In this episode of The Sally Steele Show, I sat down with, local and international film industry legend Maxine Williamson, whom I have known as a friend and colleague for 20 years. A bold visionary, and specialist in Asia Pacific cinema, Maxine was pivotal in establishing the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSAs), affectionately known as the Oscars of the East. She spent a decade at the helm of this 70-country pan-regional film awards, representing half the world's film, first as Associate Producer and then Artistic Director.

Maxine's impressive list of credits also includes; Director of the Brisbane Asia Pacific Film festival and Co-Director, of the 23rd Brisbane International Film Festival, Artistic Advisor for the touring cultural exhibition and platform FRAME: How Asia Pacific Feminist Filmmakers and Artists are Confronting Inequality which toured to Berlin during the 2019 Berlinale promoted via the NATIVE program and continued on to the 2019 Sydney Film Festival. Maxine is currently producing Indian cinema with two fiction features and two feature documentaries in varying stages of development and production with Indian production house Next Story. Her first feature documentary as Producer, DEATH IN THE CITY, is entering post-production. Career credits aside, she is a bold, spiritual, passionate woman whose journey to now is inspiring and uplifting.

In this episode we also chat about:

• How Sally & Maxine got to know each other through both working for independent film company and cinema chain Dendy and creating grassroots marketing campaigns with no budget.
• Maxine's early childhood as the daughter of dairy farmers and her desire to look for "something more"
• Her experience of religion, prejudice and conformity and the impact of catholic school on her belief system and desire for a spiritual framework where all are equal.
• Her strong desire to get to know herself and reach her full potential has led to so many of her life path choices.
• Maxine's views on her father's alcoholism and subsequent aggressive & abusive behaviour, how it impacted her relationship with herself and how their relationship is ultimately a story of healing and redemption.
• Her journey to working with women in the international film industry and how it opened her eyes to how others live.
• How she has overcome adversity and manifests using the Laws of the universe.
• Being diagnosed with an auto-immune disease forced her to stop her self destructive behaviour and slow down for close to 5 years.
• How she met and fell in love with Peter, with whom she has two children, and created their own co-parenting paradigm.
• Imposter Syndrome, tall poppy syndrome and Maxine's tips for managing self-doubt.
• Her agenda-less approach to opportunity and life as a whole.
• Connection to land and nature has always gotten Maxine through her darkest times.
• What iconic feminist hit gets Maxine singing in the car.
• And finally, we shine a light on others and hear about Maxine's favourite charity 'The Climate Council'.

So, enjoy this insightful episode with Maxine Williamson.

Links:

Maxine Williamson LinkedIn

The Climate Council

 

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Sally Steele