Meet Virginia Powers Hendry | writer/filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Virginia Powers Hendry and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Virginia, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I’m originally from Memphis, TN, but after my parents divorced, my mom married a Methodist preacher and we moved with him to his appointments in various cities in Florida. My mom is a retired teacher and administrator and my stepdad has semi-retired from preaching, but growing up in a church environment has had a huge impact on my life. Looking back it was during this time that I began to understand the importance of telling stories and using illustrations to connect with an audience, and the power that story-telling has to unite people around certain ideas and establish community. Also my stepdad always loved movies. He used to bring the projector and screen home from the church and we would check out reels from the library and watch actual film on the weekends. He told me that if I ever had something to say I should make movies because people remember the worst movie they’ve ever seen before they’d remember the best sermon he’s ever preached; and I guess that always resonated with me. I never felt spiritually connected in church, but I certainly did in a movie theater. Also I’m fascinated by people who feel called to their vocations by something outside of themselves, like as a messenger. I think I see artists and filmmakers as those types of people…messengers.

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.
I”ve been living and working in LA for twenty years. I moved out here after film school (University of Central Florida), and have had jobs as an assistant, and worked in the business & legal affairs dept doing credits for two major studios. After I got married, my husband and I discussed having a family, and started our IVF journey, which was very difficult emotionally. I also quit my day job to give myself space to be more creative, and focus on writing. I wrote several feature scripts with a writing partner, and went to a lot of general meetings. There were many “almosts” and “near misses” along the way and then I had my two kids. Then Covid struck. So there was a long period of time where there was a sort of artistic detour where I needed to focus on being a new parent. Once the pandemic sort of calmed, then came the strikes! So it just felt like I was never going to get to make a movie. I think after one of my meetings that pretty much went nowhere, I decided I was just going to take control and figure out a way to make some of these scripts of mine myself. Once the kids were back in school full time, I made two short films, and have been out in festivals with them, meeting people and re-introducing myself- this time as a writer AND director. My life has done a complete 180. I also made a decision about the kind of stories I want to tell, that reflect my feeling about the moment we are in as a society. I really want to tell (horror) stories with strong female characters and people from marginalized groups, who seek to dismantle their oppressive system, that endorses white supremacy and misogyny, burn it to the ground and step into their power.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When my husband and I got married, we moved to a duplex in Venice. I love the West side of town. It can be a little crazy, but I love the artists we met there, and that we could walk to restaurants and the beach. I also recommend that people walk through the canals in Venice. It’s so peaceful and beautiful. My husband proposed to me at Hal’s on Abbot Kinney. If I have friends coming in from out of town, I usually recommend walking AK to see celebrities. Also my second date with my now husband was at the Griffith Park Observatory, and you can just spend the day there -there is so much history and Griffith Park is beautiful and huge. I love the Greek theater, and have been to many concerts there. I took my mom to see a Neil Diamond concert at the Hollywood Bowl, which was on her bucket list, and I was so happy we got to go there together. Those two venues are my favorite spots to see concerts in LA. My favorite restaurant in LA is near Culver City -Dear Johns -they have the best steak I’ve ever had in my life. It’s a definite recommend for me. My kids love going to the Museum of Natural History, especially when they have their butterfly and spider pavillions up; and we love the LACMA. My favorite visits there were to see the Stanley Kubrick and the Guillermo del Toro exhibits. I used to always go to the Arclight to watch movies and for q&as with the filmmakers.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people who have helped and supported me on this path to making movies. Most recently, besides my family of course (I love you guys!), I would say that my good friend, Ben Rock, who is also my editor and an incredible filmmaker, has been a real mentor to me. He is a gifted storyteller and gives such great and thoughtful advice, and is the best at connecting artists together to make good movies. He connected me to my Director of Photography, Will Barratt, who has been the most amazing creative partner to me, and has been completely supportive of me and has really helped me develop my directing skills. These men give me space to discover, are there for me when I need help, and are really my big brothers in horror. I would also love to shoutout my coven -my fellow female filmmakers and friends, who inspire me with their talents and have really welcomed me into their community: Anastasia Washington and Shannon Brown, two filmmakers who started a group for women in horror, and hold a monthly meetup in Los Angeles; as well as filmmakers Chelsea Stardust, Alison Star Locke, Fayna Sanchez, Julia Marchese, Teri Gamble, and Brea Grant. I would also love to thank Steven Shea my producer, and Joe Lynch and Becca Howard, filmmaker friends who also are super supportive and helpful, and inspire me with their enthusiasm for cinema and all things bloody. These people really encourage me to keep going, and their gifts and kindness inspire me, and spending time with them makes my soul happy.

Instagram: @virginiapowershendry