Creating a Space of Care

Floyd Webb: You’ve called Women Of The Lens a space for healing as much as for film.

Jennifer Robinson: I want people to feel like they’ve come home. You shut the door, kick off your shoes, pour a glass of wine, have some cake, and exhale. It’s about safety — about being seen and heard. That’s the atmosphere I strive for.

“When you walk into Women Of The Lens, I want you to feel like you’ve come home.”

Sustaining the Vision

Floyd Webb: Independent festivals often struggle with funding. How has Women Of The Lens sustained itself?

Jennifer Robinson: In the beginning, I self-funded everything. Only in the last few years have we received any small institutional grants. But doing it yourself gives you creative freedom. I always tell new organizers: if you’re not willing to invest in your vision, no one else will.

“If you’re not prepared to risk something for your vision, why should anyone else?”