Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jennifer Zahlit. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jennifer , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

My first feature, FRIEND DIVORCE, is definitely the most meaningful project I’ve ever created. It was a story about friendship that I made with my creative partner and best friend Kat Belinfante. The film gently pushed us to become better people and artists. Making a feature film is no small feat. You’re starting a business, managing people, and trying to bring your creative vision to life all at once. It takes a lot of communication and self-awareness to work with different personalities, and I’m proud to say that Kat and I came out stronger from this experience, which I’m very grateful for. Since it was an indie film, we were involved in every single decision, from buying crafty at Costco to scouting locations of a friend of a friend to driving the lighting truck. While that might have seemed overwhelming in the moment, I cherish those moments. It made me appreciate everything that goes into a film and everyone who gives their time and talents. Kat and I named our production company Planting Seeds Productions because we know that filmmaking and the creative life is a long game, and we hope that through each project, we plant seeds for the future and cultivate our community garden (cheesy but true!)

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Growing up, I played the viola, which is how I fell in love with the magic of collaboration and the power of an ensemble. There was nothing more magical to me than being part of an orchestra during a concert. But after doing theater at my all girls high school (gender-bending productions before it was cool), I realized I loved every moment of the performances AND rehearsals. That felt like a sign to me, and so I headed off to USC’s School of Dramatic Arts, becoming involved in the LA theatre scene, and training with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. I then moved to NYC to act, where I soon realized she was a director. After directing several theatre pieces, I directed a short film back in LA and became obsessed with filmmaking. After moving back to LA, I cobbled together a film education through making shorts with friends, co-creating A Brighter Lens podcast spotlighting women in film, and learning as much as I could. Through Planting Seeds Productions, I just completed her first feature FRIEND DIVORCE that I directed and co-wrote, and can’t wait for the next one.

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

Being an indie filmmaker sometimes feel like you have to do everything yourself. If you want to make anything you happen, you’re the one who’s responsible for it. But filmmaking is a collaborative art and I knew that when embarking on my first feature, I would need the help of my community. Asking for help doesn’t come naturally to me, so I really worked on intentionally asking people for help in the creation of FRIEND DIVORCE. A friend of a friend who had a beautiful backyard location, my neighbor who had a gorgeous dining room, a bar owner I had known for years, college friends, NYC friends who flew in, two young women I had babysat since they were three — I asked them all (and more!) for their help, their time, their talents. And the surprising part was that they were all happy to lend a hand. It was a very affirming experience that has bled over to my personal life. I know how much I want to help others, especially with their dreams, and I work to assume that others want to give that energy back to me.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In college, there was nothing more I wanted than to be cast in a USC School of Dramatic Arts production. It wasn’t happening for the first couple years of school. But I would diligently read all of the plays in each season, carefully pick my monologue, practice, and show up to each audition. I remember feeling so disappointed each time I would show up to the bulletin where they posted the casting. But for some (potentially delusional) reason, I never gave up. I would show up to any and all auditions. I probably knew I needed the experience and could see there were people better suited for these roles, but I just kept trying. In junior year, there was a show that needed a violin player. I had grown up playing the viola and figured I could learn the violin; this was my chance! I did learn the violin and was thrilled to be cast. It was a perfect fit, developing a mentor relationship with that music director and growing cherished friendships, all while listening to James Joyce’s words in the show THE DEAD. Looking back, I can see that my resilience and flexibility got me to that point. It was helpful that I endured so much rejection in school because I was able to practice feeling disappointed and then looking forward to the next opportunity. I didn’t need to practice that post-grad because I had already learned how to process that. I still feel the power of that foundation today and am grateful to have the capacity to keep going for things, even amidst the constant rejection.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jenniferzahlit.com
• Instagram: @threal_jz
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY0fK2wiOW4

Image Credits

Professional headshot by Shanley Kellis