Women’s Panel SBIFF 2014

Reviewed by Moa Hellenaes. Viewed at Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

As we waited in line for this event I hoped for it to be really inspiring and educating. I love how women take more and more place in all industries, whether it is film or any other industry. It has always been the men who are the leading sex in everything and I believe that it is an important subject to do something about. At this panel there were six women who worked in the film industry in different way. The women were Kristine Belson, Dede Gardner, Lauren MacMullan, Gaby Tana, Rachel Winter and Sara Woodhatch. Some of these women were at the producers panel that I saw earlier that day. The woman who interviewed the women was Madelyn Hammond.

Sara Woodhatch talked about how she discovered her love for film in college. Rachel Winter also started working with film in college, she graduated from USCB. It is good to try to get in to the business sooner rather than later in life. Wherever or with whatever does not really matter, as long as you put a foot in the industry you are good to go. Lauren MacMullan talked about how she started her career on MTV. When MTV actually meant Music Television, she said and laughed. Kristine Belson is working with animated film and her favorite thing is when they portray the girl in the film as strong, big and independent. To prove that not only boys can save the world. Girls can do the exact same thing and they want to highlight that by making the main character a girl who can accomplish anything.

Rachel Winter answered how it is to get money for making a film. She said that she does not have a problem with asking for money since she only does things she is truly passionate about. I loved when she said that. Often money is a sensitive subject, I do not know how it is in the film industry but money overall is not something you talk about with everyone. Because she knows her film is important and will make a profit she is not ashamed when asking for money. She does it with pride and I believe it is easier to donate money to someone who is really burning for something than to someone who is shy and is there only to make money.

Gaby Tana talked about what she does when she is not making film. She loves cooking and gardening because it is something you know you will get something out of. Either a full stomach or a beautiful garden. Something to look forward too, just like when making a film. You put down the time and effort you need to later see the result you wanted.