Female Filmmakers Reflect on Craft, Representation at Kering 'Creativity In Motion' Talk

The "Kering – Creativity In Motion" forum was held at the Cathay Cinema on June 15 during the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival, spotlighting women's voices in cinema and the evolving role of women in the film industry.

Part of Kering's global Women In Motion project, the forum brought together Tunisian producer Dora Bouchoucha, Hong Kong actress Cecilia Yip, Peruvian filmmaker Carla Gutiérrez and actress Rebecca Li to share their experiences and perspectives on creativity, representation and storytelling.

Bouchoucha, a member of the Golden Goblet Awards Main Competition jury, reflected on her longstanding commitment to supporting emerging filmmakers from Africa and the Arab world. She said her diverse life experiences helped shape her approach as a creative producer.

"I started life from a very young age from a very different angle, and that helped me become a creative producer," she said.

Drawing on her 45-year career, Yip recalled a time when actresses were often dismissed as "flower vases" – valued for their looks rather than their talent.

"In the past decade or so, I have rarely heard that word anymore. I think people are paying more attention to female roles and giving them more room to develop," Yip said.

Gutiérrez, who studied mathematics before turning to filmmaking, said cinema's ability to foster empathy was what first drew her to the medium.

"When it is put in film form, in just 90 minutes, it takes you through a journey, and you become empathetic to somebody else's experience," she said.

She added that documentaries are not merely a record of facts but a creative process involving perspective and interpretation in the pursuit of truth.

In an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, Li, who moved from visual and fashion design into acting, urged creators to preserve the human qualities that make cinema unique.

The discussion closed with each speaker offering advice to her younger self. Li said she would tell herself to stay passionate about cinema, while Gutiérrez stressed the importance of making one's voice heard. Bouchoucha said she would urge her younger self to stay sincere rather than try to please everyone.

Yip's message was simple: "You did well. Stay the same."

Kering launched Women In Motion at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015 to highlight the contributions of women in cinema, both in front of and behind the camera.