REEL WOMEN: Writer, Director Viviane Winthrop

Viviane
(Reel Woman: Viviane Winthrop)

Editor’s Note: Five years ago we had an idea. Being a woman-owned publication, it made sense to us to celebrate women who were making a difference in the industries we cover. So, we started a “little” feature for Women’s History Month called “Reel Women.” To say it blossomed into something special would be a vast understatement. It exploded. Over the last four years, we have gotten to know leaders, mentors and visionaries from a variety of creative industries. We have learned about their ups. And how they get back up after being down. This is our 5th Annual REEL WOMEN. For the month of March, let us introduce you to some very special women like Director, writer and producer Dr. Viviane G. Winthrop.

Viviane was born in Montreal. Her parents moved to Sedona, Arizona, when she was a teenager. Although her father was a professional actor and her mother a piano teacher, Viviane chose a career in dentistry. After 25 years as a dentist, she has recently retired to pursue her dream as a film director. The Last of the Winthrops is her directorial debut. Watch the trailer below:

What’s your origin story?

See the movie, The Last of the Winthrops (lol).  Born in Montreal Canada. My mom is French Canadian, and my dad was born in Switzerland and is from the storied Winthrop family of Boston and New York.  I’m an only child and grew up in a little town called Baie Comeau on the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. It was truly beautiful but very, very far away from Hollywood. 

The cold was too much for my dad who grew up in the south of France. We moved to Sedona, Arizona, when I was 14½. My dad wasn’t well, so my mom drove the 2,000 miles to Arizona. It was a wild and intense trip to the unknown. I missed my friends and, unfortunately, our dog and cat were too old to make the trip so that was a huge loss. But the trip was exciting and scary, and we were hopeful my dad would feel better in the warmth of Arizona. It was a chance to start new.

Spring forward a few years and I became a dentist. I need to thank my dentist, actually. He was the one who made dentistry not scary. He helped me overcome my fear, so I wanted to do the same. Most of my career was dedicated to helping underserved populations, so that part was satisfying. So then, I made a feature documentary….

How did you get into the film industry?

I had a text message from this woman who at first said we’re closely related, then emailed me again and said she’s my sister. And she was. I was sitting on my bed and thought this is a crazy story, something I would only see in a movie. So, I reached out to my new third cousin, and he said his cousin would be able to help me write a screenplay. 

I had no intention of making a film when I called Adam. He said your life is happening right now. You really should film it now. So, I jumped into the complete unknown and learned by the seat of my pants and Adam K. Singer became my producer. And he’s the one that brought everyone together to make my film happen. I want to send a shout-out to the wives of our editor, April, and our producer, Breanna, who were instrumental in giving their advice and observations!

Who were your mentors?

Doug Blush, Christopher Seward, Karen Van Cleve, Chris Gridley and Shie Rozow.

While there will be others, what do you consider your biggest achievement to date?

Surviving my mom passing away recently. I miss her. She was involved in making our documentary but didn’t get to see the finished film. My biggest achievements are also finishing my film, having it accepted into film festivals, self-distributing it and learning so many new things. And, facing and walking towards my new life, finding that there is a giant blessing on the other side of fear.

What drives you in your work?

Once I see the vision of what I’m trying to accomplish, then I want to finish it and make it happen. Starting is always my toughest part because I know when I start, then I have to finish.


REELated:


What shows or films are doing the best job of portraying strong women?

I grew up reading and seeing Nancy Drew on television. Then The Bionic Woman and Wonder Woman. I liked Doctor Quinn Medicine Woman and Touched by an Angel. Does that give away my age? I also loved Maggie in Northern Exposure

She made me think I could be independent and strong too. I loved Katharine Houghton in The Man Who Came to Dinner, who essentially stood up to her parents[KG1]  with a freshness and confidence I wanted to have. Katniss Everdeen played by Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games. More recently Viola Davis in The Woman King.

Coffee, Lunch or Happy Hour. Name a famous woman you would like to attend each function with.

Malala for coffee.

Oprah Winfrey for lunch.

Lori Greiner for happy hour.

What is the biggest challenge to women in your industry?

I worked in the prison system and there were few women in leadership positions there. I imagine it’s the same in the film industry, although that has to be changing. I hope. Being taken seriously without having to become masculine is one of the things I had to learn. Being strong in our femininity and yet allowing kindness to be a strength. 

People value confidence but I feel better being authentic. Sometimes I’m not confident but I do get things done. I have value in my experience. Being heard, being seen and being understood as our authentic selves are all important factors for anyone. 

I do hope that my company We Unite As One can provide stepping stones for empowering women of all ages to share their story. There are fascinating women everywhere whose voices need to be heard.

How has having the superpower helped you?

As a woman, I was blessed with a great education and was able to put money aside for retirement. This helped me fund my film and, with the financial autonomy, I was able to make my own decisions.

If being a woman is your superpower, what is your kryptonite?

My mom: she’s both my superpower and my kryptonite. Even now that she’s passed away, I wish she were here so I could ask for her advice and guidance. She had a wisdom I miss. Also, my self-doubt is a real hindrance. The struggle is real. And I’m sure I’m not the only one that goes through that. But when I sit quietly – hard to do but sometimes I can do it  and open the door from within, the answers are there. I just have to listen.

When you’re not working, what do you do in your off time?

Work, read, hike, talk on the phone with family and friends, spend time with my other half, dream about skiing and traveling. One day I will travel without obligations and just because.

Predict your future! Where are you in 5 years? 

I have inner peace more often throughout the day. Travel with my Andre. Touch people’s hearts with my film and give workshops about it. I finish my Tante Vicky’s WWII journals and share her life with the world. She’s the one who made me realize that “Family is who you love and who loves you.” 

I’ve made the sequel to The Last of the Winthrops, written the book that goes with the films, organized my life so it fits in my laptop and somehow I keep on dreaming because age is a state of mind. And if I can see it, We Unite As One is blossoming and uniting people through kindness, respect, love and our stories. I might as well dream big.


Nominate Someone You know For Reel Women


Viviane
(Reel Woman: Viviane Winthrop)

Editor’s Note: Five years ago we had an idea. Being a woman-owned publication, it made sense to us to celebrate women who were making a difference in the industries we cover. So, we started a “little” feature for Women’s History Month called “Reel Women.” To say it blossomed into something special would be a vast understatement. It exploded. Over the last four years, we have gotten to know leaders, mentors and visionaries from a variety of creative industries. We have learned about their ups. And how they get back up after being down. This is our 5th Annual REEL WOMEN. For the month of March, let us introduce you to some very special women like Director, writer and producer Dr. Viviane G. Winthrop.

Viviane was born in Montreal. Her parents moved to Sedona, Arizona, when she was a teenager. Although her father was a professional actor and her mother a piano teacher, Viviane chose a career in dentistry. After 25 years as a dentist, she has recently retired to pursue her dream as a film director. The Last of the Winthrops is her directorial debut. Watch the trailer below:

What’s your origin story?

See the movie, The Last of the Winthrops (lol).  Born in Montreal Canada. My mom is French Canadian, and my dad was born in Switzerland and is from the storied Winthrop family of Boston and New York.  I’m an only child and grew up in a little town called Baie Comeau on the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. It was truly beautiful but very, very far away from Hollywood. 

The cold was too much for my dad who grew up in the south of France. We moved to Sedona, Arizona, when I was 14½. My dad wasn’t well, so my mom drove the 2,000 miles to Arizona. It was a wild and intense trip to the unknown. I missed my friends and, unfortunately, our dog and cat were too old to make the trip so that was a huge loss. But the trip was exciting and scary, and we were hopeful my dad would feel better in the warmth of Arizona. It was a chance to start new.

Spring forward a few years and I became a dentist. I need to thank my dentist, actually. He was the one who made dentistry not scary. He helped me overcome my fear, so I wanted to do the same. Most of my career was dedicated to helping underserved populations, so that part was satisfying. So then, I made a feature documentary….

How did you get into the film industry?

I had a text message from this woman who at first said we’re closely related, then emailed me again and said she’s my sister. And she was. I was sitting on my bed and thought this is a crazy story, something I would only see in a movie. So, I reached out to my new third cousin, and he said his cousin would be able to help me write a screenplay. 

I had no intention of making a film when I called Adam. He said your life is happening right now. You really should film it now. So, I jumped into the complete unknown and learned by the seat of my pants and Adam K. Singer became my producer. And he’s the one that brought everyone together to make my film happen. I want to send a shout-out to the wives of our editor, April, and our producer, Breanna, who were instrumental in giving their advice and observations!

Who were your mentors?

Doug Blush, Christopher Seward, Karen Van Cleve, Chris Gridley and Shie Rozow.

While there will be others, what do you consider your biggest achievement to date?

Surviving my mom passing away recently. I miss her. She was involved in making our documentary but didn’t get to see the finished film. My biggest achievements are also finishing my film, having it accepted into film festivals, self-distributing it and learning so many new things. And, facing and walking towards my new life, finding that there is a giant blessing on the other side of fear.

What drives you in your work?

Once I see the vision of what I’m trying to accomplish, then I want to finish it and make it happen. Starting is always my toughest part because I know when I start, then I have to finish.


REELated:


What shows or films are doing the best job of portraying strong women?

I grew up reading and seeing Nancy Drew on television. Then The Bionic Woman and Wonder Woman. I liked Doctor Quinn Medicine Woman and Touched by an Angel. Does that give away my age? I also loved Maggie in Northern Exposure

She made me think I could be independent and strong too. I loved Katharine Houghton in The Man Who Came to Dinner, who essentially stood up to her parents[KG1]  with a freshness and confidence I wanted to have. Katniss Everdeen played by Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games. More recently Viola Davis in The Woman King.

Coffee, Lunch or Happy Hour. Name a famous woman you would like to attend each function with.

Malala for coffee.

Oprah Winfrey for lunch.

Lori Greiner for happy hour.

What is the biggest challenge to women in your industry?

I worked in the prison system and there were few women in leadership positions there. I imagine it’s the same in the film industry, although that has to be changing. I hope. Being taken seriously without having to become masculine is one of the things I had to learn. Being strong in our femininity and yet allowing kindness to be a strength. 

People value confidence but I feel better being authentic. Sometimes I’m not confident but I do get things done. I have value in my experience. Being heard, being seen and being understood as our authentic selves are all important factors for anyone. 

I do hope that my company We Unite As One can provide stepping stones for empowering women of all ages to share their story. There are fascinating women everywhere whose voices need to be heard.

How has having the superpower helped you?

As a woman, I was blessed with a great education and was able to put money aside for retirement. This helped me fund my film and, with the financial autonomy, I was able to make my own decisions.

If being a woman is your superpower, what is your kryptonite?

My mom: she’s both my superpower and my kryptonite. Even now that she’s passed away, I wish she were here so I could ask for her advice and guidance. She had a wisdom I miss. Also, my self-doubt is a real hindrance. The struggle is real. And I’m sure I’m not the only one that goes through that. But when I sit quietly – hard to do but sometimes I can do it  and open the door from within, the answers are there. I just have to listen.

When you’re not working, what do you do in your off time?

Work, read, hike, talk on the phone with family and friends, spend time with my other half, dream about skiing and traveling. One day I will travel without obligations and just because.

Predict your future! Where are you in 5 years? 

I have inner peace more often throughout the day. Travel with my Andre. Touch people’s hearts with my film and give workshops about it. I finish my Tante Vicky’s WWII journals and share her life with the world. She’s the one who made me realize that “Family is who you love and who loves you.” 

I’ve made the sequel to The Last of the Winthrops, written the book that goes with the films, organized my life so it fits in my laptop and somehow I keep on dreaming because age is a state of mind. And if I can see it, We Unite As One is blossoming and uniting people through kindness, respect, love and our stories. I might as well dream big.


Nominate Someone You know For Reel Women