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

Hi Isabela, how do you think about risk?
I see risk as a form of self-investment – sometimes the only way to move from where you are to where you want to be. It’s an invitation to grow. Even in failure, risk offers perspective and often a deeper understanding of how to navigate life.

In my own journey, risk meant trusting my ability to meet a goal within a set timeframe. With Companion of the Setting Sun, a short environmental film I’m directing, I took a leap by investing my own resources through a loan just to get to Mexico and start filming a story that felt both deeply personal and urgently important. It was a calculated risk. I trusted I could recoup the cost through hard work and persistence. I gave myself a year to crowdfund and build support, and that dedication ultimately helped me pay off the initial investment.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art is filmmaking – visual storytelling rooted in curiosity and connection. For me, making films is a way to understand the world more deeply. It’s an act of listening and holding space for others’ stories as a pathway to healing, growth, and collective inspiration.

My journey into film was definitely not conventional. I started out making adventure shorts about rock climbers in the Eastern Sierra, then found myself working as a Camera Assistant and Camera Operator for the producers of Chimp Crazy and Kiss the Ground. Over time, I carved my own path as a freelance director and DP, drawn to stories centered on women, ancestral wisdom, and healing the planet.

That calling led me to Mexico, where I’ve spent the last two years traveling through Xochimilco – the last remaining lake of the once vast Mexico Valley. There, I met a revered Xochimilca elder whose story became the heart of my current project: Companion of the Setting Sun, a short environmental documentary. We’re now fundraising through Film Independent to complete the film.

What sets my work apart is the blend of intimacy and reverence I strive for. I want to make films that feel alive, carrying the weight of memory, place, and presence. More than anything, I want people to walk away feeling more connected to the Earth and to each other.

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.
It totally depends on how we’re feeling that day, but I would likely go lay out by a creek or hike around and then host a BBQ in my yard. I live in Ojai, so that’s basically what I do in my spare time!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate this shoutout to the amazing women in my life who have uplifted me – personally, professionally, and in the stories I’m telling. In particular, I want to recognize my friend and Producer, Chamberlain Staub, based here in LA.

She’s been a true advocate throughout the journey of making Companion of the Setting Sun, supporting its development every step of the way. Her belief in me and in the film has meant the world. Please hire her – you’ll be lucky to have her on your team!

Image Credits
All 35mm images are taken by Maria Guisa @mariaguisaa

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