Molly Manning Walker

Molly Manning Walker is a cinematographer and director based in London and graduate of the NFTS. As cinematographer, her graduation film “November 1^st” took Bronze at the Student Academy Awards, and was nominated at the Camerimage film festival in 2019. Her directorial debut, “Good Thanks, You?” was selected as part of the 2020 Semaine de la Critique support program and has screened online as part of the Palm Springs Shortfest, the BFI London Film Festival, Encounters and PÖFF Shorts. Her debut feature is in development with Film4.

Within the framework of this year’s 16 DAYS 16 FILMS initiative created by Modern Films and the Kering Foundation, a short film competition that platforms female filmmakers and their films, which explore, emote, and educate on forms of violence against women, Tara Karajica talks to Molly Manning Walker about her short film, “Good Thanks, You?,” as well as her thoughts on the short form, women in film today and what she is up to next.

How did you get into filmmaking and what inspires you to make films?

Molly Manning Walker: I spent my teenage years running around after graffiti writers making documentaries after my brother’s best friend got sentenced to two years in prison for graffiti. I’ve always been inspired by injustices.

Can you talk about your short film Good Thanks, You?

M.M.W.: Good Thanks, You? is a short film that looks at how authorities do – or don’t – deal with sexual assault. When I was sixteen, I was raped and I felt a huge sense of injustice when the police officer told me it wasn’t worth attempting to get a prosecution. I wanted to make a short that looked at how re-traumatizing the aftermath of an assault can be.

How do you see the short form today?

M.M.W.: I think the short form is really exciting. It’s hard to tell stories in a short amount of time! All credit to those who successfully make short films!

What is your opinion on the situation of women in film today?

M.M.W.: There’s still a lot of work to be done.

Who is your favorite female filmmaker and what is your favorite film by a female filmmaker?

M.M.W.: Eliza Hitman – It Felt Like Love.

What are your next projects?

M.M.W.: I’m writing a feature at the moment produced by Ivana Mckinon and Emily Leo and developed by Film4.

This interview was conducted within the framework of the 2020 16 DAYS 16 FILMS initiative created by the Kering Foundation and Modern Films.

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Tara Karajica

Tara Karajica is a Belgrade-based film critic and journalist. Her writings have appeared in "Indiewire," "Screen International," "Variety," "Little White Lies" and "Film New Europe," among many other media outlets, including the European Film Academy’s online magazine, "Close-up" and Eurimages. She is a member of the European Film Academy, the Online Film Critics Society and the Alliance of Women Film Journalists as well as the recipient of the 2014 Best Critic Award at the Altcine Action! Film Festival. In September 2016, she founded "Yellow Bread," a magazine dedicated entirely to short films, ranked among the 25 Top Short Film Blogs and Websites on the Planet in 2017. In February 2018, she launched "Fade to Her," a magazine about successful women working in Film and TV and in 2019, she was a member of the Jury of the European Shooting Stars (European Film Promotion). She is currently a programmer for live action shorts at PÖFF Shorts, Head of the Short Film Program and Live Action Shorts programmer at SEEFest and Narrative Features Programmer at the Durban International Film Festival. Tara is a regular at film festivals as a film critic, moderator and/or jury member.