We were lucky to catch up with Fé Vásquez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Fé, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

From my mother, Judith Peñuela, I learned how to solve problems and get things done. She spent her career in the corporate world, and whenever people found themselves stuck in the middle of a complicated transaction, she was the person they called. My mom had this incredible ability to mobilize resources, activate her network, move heaven and earth, and connect with the right person to unlock the solution. Somehow, she always got the client what they needed, and people adored her for it.

So when people ask me what I do as a Film Producer, I often say: my job is to make the impossible possible, on time and within budget. That mindset, that determination to find a way forward no matter the obstacle, comes directly from my mom.

From my father, Iván Vásquez, I learned something just as important: how to connect with people. He had the gift of relating to anyone, regardless of age, education, culture, or financial background.

One of my favorite memories growing up is our family road trips. Those trips opened the world to me, new places, new flavors, new communities. Yet what stayed with me most was watching my dad wherever we went. People greeted him warmly, often by name, and they would bring him “the special” of the day as a way to acknowledge and pamper him. My father is a businessman who traveled constantly, and his gift to me was showing me how to recognize and embrace the greatness in people.

In filmmaking, whether I’m directing or producing, that ability to connect with people is everything. A film set brings together clients, agencies, crew, talent, vendors, people from every background and every level of the hierarchy. Being able to communicate with respect, clarity, efficiently and humanity is essential.

So what my parents did right was simple but profound: my mother taught me how to find solutions, and my father taught me how to connect with people. Together, those lessons became the foundation of who I am and how I move through my work in the film industry.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

“I’ve spent my life creating stories, through the lens of a camera and the strokes of a paintbrush.”

My name is Fé María Vásquez, and I am a filmmaker and a fine artist. Both practices are deeply connected for me because they are rooted in storytelling, emotion, and human connection.

Ironically, I entered the film industry because I originally wanted to be a painter. As a young woman growing up in Venezuela, my true dream was to become a fine artist. When I shared that dream with my father, he told me very frankly, “You’re going to starve to death.” Like many young people, I believed him. My dream balloon burst, and I felt I had to find something else.

Then something unexpected happened. I overheard a friend of my brother say he was going to study film. I’m the youngest of three, and there’s five and seven year age difference between my brothers and me, so I always looked up to them. They were the coolest, my older brother Iván was studying architecture and my middle brother Federico was studying graphic design. Creativity surrounded me. When I heard the words “study film,” something lit up inside my body. I didn’t fully know what it meant, but I remember thinking, Learning how to make films? How cool is that.

So I did. I studied film in Venezuela and later continued my studies in the United States, and I have been part of the industry since I was a teenager.

Today my work in film spans directing and producing audiovisual projects in short, medium, and long formats, from television commercials to narrative films. I help clients translate their ideas into compelling visual stories. My services include developing creative concepts, designing the visual language of a project, production logistics, budgeting, directing, and post-production. Ultimately, I help brands and storytellers reach audiences in a powerful way through cinematic language.

What sets me apart is my commitment to emotional intelligence and leadership. Film sets bring together people from every walk of life at the same time, a CEO client, an advertising creative, a camera operator, an actor, a production assistant. I believe one of the most important skills a filmmaker can have is the ability to connect with and respect everyone in that ecosystem.

Unfortunately, our industry has a long history of tolerating abusive behavior on set. I have no tolerance for it. I often say I “kill people with kindness.” I can be firm, decisive, and push a team to meet ambitious schedules, yet I believe a film set is a sacred creative space that must be protected.

On every project I work on, the call sheet includes a message in bold:
“This is a SAFE set. There is ZERO tolerance for bad attitude, discrimination, racism, or sexism. If you experience any of the above, please tell Production immediately.”

That is something I’m deeply proud of. Earlier in my career I experienced being yelled at and mistreated for no apparent reason, and I promised myself that if I ever held leadership positions, that behavior would never happen under my watch. Instead of repeating harmful patterns, I chose to lead differently and create positive change.

Another milestone I’m proud of is building my career in Hawai‘i despite being told by some people that I had “two major problems”: I was a foreigner and I was a woman. I proved them wrong. Today I am the first Hispanic female television commercial director to receive an advertising award in Hawai‘i in more than twenty years. My perspective as a woman and as a citizen of the world is not a limitation, it is one of my greatest creative assets.

Alongside filmmaking, I eventually returned to my first love: painting.

For many years I painted privately, something I kept mostly to myself. Then one day, as an adult, already a mother and happily divorced, I decided to stop believing my father’s prediction. I came “out of the closet” as an artist. I hired a web designer, built my website in two weeks, and launched my work into the world. The response was immediate, and today my paintings live with collectors across South America, Europe, and the United States.

What excites me most right now is that I’m in a time and space where both of my passions are merging. Whenever possible within my film projects, I integrate my art into the storytelling, whether in commercials, short films, or other visual narratives. Recently, I was asked to create a custom painting specifically for a film project, which was fascinating. It felt like my two creative worlds were finally meeting on the same canvas.

At the heart of everything I do, film or painting, is the desire to create work that moves people and reminds them of beauty, possibility, and connection. I’m proud of the path I’ve built, and I know there is still so much more to create.

What I want clients, collaborators, collectors, and followers to know about me is simple: I care deeply about people, I am reliable and committed, and I bring a unique aesthetic and global perspective to every project I touch.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Yes, personal development is a central part of who I am, how I lead, and how I show up in my work and in the world. I believe that everything starts with mindset, and that if we each commit to becoming the best version of ourselves, we can literally leave the world better than how we found it. That belief has shaped not only my creative process and leadership philosophy, but also the way I relate to clients, collaborators, and the people on my team.

I read widely, attend seminars, participate in workshops, and often volunteer in personal development programs, not just to grow, but because it fills my heart to see others shift, bloom, and thrive. I’m passionate about learning tools for emotional intelligence, communication, leadership, and awareness, because those qualities make me a better human as a woman, mother, friend, a better filmmaker, a better collaborator.

One organization whose events and community I’ve found deeply impactful is PSI Seminars, which offers transformational experiences designed to help people break through limiting beliefs, clarify their goals, and align their actions with what truly matters. These seminars provide practical tools for intention, leadership, and self‑awareness that have influenced how I think about personal success and mindful living.

Here are a few books that have profoundly shaped my management, creative mindset, and entrepreneurial thinking:

The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist. This book transformed the way I think about resources, value, and abundance. It taught me that money is not just a tool, but a reflection of our inner beliefs about worth and contribution.

The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks. A powerful invitation to step into your highest potential by identifying and breaking through the hidden barriers that keep you from your own success and fulfillment.

The Power of Water by Masaru Emoto. A beautiful and humbling reminder that intention, gratitude, and consciousness influence everything around us, even molecules of water. This has shaped the way I hold intention on a film set, in my creative process, and in my daily life.

I also follow other transformative works including yet not limited to:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey — A classic on character, leadership, and personal effectiveness.

Dare to Lead by Brené Brown — A guide to courageous leadership rooted in vulnerability and integrity.

Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss — A masterclass in negotiation and communication skills I apply daily in production and creative collaboration.

Atomic Habits by James Clear — A practical playbook for building consistent habits that compound into meaningful results.

Here in Hawai‘i, I’m also inspired by gatherings like Spirit Fest, a local event where spiritual leaders, educators, and storytellers come together to share wisdom that expands awareness, connection, and personal transformation. Events like this remind me that growth isn’t just about achievement, it’s about deepening our sense of connection to ourselves and each other.

For me, personal development, is the container that holds everything else. It keeps me grounded, curious, compassionate, and ready to lead with integrity and purpose. It enables me to create win‑win situations, to communicate clearly with dreamers and doers alike, and to build creative environments where people feel safe, valued, and capable of greatness.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the most important lessons I had to unlearn was the belief that being a fine artist meant I would “starve to death.” When I was young and shared with my father that I wanted to become an artist, he said those exact words to me. He meant well, he wanted me to be “safe” yet I believed him for far too long. That sentence quietly followed me for years and planted doubt in a dream that had lived inside me since childhood.

Painting was always there, though. Even when I kept it private, even when I convinced myself it was just a hobby, the calling never left me. Eventually I realized that ignoring it would be a far greater loss than any risk. It took tremendous courage to finally show my artwork to the world, the truth is that the desire to create was bigger than my fear.

When I paint, something extraordinary happens. I feel plugged into something far greater than myself. I feel connected to the universe, to the divine. Standing in front of a blank canvas with a brush in my hand still feels terrifying, every single time, there is such vulnerability in that empty space. And then a vision appears. Slowly, through lines, colors, layers, and textures, the painting begins to breathe. To witness that process from the inside is nothing short of miraculous.

For me, art is not decoration. Art heals. Art moves people. Art can inspire change. Through my work I want to highlight the beauty of this planet and the magical moments that shape our lives. Many of my paintings are inspired by landscapes, memories, and emotional experiences that have deeply marked me. I consciously work with the healing frequency of color, inviting viewers and collectors to pause and reconnect with beauty, transformation, and possibility.

And the story has a beautiful twist. The same father who once told me I might starve as an artist is now my biggest supporter. Today, if too much time passes without a new painting, he’s the one asking, “Why aren’t you in the studio?” Life has a wonderful sense of humor like that.

You can explore my work and collections at **www.femariavasquez.com** a
place where that once-silenced dream now lives fully and freely.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.femariavasquez.com
• Instagram: @femvasquez @fevasquezfineart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/femvasquezp
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fe-maria-vasquez-b840aa8/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fe+maria+vasquez

Image Credits

Jen Ballou, Joseph Agudo, Hubert Brown, Tiffany Liu.