Meet Geenah Krisht | Film Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Geenah Krisht and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Geenah, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
As I’ve gotten older and deeper into my career, I’ve made a conscious effort toward defining boundaries for my work life and my personal life. It’s tricky because, as filmmakers and freelance artists, our self worth can often time feel tied to how busy we are or how many projects we have going on at once. I used to fall asleep working on my laptop in bed. I would pass up social events or family gatherings to stay focused and available to my coworkers, but life’s too short. I experienced a profound perspective shift two years ago when my Teta (grandma) passed away, and it changed me forever. I love what I do, and I don’t ever want to lose sight of that, but at the end of the day, it’s the people in my life that matter the most. I make it a priority to organize personal time and personal plans into my schedule at the top of each week, and I’ve made a no-laptop-in-bed rule that I live by. It’s a game changer.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, where I didn’t fit in as easily as everyone else seemed to. I started making home movies and documenting my family, friends, and travels. I would edit the footage together and host little screenings— it was my way of bringing everyone around me together. I’ve always had a deep love for collaboration, so it makes sense that filmmaking would be my preferred art form.

I began interning at a production company in Dallas during my first year of college, and spent the next few years working my way up from production assistant to producer. I had an incredible boss who believed in me, and she’s still a mentor of mine. It was there that I learned to develop, cast, and produce commercials, films, non-scripted television, and talk shows. I graduated with degrees in both film and journalism which immensely shaped my approach to storytelling. For the last eight years, I’ve been freelancing as a producer and line producer in commercial, television, music video, documentary, and narrative film production. The last movie I produced was comedy feature MY DIVORCE PARTY, out now on all digital platforms. I’m in post production on my next feature film TRUST ME, I’M A DOCTOR, starring Kal Penn, Linda Hamilton, and Abbie Cornish, which just wrapped principal photography.

My journey into filmmaking was a significant coming-of-age experience that helped me find my voice. In 2023, I founded my production company Good Good Films to champion new projects and foster an atmosphere that empowers creatives to bring their vision to life through developing and producing original content. There’s no such thing as an “easy” way to get to where you want to be. I’m here for the journey, and I feel like I’m only getting started.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a big foodie, so when anyone comes to visit, the itinerary is totally built around places to eat. If I had to choose one “must-go-to” restaurant, it would be Sushi Enya… anyone who knows me knows it’s my favorite, hands down. There are a few different locations, but my favorite one is in Pasadena since it’s where Chef Enya tends to work from. The sushi chefs there are out of this world. Apart from sushi, some of my favorite spots are: Tsujita in Sawtelle for dipping ramen, Skaf’s on York for the most authentic Lebanese food, Hae Jang Chon for Korean BBQ, and Hippo for a delicious family meal and great atmosphere.

If there’s time for a road trip, I would drive out to Malibu and start the day with breakfast at Malibu Farm Cafe on the ocean pier, then spend the day in the sun on Matador Beach. Or maybe I’d drive a little further north to Solvang, spend the day wine tasting on foot, and spend the night at Hotel Corque.

If we’re craving the outdoors, I’d spend a few hours at the Huntington Botanical Gardens for some fresh air, go on an urban hike at Griffith Park, or walk the Hollywood Reservoir Trail and end at Lake Hollywood Park with some fresh fruit, chamoy, and Tajin from one of the local fruit vendors.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d love to dedicate my shoutout to my husband, Javier Ruiz. We met on a set pretty early in our careers, and we’ve been each other’s biggest cheerleaders ever since. When I told him that I wanted to move to Los Angeles, he said, “when are we moving?” Fast forward, and now we’ve been here 8 years. I wouldn’t be who I am, or where I am without him.

What value or principle matters most to you? Why?
Respect is number one for me. Recognizing others’ intrinsic values is key to creating an environment that makes everyone feel valued and safe. One of my favorite 1st ADs starts every morning safety meeting by reminding the cast and crew that “matters of respect are matters of safety,” and I can’t think of a simpler way to put it.

Website: www.geenahkrisht.com & www.goodgoodfilms.com

Instagram: @geenahkrisht & @goodgoodfilms

Other: Here’s the link to the Deadline article about my upcoming film “Trust Me, I’m A Doctor” in case you want to link to it: https://deadline.com/2024/05/linda-hamilton-abbie-cornish-join-trust-me-im-a-doctor-movie-1235901148/