Nina Menkes - Independent Filmmaker & Director

10/30/22 • 22 min

Meet, Nina Menkes! Nina lives in Los Angeles and is considered a cinematic feminist pioneer and one of America’s foremost independent filmmakers. Nina’s work includes, the narrative films “Queen of Diamonds”, “The Bloody Child”, “The Great Sadness of Zohara”, “Magdalena Viraga”, and “Phantom Love”. Nina’s work has been shown widely in major international film festivals including Sundance, the Berlinale, Cannes, Locarno, AFI, BFI-London, the New York Film Festival to name a few. Nina’s honors include a Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Creative Capital Awardand a Berlinale FIPRESCI Prize for her first feature documentary MASSAKER. Most recently, Nina premiered her second documentary and fourth feature, BRAINWASHED: SEX-CAMERA-POWER at Sundance this year, and it’s how I discovered her and this amazing and impactful documentary which explores the sexual-politics of cinematic shot design. BRAINWASHED has screened widely at A-list festivals and was awarded the 2022 Female Empowerment Seal by the Critics’ Choice Association. But most importantly, it’s now being distributed by Kino Lorber. I was so happy to see BRAINWASHED receive a theatrical release, in Los Angeles & New York City to begin with, this little film that could with a powerful message has been held over due to demand & is also gaining screenings in other cities. I’ll leave the link to the film’s screening page in the show notes. Trust me, you want to head to the theatre and watch BRAINWASHED in a communal setting. I was thrilled when I saw that BRAINWASHED was going to play at my local art house theatre the Laemmle Royal, but the best part of the evening was getting to meet Nina after the screening and having her agree to chat with me on Blissful Spinster! Her time was limited but our chat is full of her insight and inspiration. I’m so excited to bring you my conversation with Nina!

Connect with Nina on: Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Connect with Kino Lorber on: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & TikTok

Follow Brainwashed Movie on: Instagram & Facebook

Find a screening of Brainwashed near you at: Kino Marquee

Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website, Instagram & Twitter

Links & Love

If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.

Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?

Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).

Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚

Connect with Nina on: Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Connect with Kino Lorber on: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & TikTok

Follow Brainwashed Movie on: Instagram & Facebook

Find a screening of Brainwashed near you at: Kino Marquee

Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website, Instagram & Twitter

Links & Love

If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.

Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?

Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).

Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚

Previous Episode

David Casey - Showrunner, Director, and TV Executive

Meet David Casey! David is a Showrunner, Director, and TV executive. He lives in Detroit and is an award-winning filmmaker who specializes in directing, writing, showrunning, show development, and leading logistics for large-scale teams in challenging environments around the world from preproduction through post. Much of David’s work focuses on high-impact storytelling in travel, social justice, natural history, adventure, and environmentalism. David has executive produced and showrun over 100 hours of television and his work has been seen on Netflix, Intel, Discovery, Animal Planet, History Channel, MTV, Paramount+, and Amazon to name a few. David’s extensive showrunner and executive producer credits include the globally produced Coyote Peterson: Brave the Wild, Ocean Warriors from Executive Producers Robert Redford and the late Paul Allen, and long-running Ice Cold Gold for Animal Planet, which he created. On the executive side, David he has held positions at History, Moxie Pictures, Wilderness Productions, ITVS, Cineflix Productions, and Vice President Al Gore’s Current TV. David and I met when I was brought on to Season 3 of Ice Cold Gold as a Story Producer and a friendship quickly sparked. I’m super excited to share our conversation with you all. We chat about the importance of saying yes when you’re leading and hiring to your weaknesses, why collaboration is the heart of elevating your own work, and how it’s possible to be intentional with the choices you make with your career if advocacy for the environment and human rights are important for you.

Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website at: https://www.blissfulspinster.com

Links & Love

If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.

Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?

Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).

Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚

Next Episode

RANDALL PARK - Director, Writer, Producer & Actor

Meet Randall Park, the multi-talented artist who has captivated audiences with his comedic acting, writing, producing, and directing skills. Hailing from Los Angeles, Randall is not only known for his comedic prowess but has also ventured into the realms of producing and directing. His journey in the entertainment industry began during his time at UCLA, where he co-founded the LCC Theatre Company, which has since grown to become the largest Asian American college theater group in the country.

I first discovered Randall's talent when a friend shared a link to the hilarious web series, IKEA Heights, from the Comedy 101 web series. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend checking it out at the link I left below! Since then, Randall has left his mark on various shows such as The Office and Veep before landing lead roles in Fresh Off The Boat and Blockbuster. His performances have also extended to both the Marvel and DC franchises, with his portrayal of FBI Agent Jimmy Woo in the WandaVision series generating a significant online campaign for a spin-off series centered around his character.

One of Randall's most notable accomplishments, in my opinion, was his co-writing and co-starring role in Netflix's rom-com Always Be My Maybe alongside Ali Wong. His portrayal of the romantic lead showcased his nuanced and hilarious performance, solidifying his talent as both a writer and actor.

In addition to his own success, Randall is also committed to amplifying Asian American and underrepresented voices in the industry. This dedication has led him to co-found Imminent Collision, a production company aimed at providing a platform for these voices. Together with his friends from the LCC Theatre Company, Randall is working towards creating meaningful opportunities for marginalized communities.

Most recently, Randall ventured into directing with his debut feature film, Shortcomings, a subversive romantic comedy that played in competition at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The film tells a relatable story about messy people who happen to be Asian American, providing a refreshing perspective to the genre. It was at Sundance that I had the incredible opportunity to meet Randall during a panel on directing your first feature film. I was thrilled when he agreed to share his directing journey with me on Blissful Spinster, and our conversation was filled with open dialogue, insightful advice, and inspiring anecdotes. I’m so excited to bring you my conversation with Randall!

Follow Randall’s Production Company - Imminent Collision on: Instagram

Shortcomings is still in theatres this week - GO SEE IT!

Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website, Instagram

Check out IKEA Heights on YouTube

If you’re enjoying Blissful Spinster please consider supporting me by visiting my author page on Amazon - Pawsman Prints and picking up a purrfect gift for yourself or the cat lover in your life with one of my eclectic cat-themed journals! Meow!

Links & Love

If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.

Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?

Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).

Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚