What Would You Do If You Knew You Could Not Fail? 8 Female Filmmakers Take Us Behind the Scenes of their Journeys to Success
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Listen to the podcast on Inkandescent Radio Follow Your Bliss: Martine Melloul shows us what it means to be a truly amazing woman

You aren’t going to want to miss this episode when movie producer Martine Melloul describes her journey from fashion mogul to film producer on Tracy Schott’s Voices4Change Radio Show
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From Fashion to Filmmaking: French film producer Martine Melloul shares her courageous journey

Welcome to this month’s episode of the Truly Amazing Women Show — Co-hosts Hope Katz Gibbs, the publisher of Inkandescent Women magazine, and Cynthia de Lorenzi, founder of Success in the City, and are excited to feature on our show award-winning filmmaker Martine Melloul.

“We know you’ll be as fascinated as we are to learn about this French woman’s journey from executive VP of the billion-dollar fashion house BCBG MAX AZRIA to her decision to pursue her passion for entertainment and founding her own production company Kali Pictures,” says Cynthia.

Martine has co-produced documentaries for Orange Studios and Arte in France and produced two critically-acclaimed films — Breaking and Exiting and Beyond the Sky.

As is our tradition on the Truly Amazing Women show, Hope and Cynthia ask Martine 10 questions:

  1. Two incredible careers? What was the impetus the drove you to make this leap?
  2. Why come to America to make films?
  3. What stories do you really feel the need to tell?
  4. What challenges have you confronted that surprised you?
  5. What support system do you have surrounding you?
  6. What is the most frequent question you receive about your work?
  7. What questions should we have asked you?
  8. How is the creative culture here in the US different from Europe and France?
  9. What is your greatest guilty pleasure?
  10. Is fashion still important to you?

Learn more about Martine: www.KaliPictures.com​ • Check out our interview on TrulyAmazingWomen.tv. • Scroll down for Martine’s thoughts on What’s Next for Martine!

Illustration by Michael Glenwood Gibbs

Learn What’s Next for Martine and Inkandescent Women: International Female Filmmakers Night

Inspired by filmmakers Martine Melloul and Tracy Schott, this summer we are launching a monthly event to connect women around the world through film. On Sunday at 6pm PST, Hope will interview a female filmmaker for 15 minutes, then stream her film to a growing international audience. A Q&A will be featured at the end when attendees can ask questions. For just $5, which includes a favorite recipe by the filmmaker to enjoy as you watch the film, you can join the party!

Upcoming films include:

  • Finding Jenn’s Voice: produced and directed by Tracy Schott — www.Voices4Change.net
  • Breaking and Exiting, produced by Martine Melloul (Los Angeles, CA, and Paris, France)
  • Billy Bates, by Jennifer DeLia (Los Angeles, CA)
  • More!

Read more to learn about What’s Next for Martine Melloul!

In the Inkandescent Spotlight:

What’s Next for Martine Melloul?

Hope & Cynthia: Tell us about your business and industry, and where it was before the pandemic hit in March 2020. What is happening now?

Martine: Before the pandemic, I was developing a slate of projects and I actually had one film ready to go on March 18th. Of course, nothing happened and since then I have been improving and growing my slate of projects. I also started helping filmmakers with sales and distribution which I enjoy a lot.

Hope & Cynthia: Where were you personally in your life when COVID-19 arrived in the US? What were your short and long-term goals at that time?

Martine: I was quite happy about the development of my company Kali Pictures and was hoping to shoot 1 film and maybe 2 in 2020. My short-term goals were to shoot a couple of films in 2020 and long term be able to set up a TV series at a major streamer.

Hope & Cynthia: What are your thoughts now about your industry, your business, your personal life, your heart?

Martine: My industry I feel is changing. It is more and more difficult to find the money for independent projects. The distribution landscape is changing too due to the explosion of streaming which was accelerated by the pandemic. I am hopeful I can get the connections I need to place my projects with streamers which is now the easiest way to go. I realized also that all I do is work. All the time. I need to take it more slowly and enjoy life and my family a bit more. Pay more attention to them, to my friends.

Hope & Cynthia: Now the big question — What do you see coming next?

Martine:

  • For your industry: I hope COVID taught people to be nicer to each other. This is a shark’s world.
  • For your company: Hopefully 1 or 2 feature films this year
  • For yourself: Success and happiness, I hope
  • For the country: A full recovery from the nightmare that was COVID for a lot of people and businesses
  • For the world: Better communication and understanding. I am too hopeful maybe
  • For women: More women at higher levels in business and society in general.