Actor-Filmmaker Sarah Polley Grateful That Female Directors Told Her To Be ‘Fierce'

Sarah Polley, an actor, and filmmaker expressed her gratitude for the chance to work with so many other female directors while at the Telluride Film Festival for the world premiere of Women Talking, her most recent film in the role of a director. When they noticed that she wanted to work behind the camera, they advised her to be "fierce."

According to Deadline, Women Talking, a powerful exploration of the feminine imagination, is based on Miriam Toews's acclaimed novel about a group of Mennonite women who must confront sexual assaults committed by men who are feeding their desires. This movie started off with three women talking a lot, according to Polley. She was referring to Dede Gardner, a producer through Plan B Entertainment, Frances McDormand, a cast member and producer through her own Hear/Say Productions, and Polley.

According to Polley, her career as a director was paved by three female directors she had worked with: Audrey Wells on her 1999 film Guinevere; Kathryn Bigelow, whose 2000 film The Weight of Water Polley appeared in; and Isabel Coixet on her 2003 and 2005 films My Life Without Me and The Secret Life of Words.

Sarah Polley Grateful That Female Filmmakers Told Her To Be ‘Fierce':

Polley said during a discussion on stage at the Telluride Film Festival, "What happened with that generation of female filmmakers was that when they saw someone emerging who was beginning to show any interest (in directing), those women latched onto me and said, 'You're doing it," and here's how fierce you're going to have to be about it! As a result, there was mentoring, and I had those role models."

She acknowledged that working as a child actor "wasn't the most favourable experience. Polley admitted that it took her a long time to get over her fears about the industry. She added, "There are always exceptions to the norm. However, overall, it wasn't a wonderful experience, and in some instances, it was pretty painful. "

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Sheila McCarthy, Judith Ivey, McDormand, Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jesse Buckley, Liv McNeil, Kate Hallett, Michelle McLeod, and the rest of the dynamic cast of Women Talking were also introduced by Polley. Ben Whishaw, the only key male actor in the film, was unable to attend the screening in the Colorado Rockies.