March 11, 2026 • 41 mins
Anabelle Munro is an award-winning writer, producer, director, and singer and owner of Blue Boots Productions whose creative work spans film and music with a deep commitment to socially conscious storytelling.
She is the creator and manager of the Ethos Film Festival, a festival designed to celebrate films that embody integrity, purpose, and artistic excellence. Through Ethos, Anabelle has built a space where independent filmmakers can showcase their work in an environment that values meaningful cinema, thoughtful dialogue, and creative collaboration.
Her leadership reflects both artistic passion and entrepreneurial spirit — qualities every independent filmmaker must cultivate.
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SPEAKER_02 (01:12):
This episode of The Art of Film Funding celebrates
the Ethos Film Festival in SantaMonica, California, a festival
honoring meaningful,purpose-driven cinema.
So join a community offilmmakers who believe stories
can inspire change.
Learn more and submit your film.
SPEAKER_01 (01:36):
Hi, this is Claire, and every week Carol Dean and I
explore the strategies, courage,and clarity it takes to bring
independent films into the worldand to get them seen.
Today's conversation isespecially meaningful because it
sits at the intersection ofpurpose, community, and
(01:59):
visibility.
We all know that making a filmis only part of the journey.
The next challenge is findingthe right home for it, a place
where your work is understood,honored, and elevated.
That's why I'm excited tointroduce you to a festival that
is doing exactly that.
(02:21):
The Ethos Film Festival is morethan a screening event, it's a
gathering of filmmakers who careabout impact, artistry, and
connection.
And today we're speaking withthe woman behind it.
Annabelle Munro is anaward-winning writer, producer,
(02:42):
director, and singer, and ownerof Blue Boots Productions, whose
creative work spans film andmusic with a deep commitment to
socially conscious storytelling.
She's the creator and manager ofthe Ethos Film Festival, a
festival designed to celebratefilms that embody integrity,
(03:07):
purpose, and artisticexcellence.
Through Ethos, Annabelle hasbuilt a space where independent
filmmakers can showcase theirwork in an environment that
values meaningful cinema,thoughtful dialogue, and
creative collaboration.
Her leadership reflects bothartistic passion and
(03:30):
entrepreneurial spirit,qualities every independent
filmmaker must cultivate.
And Carol, I know you have somevery good questions for
Annabelle today.
SPEAKER_02 (03:41):
Yes, I do, Claire.
And Annabelle, first of all,welcome to the Art of Film
Funding.
SPEAKER_00 (03:47):
Thank you.
Thank you so much for having mehere today.
SPEAKER_02 (03:51):
I have some questions because we have an
audience of filmmakers who aregoing to love your information.
So let's start with whatinspired you to create the Ethos
Film Festival.
What do you think was missing inthe landscape that you felt
called to build it?
SPEAKER_00 (04:11):
So I'm a filmmaker myself, and I come from the
European theater traditionoriginally.
And I was always absolutelyinspired by the sacred art of
storytelling.
So that's what that was theorigins for me to experience
(04:33):
theater and then film.
What I loved about film is thatwe can just leave a longer
footprint with the sacred art ofstorytelling instead of the
smaller production in front of alive audience.
And so my dream was to do what Idid on stage in film.
(04:54):
And as I went on the journey toexecute that, I noticed, wait a
second, that's actually not thesame type of industry.
And there's already the magicalword, uh, the word entertainment
industry, where the marketrules, especially outside of a
(05:15):
smaller country like Germany,where films are subsidized,
right?
Um where the rules are quitedifferent because you have to
focus on getting the funding andselling, and there are certain
genres that sell a lot betterthan the artsy deep uh films
(05:36):
that I wanted to make, and itwas a very frustrating journey
for me to always trying to sneakin the healing bits, uh very
much tucked away in the horror,right?
That everybody would recommend Ishould make first because horror
is the best-selling genre, andthat's the easiest way to get
the funding.
(05:57):
So I made a little meaningfulhorror that was uh actually
spiritual of nature, and um Iwon this film festival, Action
on Film.
He saw exactly what I was doingand put me on the map with his
film festival.
Del Weston was the man's name,Action on Film Festival.
(06:19):
And as a result of that, hegifted me a film festival under
his big film festival umbrella.
The festival was 18 years old.
And um, I said, Del, that isamazing.
So, since I get my own festival,can it be totally different than
yours, please?
Because yours is all aboutaction, and I want to build a
(06:42):
platform for filmmakers who arelike me who are still holding on
to wanting to make the world abetter place with their film,
first and foremost, not as anafterthought.
And he said, Go for it, and sothat's that was the birth of
ethos.
(07:02):
Um and then unfortunately in2021, my dear mentor and friend
passed away, and I was without ahouse, so to say.
And um, I realized now it's timeto bring the festival home and
do what Dell did.
(07:23):
So I created Ethos Film Awardsas a hub for uh my own filmmaker
community, the which I call thepurpose-driven filmmaker
community, and um a fewsub-festivals that would have a
hard time to survive.
There was conqueringdisabilities with film, for
(07:43):
example, that I took with me.
Amazing, worthy, worthyfilmmakers of all abilities.
So we collaborated and um havebeen around ever since.
Yeah, that was the inspiration.
It was a gift, it came from fromGod, I would say was a gift from
God.
SPEAKER_02 (08:02):
Isn't that wonderful?
This is exactly what isimportant in the film world to
have someone who gets gets it,who respects you and gives you
an opportunity.
I think that's wonderful.
So tell us what the word ethomeans, and how do you define the
(08:24):
spirit or the values behind yourfestival?
SPEAKER_00 (08:27):
Yeah, so that it was a great journey trying to find
the right name, the originalname of the festival given to me
by Dell Weston was AnnabelleMonroe's most important films
and scripts in the world.
And I was like, oh my god, Dell,that is not a good name for the
festival.
First of all, I don't want myname in there.
This already gives me theshudders, and then it's so long.
(08:50):
So I had to use all theseacronyms to try to deal with it.
And then when um he passed away,I had a meeting with my best
friends and collaborators, andwe were really hovering over
what there has to be a shortname, that's for sure.
After this long name.
And um, what do we really wantto do here?
(09:11):
We want to tell purpose-drivenstories, we want to support
purpose-driven filmmakers.
There's a heavy spiritualelement in there without being
religious, it's all about youknow, why are we here?
What can we do to help eachother?
And then the Greek word ethoscame to mind, which is um a word
(09:34):
that I think everybody canrelate to, purpose.
Why are we here?
Why are we here on this planet?
And yeah, for for usstorytellers, how can we how can
we hold on to this uh dreamy,dreamy wish of accomplishing
(09:56):
that with our films in thisreally tough, cut and dry,
sometimes pretty sharky marketenvironment.
Yeah, so ethos seemed to be theright fit.
SPEAKER_02 (10:08):
It appears Absolutely.
And it was it is purpose-driven.
You're way ahead of everybodyelse.
This is marvelous.
Thank you very much.
SPEAKER_00 (10:19):
Thank you.
I always feel like, in a way, ithas been around forever, but
there has not been a communitythat is solely focused on the
content of the films.
Like the other film festivalsthat I went to, they have these
films as well, but they arestill being judged by criteria
that doesn't really they don'treally apply to the film.
(10:41):
They are judged by thecinematography, they are judged
by the sound, director.
There's a lot of vanity awards,I call it.
And we got rid of all of themand just focus on the themes.
So we would have awards likehuman connection or um
achievements in technology, morelike the Nobel Prize.
(11:04):
We we were looking at theircriteria and categories and
wanted to make a cleardistinction that we don't do
best actor or something likethat.
SPEAKER_02 (11:16):
Right.
Well, uh tell us what types offilms that you're most excited
to program for April 2026.
Are there specific genres,themes, or storytelling
approaches that resonate moststrongly?
SPEAKER_00 (11:33):
Absolutely.
So we have a really healthy mixof fiction and documentary.
I'm very proud of that becauseyou would assume that
purpose-driven is onlydocumentaries, but um, I truly
believe as a filmmaker thatideally we have a film that is a
(11:54):
blockbuster.
Because if you have an ethicalstoryteller that wants to heal
the world with the story, andthat movie gets seen around the
globe in the cinemas byfamilies, how powerful is that?
So we always nurture that wehave these two genres, and we
(12:15):
have long format and shortformat, and we make a great
effort as well to be for allgenerations.
I think that, for example, thechildren are very important.
We have a little sub-festivalcalled Ethos Kids because we
want to train young storytellersand creators, you know, your
(12:37):
work matters, and we don't wantto frown and oh yeah, that's
that's made by the kids.
And there can be greatcollaboration between children
and adults, and then also forstudents, we've always
collaborated with collegesbecause they are the next ones.
And let me tell you, all mycollaborations with students I
(12:58):
learned so much because they'rejust sitting right there at the
cusp of the new emergingtechnology.
They know all the trends, theyare hungry, they are fired up.
So we we cater to students aswell, and then to independent
filmmakers of all ages, and tothe very, very professional
(13:19):
Academy Award-winning filmmakersas well.
It's a really vibrant mix, andthen also the all-inclusive.
And last but not least, when Isay of all ages, this year I um
made a big uh effort in creatinga partnership with Emeritus,
(13:40):
which is a Santa Monica Collegeum part for the students over
50, right?
It's like a non-credit program.
And they have amazing peoplethere that are often overlooked.
And uh, truth be told, I gaveaway one best actress award as
well, uh, even though normallywe don't do that, uh, and that
(14:04):
was for a 75-year-old actress,because we really wanted to put
a highlight on what pearls areusually pushed a little bit to
the outskirts in the festivalindustry and give them a
platform that's totallyequalized, you know, where
everybody is seen as their fullperson.
(14:26):
There's no judgment how old youare or how young you are or how
new you are in the industry orhow many awards you you have.
It is really about how much youreveal your heart and your skill
as well.
SPEAKER_02 (14:41):
This is so wonderful.
Thank you very much.
Um I one of my board members uhgraduated from that adult class
at Santa Monica College.
It's amazing what she learned inthat school.
So they are brilliant teachers.
Right.
And and your um kids, the ethoskids, uh, from the heart will
(15:06):
make a donation just to that,I'll tell you.
I so appreciate this because thekids are the future and and they
need to be recognized early.
Just that pat on the back cancreate the next Spikely or
Spielberg, they're all outthere.
(15:26):
It's just up to people like youand from the heart to find them.
SPEAKER_00 (15:31):
Yeah, it's also so interesting.
For me, it's so rewarding to seewhat children submit, you know,
what kind of topics, especiallyif there's a serious one coming
along.
Um, yeah, it's often sodifferent to what we as the
adults think goes on in littlechildren's minds, or where is
(15:53):
the world going?
What are the great anxieties andhow do they feel about it?
So it's amazing to see whatcomes from the actual kids who
have figured out hey, withstorytelling, I can actually be
heard.
SPEAKER_02 (16:07):
Yes.
Exactly.
Oh, that's brilliant.
So last year when I attended, Iwas really pleased with the
caliber of the people on yourseminars.
You put the top Hollywood peoplein your seminars, people that I
couldn't meet anywhere exceptthrough an intimate festival
(16:30):
like Ethos.
So tell us about the seminarsand the panels and the
educational opportunitiesavailable during this festival.
SPEAKER_00 (16:39):
Yeah, this year we're trying something new.
Usually I've always interspersedthe panels with screenings, but
I felt that always, for example,the writers were a little bit
underserved because withscreenings, I don't know, I just
felt I would love to have atable read, but they don't fit
(17:00):
in a theater.
It's not the right setting.
So this year I've reserved umthe 22nd and the 23rd two entire
days just for educationalpanels, specifically for
writers.
I have a lot of writing uhsubmissions this year as well to
give them the platform.
(17:21):
And my process is usually what,because I am a filmmaker, I'm
always thinking from that sidewhat is most helpful for people
to do in a panel?
Because it's not effective ifsomebody's sitting up there and
just talking, talking, talking.
You don't get any inside scoop,you don't walk away with a new
(17:44):
connection or new solutions forthe problems that you have.
So um we are starting.
Sheila LeFay is a teacher atEmeritus um PhD and
multi-award-winning filmmakerherself.
I've put a panel together withher and with six-time Emmy
(18:05):
winner Joseph Rosendo, and verylikely Nitin Patel, who is a
teacher at Cal State and alsopart of the Hollywood Climate
Summit, which is theenvironmentally, as it says in
the name, focused festival.
And the conversation on thatpanel will be about how impact
(18:28):
storytelling is amulti-generational effort,
right?
Because we have to move awayfrom thinking project-based with
big topics like this, and getthe mindset really on
collaboration and that peoplehave inspiration to reach out to
mentors, right?
(18:49):
Like at the Emeritus, we have somany, like the person who is my
liaison there, Todd, he used tobe the president of the
television academy.
And the he was on the board ofthe BAFTA, the British Film
Awards, right?
These people are left, right,and center to bump into, but you
(19:09):
wouldn't usually not have theidea to say, Oh, would you maybe
like to mentor me or do you haveadvice, right?
So that's what I want to createwith with that particular panel.
And so we will first watch a fewenvironmentally focused shorts
that hit, you know, that havehit that fine um balance of
(19:32):
telling a story that can createa lasting impact and it's
multi-generational.
And then we hear the experts,and they also, because Joseph,
for example, the six-time Emmywinner, he knows all about the
ins and outs with PBS, you know,and Sheila, she has produced and
(19:55):
helped distribute so many filmsand knows how to get grants for
environmental films.
And even though it'senvironmentally focused, it's
about purpose movies, you know,how do we get them financed and
how can we get more support forour projects?
And then we will be talkingabout AI for sure.
(20:18):
I'm I have a great speaker forthat, and I'm like still in the
final round of figuring out whois a nice co-presenter, because
I always think that it should beinspiring for the panel speakers
to sit up there and also get toknow their other speakers.
So putting these panels togetheris so much fun because I know
(20:41):
it's the best introduction forthe people on stage as well, and
to wow, wow each other and like,hey, oh my gosh, gonna have a
friend after this.
Um, and then we do a writer's uhuh writer's the the the table
read as I mentioned a little bitearlier, where our writers can
(21:02):
submit that they have to applyfor that ahead of time.
Uh-huh.
We choose four scripts where wewill be reading the first 10
pages by actors with industryprofessionals, and they get
feedback.
We know, as writers, producers,directors, how important those
first 10 pages are.
(21:23):
And if you don't hook theaudience, you're done because
they're not going to read theentire script.
And so we want to use those fourexamples as an outline for what
to look out for to really getthe hook and hear from the from
the industry professionals howthey receive it.
And then just on a side note,for the writers, it's incredibly
(21:48):
nice to hear their words thatthey have only heard in their
own head most of the time, tohear them speaking out loud.
Because sometimes when you readthe written word, it sounds very
differently when somebody'sspeaking it.
And often we hear, oh, thank youso much.
That was way too wordy.
(22:09):
I have to make it a little bitmore human.
And last but not least, um, andthat's always great fun as well,
is pitch marathon.
SPEAKER_02 (22:21):
Oh gosh, I love that.
SPEAKER_00 (22:23):
Right, and I would like you to be part of it
actually, because you are such asharp, sharp professional and
give wonderful feedback.
And in that pitch marathon,we're probably going to do it in
two groups uh to keep it nottoo, you know, spectacle.
Since the room holds 50 people.
Okay.
And then thank you, thank you.
SPEAKER_02 (22:44):
I would love that.
Yes.
Oh, great.
That pitch is the main thing.
That's your and it has to bepart of your DNA.
So, yes, I would love that.
But see, I just wanted tocomment back on a few things you
said.
First of all, the writer'spanel.
We all need that, all of us do,because it I don't care what
(23:08):
part you play in the filmmakingprocess.
This.
You are a writer.
You have to be because you're astoryteller.
So that's fabulous.
The PBS, congratulations, thatis so important to many
filmmakers because it reallymeans I have arrived.
My film is on PBS.
(23:30):
And sometimes that's how youclose your funders.
Definitely it went to grants,but you really need to know what
you're talking about so thatwhen you do talk to granters,
you know where you're going andyou've studied PBS.
So thank you.
That's terrific.
But uh when you say advice, theadvice is the key here.
(23:56):
Because what happens is when youask for money, you often get
advice.
All right.
So what I teach from the heartis ask for advice.
Like you're uh an entrepreneur,would you read my proposal?
Would you read my pitch deck?
I need your feedback.
(24:17):
You've run an independentcompany, and that's what I'm
doing with my film.
So any feedback you could giveme would be really important.
That way you create a friend.
And following that advice,you'll probably get funding when
they see you're you're dedicatedand determined.
(24:38):
I've seen that work, so I loveadvice.
Thank you.
Those are great ideas, greatthings.
Now, uh, for filmmakers who arestill in post-production or
finishing their film, what wouldyou say to encourage them to
submit?
SPEAKER_00 (24:54):
They can either submit shorter versions.
We, I mean, it's for a festival,it's always relatively easy to
screen something short, mucheasier than screen something
longer.
So often they stress that reallytheir entire story is addressed,
(25:14):
but they must keep in mind theyare being screened with short
films, and often the shortfilms, the format is relatively
loose and open.
It's different to a to a featurefilm where you have to hit all
the marks, you know, for arounded story.
So yeah, if they if they can gothe editing mile to just put a
(25:36):
shorter story together, it'sgreat because then in the end of
the day, they can present aproof of concept or a um just a
short version, you know, like amarketing piece that tells us
what the film is about, what thequality of the film is, what the
depth of the film is.
(25:57):
Yeah, if you give me a three tofive minute piece, I can easily
program that.
But it shouldn't be a commercialeither, because that's not what
they want to.
They want to give the vibe andfeel of the film, right?
So it has to be structured morelike a short film rather than um
a commercial.
SPEAKER_02 (26:19):
Yes, tell us a story.
If you've got an hour five, justcut it down so we can see your
story in a shorter version,because that is really
beneficial for getting um youroutreach, your um distribution,
marketing, everything.
That's very good advice.
(26:41):
So, what are the benefits forfilmmakers who attend beyond
screenings like networking,press exposure, industry
introductions?
SPEAKER_00 (26:51):
Yeah, you already hit all of them.
In at Ethos, I would say thebiggest, biggest, biggest
benefit is the community thatyou will meet there, because we
kind of pre-filtered who isthere to get the funding before
you get it, right?
Like it's a different mindset.
(27:12):
There are the profit-driven, andthen there's the purpose-driven
filmmakers.
And if you are submitting toethos and we selected your film,
we pretty much know who you areby the type of film you
submitted.
And we see that you're a kindperson, a caring person, a
person that thrives being seenand finding like-minded spirits.
So you will be surrounded bythose.
(27:34):
You know, I've been to so manyfilm festivals, and then it's
the networking party.
And um, I don't want to bashother film festivals, they're
amazing too, but I'm uh maybeI'm easily intimidated, but I
didn't always feel like 100%welcome home.
That feeling it was just a uhtension in the room and
(27:56):
competitiveness because peopleare sussing out who is in my
category and will they win andwill I win.
And our festival is not aboutthat because the films are in a
different dimension in terms ofcompetition because they are
standing on their own.
And what we do is not you want acompetition for being the best,
(28:18):
it's the film who figure it outto shed light on that topic in
the most effective way, right?
So you're not in competitionwith others because every topic
is different, and that changesit because everybody's a friend
instantly, and the same with thepitch marathons.
(28:39):
We never make these real obviousindustry opportunities.
We say these are for educationalreasons only, and I've been to
those pitch sessions where therewas a little bit of like
snickering going on or eyerolling when somebody didn't do
(28:59):
a professional polished job.
But there I've never experiencedthat.
I I experienced so much respectfrom each writer and filmmaker
for one another.
It was such a supportiveenvironment, and people learned
so much by um showing theirprojects and having such a
(29:21):
welcoming, kind audience, butnot mollycoddling either.
It was really great feedback,but said in a respectful way.
And that's the type offilmmaker, right?
They talk about political topicsas well, and we are innately
non-political.
So we pick filmmakers who areable to make their cause without
(29:42):
bashing people who thinkdifferently.
We invite people who tell theirdifficult story where they open
the door for dialogue, right?
So you are surrounded by thesepeople, and that's the most
feedback I got.
Oh, I met people I will beconnected with for life.
(30:02):
There was the most excitingcommunity, and um, we program
the films that there's anemotional journey as well, it's
not a random mixing together.
Um so when they when they seeeach other through their films
as well, and and are on thefilmmakers' QAs, that is a
(30:23):
beautiful moment, and then thosemoments get extended during
networking parties.
And of course, we always makesure that there's sketty images
for the press part.
You know, we come from the filmindustry, we understand photos,
uh, wire images that isimportant.
And if you want to go out andhave an extra red carpet and you
(30:47):
help us doing that, we are opento all of that because we are
here for the filmmakers, right?
You're not here for us toimpress us, we are here to give
you a platform, and I thinkyeah, they can feel that and
feel at home.
SPEAKER_02 (31:02):
I did, I certainly felt at home.
I was really I loved everyminute of it, it was so great.
So, what advice would you givefilmmakers about how to prepare
before attending a festival?
Because they want to be able tomaximize the experience.
SPEAKER_00 (31:20):
Yeah, so often people do not come to the entire
program, which I think is, Idon't know why, maybe it's that
icky feeling that or trauma fromother festivals where they
thought I don't belong here orsomething.
But I really recommend, even asyou said, even if you're not a
(31:43):
writer, go to the writer'spanel.
Even if you are a writer, watchall the screenings.
So really make sure you come toas much as you can.
We are trying to make it worthyour while.
We have always paid an extradime to be on 2nd Street in
Santa Monica.
So people are in the mostbeautiful part of the world,
(32:05):
right there at the ocean, whereyou know people come just for
the sake of tourism.
So you don't have to take longbreaks, you can just be there.
If you take a breather, you seethe ocean, but try to take
advantage of the entire program.
SPEAKER_02 (32:23):
And then empowering the whole thing that location is
very empowering, don't youthink?
SPEAKER_00 (32:31):
Absolutely, yeah.
And then I think researching thethe speakers is great, and the
other filmmakers, just yeah,find out as much as you can and
strike up as many conversationsas you can.
And they they can be just, hey,I saw what you did there, that
was really meaningful.
I'm I I know somebody who hasthe same issues, or I don't
(32:55):
know, like just connect with thefilmmakers about their films
because yes, because uh you areLily Tomlin said, we are all in
this boat alone together, andshe's so right.
SPEAKER_02 (33:13):
But when you go to a festival where you are
appreciated and entertained andeducated, uh like ethos, then it
is empowering because you leavethere thinking, this is my
world.
I came here to make films and Ibelong.
I think it really uh shifts thefilmmakers' momentum.
SPEAKER_00 (33:36):
Yes, absolutely.
And um, in my experience inthese seven years, the
filmmakers, and as I said, weget to know them through their
films.
They are kind people who want tohelp, you know, they are helpers
as a nature of being, nottakers, they are givers.
(33:57):
And so getting support just evenfrom filmmakers on the same
level.
I've never seen aresource-sharing uh
secretiveness or something likethat.
In in other film circles, I havenoticed that where it's like,
hmm, I'm not gonna tell them mysecrets of the trade.
(34:19):
But there, yeah, there is a lotof helpfulness.
It's a like these are helpertypes, so you might be surprised
finding resources from alldifferent corners.
They're very open to sharingtheir resources and helping each
other and collaboration, verycollaborative.
SPEAKER_02 (34:39):
That's that seems to be a theme of yours in your life
as well as in your festival.
Yeah.
Well, I will say that people whocome to the festival are um
inspired, and that's what it'sall about, because some years
ago I had a gentleman call me onthe phone and he said, Carol,
(35:02):
I'm John Smith, and I I won yourfilm grant.
And I thought, no, you didn't.
I I don't remember that.
And so he went on to say, I I uhwas making a film, and he gave
me the log line, and he said, Toyou, I was a finalist, but to
(35:23):
me, I was a winner.
I uh just that uh being in thefinalist group gave me the
confidence to finish my film andI sold it to Turn Broadcasting,
right?
So you are uh not you aresupporting filmmakers, you're
(35:43):
empowering them with thisfestival.
So the least uh a pat on theback that a filmmaker gets is
greatly appreciated, Annabelle.
Thank you very much for thiswork.
SPEAKER_00 (35:56):
Yeah, thank you too, because uh you have been such a
strong supporter, and I thinkyou know, the from the heart is
very similar to ethos, it's thesame message in the end of the
day, and I think yourfilmmakers, we see a lot of your
filmmakers at the festivals, uh,at the festival, and yeah, it's
(36:18):
like a different, uh it's akindred spirit society.
SPEAKER_02 (36:24):
Because there are so many talent filmmakers and they
really need support.
So looking ahead to April 21stto the 26th for this year in
Santa Monica 2026, what excitesyou the most about this year's
festival?
SPEAKER_00 (36:44):
Um, it excites me that we have that collaboration
with emeritus, but uh there'salways, you know, round about
this time, five weeks, uh sixweeks before the event takes
place, where I'm putting theprogram together and I have like
a vision for the future, whatwill happen in April by
(37:06):
introducing these people to eachother, and that is that is, as I
said, super fun.
And yeah, every year it's acompletely different uh wonder
bag.
You know what a wonder bag is?
We used to buy them at the candystore, and you didn't know
what's in it, and that was partof the part of the whole
(37:27):
excitement, and I love those.
And ethos is the same.
Um, it's every every year verydifferent in terms of the
themes.
I'm learning so much, you know,what I mentioned with the
children, what's on theirhearts, I learn all across all
the submissions.
Wow, that's going on.
I'm intrigued to see sometimesit's more of this, sometimes
(37:50):
it's more of that.
And I see a reflection of theworld we live in.
And yeah, it's uh it's a livingbeing, and every year it's
different, it's uh comprised ofall the people.
The festival is truly theattending people.
Yes, and I haven't uh met thebeing of 2026 yet, but I'm part
(38:16):
of creating it and cannot waitto meet it.
SPEAKER_02 (38:20):
Yes, what fun that will be.
Oh, thank you for your passionfor filmmakers and your love of
the industry.
And thank you, filmmakers, forlistening and joining us today.
And let me leave you with thisyour film deserves to be seen in
a room where people care.
And festivals like Ethos remindus that cinema is not just
(38:45):
commerce, it's connection, it'scourage, it's conversation.
So you may be in development,you may be raising funds, you
may be finishing your final cut,but keep going and join
Annabelle and all of thesepassionate filmmakers at Ethos,
because the world needsthoughtful, purposeful
(39:08):
storytelling more than ever.
So funding isn't just aboutmoney, it's about belief.
It's about clarity and momentum.
So when you align your visionwith communities that share your
values, doors open.
Remember that saying that doorsopen where there were no doors
(39:31):
before?
That's what you want to happen.
So I encourage you to look atthe Ethos Festival this April in
Santa Monica, supportfilmmakers, meet collaborators,
and see extraordinary films.
Let yourself be inspired, andmost importantly, keep funding
(39:51):
films.
Your voice matters, your storymatters, and there is a place
for you.
Until the next time, this isCarol Dean, Claire Papin with
the Art of Film Funding.
This episode of The Art of Film Funding celebrates
the Ethos Film Festival in SantaMonica, California, a festival
honoring meaningful,purpose-driven cinema.
So join a community offilmmakers who believe stories
can inspire change.
Learn more and submit your film.
SPEAKER_01 (01:36):
Hi, this is Claire, and every week Carol Dean and I
explore the strategies, courage,and clarity it takes to bring
independent films into the worldand to get them seen.
Today's conversation isespecially meaningful because it
sits at the intersection ofpurpose, community, and
(01:59):
visibility.
We all know that making a filmis only part of the journey.
The next challenge is findingthe right home for it, a place
where your work is understood,honored, and elevated.
That's why I'm excited tointroduce you to a festival that
is doing exactly that.
(02:21):
The Ethos Film Festival is morethan a screening event, it's a
gathering of filmmakers who careabout impact, artistry, and
connection.
And today we're speaking withthe woman behind it.
Annabelle Munro is anaward-winning writer, producer,
(02:42):
director, and singer, and ownerof Blue Boots Productions, whose
creative work spans film andmusic with a deep commitment to
socially conscious storytelling.
She's the creator and manager ofthe Ethos Film Festival, a
festival designed to celebratefilms that embody integrity,
(03:07):
purpose, and artisticexcellence.
Through Ethos, Annabelle hasbuilt a space where independent
filmmakers can showcase theirwork in an environment that
values meaningful cinema,thoughtful dialogue, and
creative collaboration.
Her leadership reflects bothartistic passion and
(03:30):
entrepreneurial spirit,qualities every independent
filmmaker must cultivate.
And Carol, I know you have somevery good questions for
Annabelle today.
SPEAKER_02 (03:41):
Yes, I do, Claire.
And Annabelle, first of all,welcome to the Art of Film
Funding.
SPEAKER_00 (03:47):
Thank you.
Thank you so much for having mehere today.
SPEAKER_02 (03:51):
I have some questions because we have an
audience of filmmakers who aregoing to love your information.
So let's start with whatinspired you to create the Ethos
Film Festival.
What do you think was missing inthe landscape that you felt
called to build it?
SPEAKER_00 (04:11):
So I'm a filmmaker myself, and I come from the
European theater traditionoriginally.
And I was always absolutelyinspired by the sacred art of
storytelling.
So that's what that was theorigins for me to experience
(04:33):
theater and then film.
What I loved about film is thatwe can just leave a longer
footprint with the sacred art ofstorytelling instead of the
smaller production in front of alive audience.
And so my dream was to do what Idid on stage in film.
(04:54):
And as I went on the journey toexecute that, I noticed, wait a
second, that's actually not thesame type of industry.
And there's already the magicalword, uh, the word entertainment
industry, where the marketrules, especially outside of a
(05:15):
smaller country like Germany,where films are subsidized,
right?
Um where the rules are quitedifferent because you have to
focus on getting the funding andselling, and there are certain
genres that sell a lot betterthan the artsy deep uh films
(05:36):
that I wanted to make, and itwas a very frustrating journey
for me to always trying to sneakin the healing bits, uh very
much tucked away in the horror,right?
That everybody would recommend Ishould make first because horror
is the best-selling genre, andthat's the easiest way to get
the funding.
(05:57):
So I made a little meaningfulhorror that was uh actually
spiritual of nature, and um Iwon this film festival, Action
on Film.
He saw exactly what I was doingand put me on the map with his
film festival.
Del Weston was the man's name,Action on Film Festival.
(06:19):
And as a result of that, hegifted me a film festival under
his big film festival umbrella.
The festival was 18 years old.
And um, I said, Del, that isamazing.
So, since I get my own festival,can it be totally different than
yours, please?
Because yours is all aboutaction, and I want to build a
(06:42):
platform for filmmakers who arelike me who are still holding on
to wanting to make the world abetter place with their film,
first and foremost, not as anafterthought.
And he said, Go for it, and sothat's that was the birth of
ethos.
(07:02):
Um and then unfortunately in2021, my dear mentor and friend
passed away, and I was without ahouse, so to say.
And um, I realized now it's timeto bring the festival home and
do what Dell did.
(07:23):
So I created Ethos Film Awardsas a hub for uh my own filmmaker
community, the which I call thepurpose-driven filmmaker
community, and um a fewsub-festivals that would have a
hard time to survive.
There was conqueringdisabilities with film, for
(07:43):
example, that I took with me.
Amazing, worthy, worthyfilmmakers of all abilities.
So we collaborated and um havebeen around ever since.
Yeah, that was the inspiration.
It was a gift, it came from fromGod, I would say was a gift from
God.
SPEAKER_02 (08:02):
Isn't that wonderful?
This is exactly what isimportant in the film world to
have someone who gets gets it,who respects you and gives you
an opportunity.
I think that's wonderful.
So tell us what the word ethomeans, and how do you define the
(08:24):
spirit or the values behind yourfestival?
SPEAKER_00 (08:27):
Yeah, so that it was a great journey trying to find
the right name, the originalname of the festival given to me
by Dell Weston was AnnabelleMonroe's most important films
and scripts in the world.
And I was like, oh my god, Dell,that is not a good name for the
festival.
First of all, I don't want myname in there.
This already gives me theshudders, and then it's so long.
(08:50):
So I had to use all theseacronyms to try to deal with it.
And then when um he passed away,I had a meeting with my best
friends and collaborators, andwe were really hovering over
what there has to be a shortname, that's for sure.
After this long name.
And um, what do we really wantto do here?
(09:11):
We want to tell purpose-drivenstories, we want to support
purpose-driven filmmakers.
There's a heavy spiritualelement in there without being
religious, it's all about youknow, why are we here?
What can we do to help eachother?
And then the Greek word ethoscame to mind, which is um a word
(09:34):
that I think everybody canrelate to, purpose.
Why are we here?
Why are we here on this planet?
And yeah, for for usstorytellers, how can we how can
we hold on to this uh dreamy,dreamy wish of accomplishing
(09:56):
that with our films in thisreally tough, cut and dry,
sometimes pretty sharky marketenvironment.
Yeah, so ethos seemed to be theright fit.
SPEAKER_02 (10:08):
It appears Absolutely.
And it was it is purpose-driven.
You're way ahead of everybodyelse.
This is marvelous.
Thank you very much.
SPEAKER_00 (10:19):
Thank you.
I always feel like, in a way, ithas been around forever, but
there has not been a communitythat is solely focused on the
content of the films.
Like the other film festivalsthat I went to, they have these
films as well, but they arestill being judged by criteria
that doesn't really they don'treally apply to the film.
(10:41):
They are judged by thecinematography, they are judged
by the sound, director.
There's a lot of vanity awards,I call it.
And we got rid of all of themand just focus on the themes.
So we would have awards likehuman connection or um
achievements in technology, morelike the Nobel Prize.
(11:04):
We we were looking at theircriteria and categories and
wanted to make a cleardistinction that we don't do
best actor or something likethat.
SPEAKER_02 (11:16):
Right.
Well, uh tell us what types offilms that you're most excited
to program for April 2026.
Are there specific genres,themes, or storytelling
approaches that resonate moststrongly?
SPEAKER_00 (11:33):
Absolutely.
So we have a really healthy mixof fiction and documentary.
I'm very proud of that becauseyou would assume that
purpose-driven is onlydocumentaries, but um, I truly
believe as a filmmaker thatideally we have a film that is a
(11:54):
blockbuster.
Because if you have an ethicalstoryteller that wants to heal
the world with the story, andthat movie gets seen around the
globe in the cinemas byfamilies, how powerful is that?
So we always nurture that wehave these two genres, and we
(12:15):
have long format and shortformat, and we make a great
effort as well to be for allgenerations.
I think that, for example, thechildren are very important.
We have a little sub-festivalcalled Ethos Kids because we
want to train young storytellersand creators, you know, your
(12:37):
work matters, and we don't wantto frown and oh yeah, that's
that's made by the kids.
And there can be greatcollaboration between children
and adults, and then also forstudents, we've always
collaborated with collegesbecause they are the next ones.
And let me tell you, all mycollaborations with students I
(12:58):
learned so much because they'rejust sitting right there at the
cusp of the new emergingtechnology.
They know all the trends, theyare hungry, they are fired up.
So we we cater to students aswell, and then to independent
filmmakers of all ages, and tothe very, very professional
(13:19):
Academy Award-winning filmmakersas well.
It's a really vibrant mix, andthen also the all-inclusive.
And last but not least, when Isay of all ages, this year I um
made a big uh effort in creatinga partnership with Emeritus,
(13:40):
which is a Santa Monica Collegeum part for the students over
50, right?
It's like a non-credit program.
And they have amazing peoplethere that are often overlooked.
And uh, truth be told, I gaveaway one best actress award as
well, uh, even though normallywe don't do that, uh, and that
(14:04):
was for a 75-year-old actress,because we really wanted to put
a highlight on what pearls areusually pushed a little bit to
the outskirts in the festivalindustry and give them a
platform that's totallyequalized, you know, where
everybody is seen as their fullperson.
(14:26):
There's no judgment how old youare or how young you are or how
new you are in the industry orhow many awards you you have.
It is really about how much youreveal your heart and your skill
as well.
SPEAKER_02 (14:41):
This is so wonderful.
Thank you very much.
Um I one of my board members uhgraduated from that adult class
at Santa Monica College.
It's amazing what she learned inthat school.
So they are brilliant teachers.
Right.
And and your um kids, the ethoskids, uh, from the heart will
(15:06):
make a donation just to that,I'll tell you.
I so appreciate this because thekids are the future and and they
need to be recognized early.
Just that pat on the back cancreate the next Spikely or
Spielberg, they're all outthere.
(15:26):
It's just up to people like youand from the heart to find them.
SPEAKER_00 (15:31):
Yeah, it's also so interesting.
For me, it's so rewarding to seewhat children submit, you know,
what kind of topics, especiallyif there's a serious one coming
along.
Um, yeah, it's often sodifferent to what we as the
adults think goes on in littlechildren's minds, or where is
(15:53):
the world going?
What are the great anxieties andhow do they feel about it?
So it's amazing to see whatcomes from the actual kids who
have figured out hey, withstorytelling, I can actually be
heard.
SPEAKER_02 (16:07):
Yes.
Exactly.
Oh, that's brilliant.
So last year when I attended, Iwas really pleased with the
caliber of the people on yourseminars.
You put the top Hollywood peoplein your seminars, people that I
couldn't meet anywhere exceptthrough an intimate festival
(16:30):
like Ethos.
So tell us about the seminarsand the panels and the
educational opportunitiesavailable during this festival.
SPEAKER_00 (16:39):
Yeah, this year we're trying something new.
Usually I've always interspersedthe panels with screenings, but
I felt that always, for example,the writers were a little bit
underserved because withscreenings, I don't know, I just
felt I would love to have atable read, but they don't fit
(17:00):
in a theater.
It's not the right setting.
So this year I've reserved umthe 22nd and the 23rd two entire
days just for educationalpanels, specifically for
writers.
I have a lot of writing uhsubmissions this year as well to
give them the platform.
(17:21):
And my process is usually what,because I am a filmmaker, I'm
always thinking from that sidewhat is most helpful for people
to do in a panel?
Because it's not effective ifsomebody's sitting up there and
just talking, talking, talking.
You don't get any inside scoop,you don't walk away with a new
(17:44):
connection or new solutions forthe problems that you have.
So um we are starting.
Sheila LeFay is a teacher atEmeritus um PhD and
multi-award-winning filmmakerherself.
I've put a panel together withher and with six-time Emmy
(18:05):
winner Joseph Rosendo, and verylikely Nitin Patel, who is a
teacher at Cal State and alsopart of the Hollywood Climate
Summit, which is theenvironmentally, as it says in
the name, focused festival.
And the conversation on thatpanel will be about how impact
(18:28):
storytelling is amulti-generational effort,
right?
Because we have to move awayfrom thinking project-based with
big topics like this, and getthe mindset really on
collaboration and that peoplehave inspiration to reach out to
mentors, right?
(18:49):
Like at the Emeritus, we have somany, like the person who is my
liaison there, Todd, he used tobe the president of the
television academy.
And the he was on the board ofthe BAFTA, the British Film
Awards, right?
These people are left, right,and center to bump into, but you
(19:09):
wouldn't usually not have theidea to say, Oh, would you maybe
like to mentor me or do you haveadvice, right?
So that's what I want to createwith with that particular panel.
And so we will first watch a fewenvironmentally focused shorts
that hit, you know, that havehit that fine um balance of
(19:32):
telling a story that can createa lasting impact and it's
multi-generational.
And then we hear the experts,and they also, because Joseph,
for example, the six-time Emmywinner, he knows all about the
ins and outs with PBS, you know,and Sheila, she has produced and
(19:55):
helped distribute so many filmsand knows how to get grants for
environmental films.
And even though it'senvironmentally focused, it's
about purpose movies, you know,how do we get them financed and
how can we get more support forour projects?
And then we will be talkingabout AI for sure.
(20:18):
I'm I have a great speaker forthat, and I'm like still in the
final round of figuring out whois a nice co-presenter, because
I always think that it should beinspiring for the panel speakers
to sit up there and also get toknow their other speakers.
So putting these panels togetheris so much fun because I know
(20:41):
it's the best introduction forthe people on stage as well, and
to wow, wow each other and like,hey, oh my gosh, gonna have a
friend after this.
Um, and then we do a writer's uhuh writer's the the the table
read as I mentioned a little bitearlier, where our writers can
(21:02):
submit that they have to applyfor that ahead of time.
Uh-huh.
We choose four scripts where wewill be reading the first 10
pages by actors with industryprofessionals, and they get
feedback.
We know, as writers, producers,directors, how important those
first 10 pages are.
(21:23):
And if you don't hook theaudience, you're done because
they're not going to read theentire script.
And so we want to use those fourexamples as an outline for what
to look out for to really getthe hook and hear from the from
the industry professionals howthey receive it.
And then just on a side note,for the writers, it's incredibly
(21:48):
nice to hear their words thatthey have only heard in their
own head most of the time, tohear them speaking out loud.
Because sometimes when you readthe written word, it sounds very
differently when somebody'sspeaking it.
And often we hear, oh, thank youso much.
That was way too wordy.
(22:09):
I have to make it a little bitmore human.
And last but not least, um, andthat's always great fun as well,
is pitch marathon.
SPEAKER_02 (22:21):
Oh gosh, I love that.
SPEAKER_00 (22:23):
Right, and I would like you to be part of it
actually, because you are such asharp, sharp professional and
give wonderful feedback.
And in that pitch marathon,we're probably going to do it in
two groups uh to keep it nottoo, you know, spectacle.
Since the room holds 50 people.
Okay.
And then thank you, thank you.
SPEAKER_02 (22:44):
I would love that.
Yes.
Oh, great.
That pitch is the main thing.
That's your and it has to bepart of your DNA.
So, yes, I would love that.
But see, I just wanted tocomment back on a few things you
said.
First of all, the writer'spanel.
We all need that, all of us do,because it I don't care what
(23:08):
part you play in the filmmakingprocess.
This.
You are a writer.
You have to be because you're astoryteller.
So that's fabulous.
The PBS, congratulations, thatis so important to many
filmmakers because it reallymeans I have arrived.
My film is on PBS.
(23:30):
And sometimes that's how youclose your funders.
Definitely it went to grants,but you really need to know what
you're talking about so thatwhen you do talk to granters,
you know where you're going andyou've studied PBS.
So thank you.
That's terrific.
But uh when you say advice, theadvice is the key here.
(23:56):
Because what happens is when youask for money, you often get
advice.
All right.
So what I teach from the heartis ask for advice.
Like you're uh an entrepreneur,would you read my proposal?
Would you read my pitch deck?
I need your feedback.
(24:17):
You've run an independentcompany, and that's what I'm
doing with my film.
So any feedback you could giveme would be really important.
That way you create a friend.
And following that advice,you'll probably get funding when
they see you're you're dedicatedand determined.
(24:38):
I've seen that work, so I loveadvice.
Thank you.
Those are great ideas, greatthings.
Now, uh, for filmmakers who arestill in post-production or
finishing their film, what wouldyou say to encourage them to
submit?
SPEAKER_00 (24:54):
They can either submit shorter versions.
We, I mean, it's for a festival,it's always relatively easy to
screen something short, mucheasier than screen something
longer.
So often they stress that reallytheir entire story is addressed,
(25:14):
but they must keep in mind theyare being screened with short
films, and often the shortfilms, the format is relatively
loose and open.
It's different to a to a featurefilm where you have to hit all
the marks, you know, for arounded story.
So yeah, if they if they can gothe editing mile to just put a
(25:36):
shorter story together, it'sgreat because then in the end of
the day, they can present aproof of concept or a um just a
short version, you know, like amarketing piece that tells us
what the film is about, what thequality of the film is, what the
depth of the film is.
(25:57):
Yeah, if you give me a three tofive minute piece, I can easily
program that.
But it shouldn't be a commercialeither, because that's not what
they want to.
They want to give the vibe andfeel of the film, right?
So it has to be structured morelike a short film rather than um
a commercial.
SPEAKER_02 (26:19):
Yes, tell us a story.
If you've got an hour five, justcut it down so we can see your
story in a shorter version,because that is really
beneficial for getting um youroutreach, your um distribution,
marketing, everything.
That's very good advice.
(26:41):
So, what are the benefits forfilmmakers who attend beyond
screenings like networking,press exposure, industry
introductions?
SPEAKER_00 (26:51):
Yeah, you already hit all of them.
In at Ethos, I would say thebiggest, biggest, biggest
benefit is the community thatyou will meet there, because we
kind of pre-filtered who isthere to get the funding before
you get it, right?
Like it's a different mindset.
(27:12):
There are the profit-driven, andthen there's the purpose-driven
filmmakers.
And if you are submitting toethos and we selected your film,
we pretty much know who you areby the type of film you
submitted.
And we see that you're a kindperson, a caring person, a
person that thrives being seenand finding like-minded spirits.
So you will be surrounded bythose.
(27:34):
You know, I've been to so manyfilm festivals, and then it's
the networking party.
And um, I don't want to bashother film festivals, they're
amazing too, but I'm uh maybeI'm easily intimidated, but I
didn't always feel like 100%welcome home.
That feeling it was just a uhtension in the room and
(27:56):
competitiveness because peopleare sussing out who is in my
category and will they win andwill I win.
And our festival is not aboutthat because the films are in a
different dimension in terms ofcompetition because they are
standing on their own.
And what we do is not you want acompetition for being the best,
(28:18):
it's the film who figure it outto shed light on that topic in
the most effective way, right?
So you're not in competitionwith others because every topic
is different, and that changesit because everybody's a friend
instantly, and the same with thepitch marathons.
(28:39):
We never make these real obviousindustry opportunities.
We say these are for educationalreasons only, and I've been to
those pitch sessions where therewas a little bit of like
snickering going on or eyerolling when somebody didn't do
(28:59):
a professional polished job.
But there I've never experiencedthat.
I I experienced so much respectfrom each writer and filmmaker
for one another.
It was such a supportiveenvironment, and people learned
so much by um showing theirprojects and having such a
(29:21):
welcoming, kind audience, butnot mollycoddling either.
It was really great feedback,but said in a respectful way.
And that's the type offilmmaker, right?
They talk about political topicsas well, and we are innately
non-political.
So we pick filmmakers who areable to make their cause without
(29:42):
bashing people who thinkdifferently.
We invite people who tell theirdifficult story where they open
the door for dialogue, right?
So you are surrounded by thesepeople, and that's the most
feedback I got.
Oh, I met people I will beconnected with for life.
(30:02):
There was the most excitingcommunity, and um, we program
the films that there's anemotional journey as well, it's
not a random mixing together.
Um so when they when they seeeach other through their films
as well, and and are on thefilmmakers' QAs, that is a
(30:23):
beautiful moment, and then thosemoments get extended during
networking parties.
And of course, we always makesure that there's sketty images
for the press part.
You know, we come from the filmindustry, we understand photos,
uh, wire images that isimportant.
And if you want to go out andhave an extra red carpet and you
(30:47):
help us doing that, we are opento all of that because we are
here for the filmmakers, right?
You're not here for us toimpress us, we are here to give
you a platform, and I thinkyeah, they can feel that and
feel at home.
SPEAKER_02 (31:02):
I did, I certainly felt at home.
I was really I loved everyminute of it, it was so great.
So, what advice would you givefilmmakers about how to prepare
before attending a festival?
Because they want to be able tomaximize the experience.
SPEAKER_00 (31:20):
Yeah, so often people do not come to the entire
program, which I think is, Idon't know why, maybe it's that
icky feeling that or trauma fromother festivals where they
thought I don't belong here orsomething.
But I really recommend, even asyou said, even if you're not a
(31:43):
writer, go to the writer'spanel.
Even if you are a writer, watchall the screenings.
So really make sure you come toas much as you can.
We are trying to make it worthyour while.
We have always paid an extradime to be on 2nd Street in
Santa Monica.
So people are in the mostbeautiful part of the world,
(32:05):
right there at the ocean, whereyou know people come just for
the sake of tourism.
So you don't have to take longbreaks, you can just be there.
If you take a breather, you seethe ocean, but try to take
advantage of the entire program.
SPEAKER_02 (32:23):
And then empowering the whole thing that location is
very empowering, don't youthink?
SPEAKER_00 (32:31):
Absolutely, yeah.
And then I think researching thethe speakers is great, and the
other filmmakers, just yeah,find out as much as you can and
strike up as many conversationsas you can.
And they they can be just, hey,I saw what you did there, that
was really meaningful.
I'm I I know somebody who hasthe same issues, or I don't
(32:55):
know, like just connect with thefilmmakers about their films
because yes, because uh you areLily Tomlin said, we are all in
this boat alone together, andshe's so right.
SPEAKER_02 (33:13):
But when you go to a festival where you are
appreciated and entertained andeducated, uh like ethos, then it
is empowering because you leavethere thinking, this is my
world.
I came here to make films and Ibelong.
I think it really uh shifts thefilmmakers' momentum.
SPEAKER_00 (33:36):
Yes, absolutely.
And um, in my experience inthese seven years, the
filmmakers, and as I said, weget to know them through their
films.
They are kind people who want tohelp, you know, they are helpers
as a nature of being, nottakers, they are givers.
(33:57):
And so getting support just evenfrom filmmakers on the same
level.
I've never seen aresource-sharing uh
secretiveness or something likethat.
In in other film circles, I havenoticed that where it's like,
hmm, I'm not gonna tell them mysecrets of the trade.
(34:19):
But there, yeah, there is a lotof helpfulness.
It's a like these are helpertypes, so you might be surprised
finding resources from alldifferent corners.
They're very open to sharingtheir resources and helping each
other and collaboration, verycollaborative.
SPEAKER_02 (34:39):
That's that seems to be a theme of yours in your life
as well as in your festival.
Yeah.
Well, I will say that people whocome to the festival are um
inspired, and that's what it'sall about, because some years
ago I had a gentleman call me onthe phone and he said, Carol,
(35:02):
I'm John Smith, and I I won yourfilm grant.
And I thought, no, you didn't.
I I don't remember that.
And so he went on to say, I I uhwas making a film, and he gave
me the log line, and he said, Toyou, I was a finalist, but to
(35:23):
me, I was a winner.
I uh just that uh being in thefinalist group gave me the
confidence to finish my film andI sold it to Turn Broadcasting,
right?
So you are uh not you aresupporting filmmakers, you're
(35:43):
empowering them with thisfestival.
So the least uh a pat on theback that a filmmaker gets is
greatly appreciated, Annabelle.
Thank you very much for thiswork.
SPEAKER_00 (35:56):
Yeah, thank you too, because uh you have been such a
strong supporter, and I thinkyou know, the from the heart is
very similar to ethos, it's thesame message in the end of the
day, and I think yourfilmmakers, we see a lot of your
filmmakers at the festivals, uh,at the festival, and yeah, it's
(36:18):
like a different, uh it's akindred spirit society.
SPEAKER_02 (36:24):
Because there are so many talent filmmakers and they
really need support.
So looking ahead to April 21stto the 26th for this year in
Santa Monica 2026, what excitesyou the most about this year's
festival?
SPEAKER_00 (36:44):
Um, it excites me that we have that collaboration
with emeritus, but uh there'salways, you know, round about
this time, five weeks, uh sixweeks before the event takes
place, where I'm putting theprogram together and I have like
a vision for the future, whatwill happen in April by
(37:06):
introducing these people to eachother, and that is that is, as I
said, super fun.
And yeah, every year it's acompletely different uh wonder
bag.
You know what a wonder bag is?
We used to buy them at the candystore, and you didn't know
what's in it, and that was partof the part of the whole
(37:27):
excitement, and I love those.
And ethos is the same.
Um, it's every every year verydifferent in terms of the
themes.
I'm learning so much, you know,what I mentioned with the
children, what's on theirhearts, I learn all across all
the submissions.
Wow, that's going on.
I'm intrigued to see sometimesit's more of this, sometimes
(37:50):
it's more of that.
And I see a reflection of theworld we live in.
And yeah, it's uh it's a livingbeing, and every year it's
different, it's uh comprised ofall the people.
The festival is truly theattending people.
Yes, and I haven't uh met thebeing of 2026 yet, but I'm part
(38:16):
of creating it and cannot waitto meet it.
SPEAKER_02 (38:20):
Yes, what fun that will be.
Oh, thank you for your passionfor filmmakers and your love of
the industry.
And thank you, filmmakers, forlistening and joining us today.
And let me leave you with thisyour film deserves to be seen in
a room where people care.
And festivals like Ethos remindus that cinema is not just
(38:45):
commerce, it's connection, it'scourage, it's conversation.
So you may be in development,you may be raising funds, you
may be finishing your final cut,but keep going and join
Annabelle and all of thesepassionate filmmakers at Ethos,
because the world needsthoughtful, purposeful
(39:08):
storytelling more than ever.
So funding isn't just aboutmoney, it's about belief.
It's about clarity and momentum.
So when you align your visionwith communities that share your
values, doors open.
Remember that saying that doorsopen where there were no doors
(39:31):
before?
That's what you want to happen.
So I encourage you to look atthe Ethos Festival this April in
Santa Monica, supportfilmmakers, meet collaborators,
and see extraordinary films.
Let yourself be inspired, andmost importantly, keep funding
(39:51):
films.
Your voice matters, your storymatters, and there is a place
for you.
Until the next time, this isCarol Dean, Claire Papin with
the Art of Film Funding.
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