EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Writer/Director Dina Ciraulo

I couldn't be more excited to feature Director Dina Ciraulo on The Fashionable Feminist. A superb talent, Ciraulo's short films have screened in the U.S., the U.K. and the Netherlands. Her stunning feature-length release, 'Opal,' inspired by the life of Opal Whiteley, won the Robin Eickman Screenwriting Award and is an official selection for the Cannes Producers' Network.

Opal Whiteley is perhaps the most enigmatic author/environmentalist of the twentieth century. 'Opal' the movie beautifully translates the charisma and complexity of her character, as well as the controversy surrounding her true identity and the authenticity of her childhood diary.

Ciraulo was instantly inspired by Whiteley's philosophies over a decade ago while living in Berkeley. Six years later, production of 'Opal' began and today the story of her life continues to captivate audiences at sold out screenings throughout the U.S., due in large part to the vision and dedication of Ciraulo.

How long have you been a director? Was it ever tough to break into this industry?

I started volunteering on film productions when I was an undergraduate at UC Berkeley. I volunteered for everything. Commercials, documentaries, horror films. I knew it was something I wanted to do because I was happier on a film set than almost anywhere else.

I started making films as a MFA student in Film Production at SFSU. I loved it. Luckily, I have had a lot of support from friends, family and community members. It’s a difficult business all the way around, but also hugely rewarding. It’s challenging in a good way.

How do you strive to empower women through your films?

First off, I try to write about experiences from a woman’s perspective. That sounds pretty basic, but it’s kind of shocking how marginalized most female characters continue to be in film. If they are portrayed at all. The actress Geena Davis has a great institute that researches the lack of female leads in movies. Women are included in my films, in ways that are not merely decorative.

Secondly, I recruit women for leadership roles on the crew. When I started Opal, I spent a year looking for my cinematographer, Svetlana Cvetko. She had shot several shorts and commercials, and was clearly talented. I saw the production as a way for all of us to gain professional experience. Svetlana has since gone on to shoot the Academy Award winning documentary Inside Job and the Sundance hit Miss Representation.

Why Opal Whiteley? What intrigued you about her story? Do you share any similarities?

Opal Whiteley is a larger than life character, and I was surprised that no one had made a feature film about her. She was a gifted naturalist, a spiritual environmentalist, a young woman who wanted to be a writer at a time when women did not have the right to vote. The dramatic twists and turns in her life were something I could not have invented. I wanted to recuperate her story for contemporary viewers. I identified with her love of nature, and was moved by her struggles.

What does it mean to be a fashionable feminist in your field?

Good question--not sure I have the answer. When a woman is comfortable in her own skin, that is a kind of beauty that is its own style. Film shoots are notoriously unfashionable. Everyone wears sneakers and jeans. It’s practically a uniform. We just go for cool sneakers and jeans.

Name five fabulous things about being you. What are you most thankful for in life?

I have a loud laugh, a dry sense of humor, good intuition, terrible poker face, and a lust for life.

I’m thankful I’ve found something I love.

Special thanks to Dina Ciraulo, Svetlana Cvetko, Rachel Benson, Jason Cohen, Nayeli Adorador-Knudsen and the rest of the cast and crew for bringing Opal's story back to life so beautifully.