her website at http://www.sandraguzman.com/films/)

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