Sundance: Full transcript of Women Directors' Roundtable

I promised everybody we'd be out at 10, so I want to end with this. We've talked a lot about some really disturbing statistics. We've talked about strap-ons and pole dancers. We've talked about body doubles. I'm curious, from each person maybe quickly, what are you most hopeful about? What gives you optimism? And what makes you feel good about being a woman making movies in Hollywood right now? Naomi, I'll start with you.

Foner: I feel very hopeful that we—well, just in this room. This is some of the smartest, most interesting, thoughtful people I have spoken to in a very long time. I'm delighted.

Good. Liz?

Garcia:Yeah. I feel very hopeful about women in the industry, because of Lena Dunham. She is an auteur. She is young. She does not fit in the Hollywood obsession with beauty. She's courageous. And I know she's not on network television, i.e. she hasn't been embraced by many of the corporate mainstream. But what she means to me is that she is inspiring people. She's inspiring me, and I'm 10 years older. And she's therefore inspiring girls who are younger. And I also feel very hopeful about digital media. Because I was afraid to spend money. I used the excuse of, "I'll have to ask my parents for $6,000" to not make a senior film in college. And had it been free, you know, had I been able to shoot on, like, the Canon or something, I might not have had the excuse.

That the barriers to entry are lower, meaning it's more open.

Garcia:Yeah.

Cherien?

Dabis:I'm super excited by the conversation. You know, we had the women's brunch yesterday where the results of this study were presented. And it's an historic study. Just for us to be able to take in that information and really kind of band together. And I feel like there's a growing sense of community. And there are firsts and things that are happening that are really kind of creating change for us. So it's sort of giving us something for us to kind of go on. I find it really inspiring.

Foner:And by the way, it's not just young people. I'm a grandmother. And Maggie [Gyllenhaal] said to me, "Maybe you're the first grandmother who's made her first feature film."

Could be. That could be.

Fidell: That's awesome.

That's very nice. Gabriela?

Cowperthwaite: That's very powerful. Being a mother myself and thinking how long could I do this? How long could I stay in this? But I think overall, I think it's just the conversations I've had since arriving here—the ones with women—are, I guess, beyond my expectations, in terms of support. You know, "Oh, my god, I can't wait to see your movie. And let's switch tickets." And so supportive and collaborative. And it feels like non-competitive. It feels like, "I can't wait to see what you put on your screen." And I think that is probably a female characteristic. And if we can sort of carry this on to the directorial role and make this sort of part of this industry and how we come about this industry, how much better will our art be? If we can openly sort of share ideas, work together, be excited about each other's films? What if we sort of take this whole director, you know, cool guy with the glasses, what if we take that and put a new stamp on it? You know?

FULL COVERAGE: Sundance Film Festival 2013

We're almost done. And Hannah, up to you to end it.

Fidell:I just feel like the world is our oyster. And that it's an amazing feeling. I grew up knowing that my mother is a journalist and was one of the first bureau chiefs I think ever at The New York Times. And to know about that story and how hard it was to break into journalism—she's been a journalist, working for the paper, for 30, 40 years now, which is crazy. But hearing these stories of how hard it was for her, and yet knowing how easy it is for me right now is just remarkable.

Foner: For me the hopefulness is to hear that you guys expect to have what you have. And you don't double-think it. You don't for a minute think that there's any reason you shouldn't. So I feel like my generation has done something, if that's where you begin.

Garcia:Oh, god, absolutely.

Dabis:That's great. Yeah.