Hyderabad: In a conversation at the American Corner in St Francis College for Women, film curator and creative executive Caroline Libresco on Monday shared her insights with Deccan Chronicle on independent films, the importance of inclusivity and the need for change in the industry.
Libresco, who has spent nearly two decades with the Sundance Institute, spoke about her role in the independent film movement and highlighted the growing influence of documentary and fiction filmmaking during her tenure. “I spent 19 years with the Sundance Institute in two very pivotal decades; the 2000s and the 2010s, when the independent American film movement was flowering. The Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival are kind of a proxy for that movement," she said.
Asked about her motive behind leading the ‘Women at Sundance’ initiative, she explained, “We wanted to know how women were doing in the independent film space and what we could learn about the obstacles in the independent film space.”
“The main obstacles for women were less access and knowledge around financing, male-dominated networks and perceptions about what women are on the set and beyond. The perception that women are unable to take control and make decisions”, she explained. She further pointed out that they systematically began solving one problem at a time by educating women filmmakers about financing and increasing networking.
Libresco also pointed to India's potential to develop a thriving independent film culture as there is a lot of money in India that could come into a new film movement. She also said that she observed a desire to start developing the culture of independent filmography in India.
Rachel Gandin Mark, programme director of the American Film Showcase (AFS), who attended the event, explained AFS's role in cultural exchanges that support both American and international filmmakers.
