NYWIFT Blog

By Guneet K. Singh

Don’t hold the applause! It’s time for us to welcome our new NYWIFT member, Claire Englebienne! Claire is currently a Film & TV student at NYU who’s extremely passionate about storytelling and has begun writing and directing her own work. Originally from Argentina, she hopes to tell stories from her home country that move people.  

Read our full interview with Claire to learn more about her exciting projects, her experience working in the film industry in Argentina and some inspiring advice she’s received!

NYWIFT Member Claire Englebienne (photo courtesy of Claire Englebienne)

Tell us about yourself! Give us some insight into your education, creative journey, and career aspirations.

Growing up, I attended a French school in Buenos Aires, where I was exposed to several cultures through people, literature, and cinema. I was also always deeply interested in all forms of art. I studied piano, singing, and musical theatre for many years until I realized that telling stories was actually what I loved the most.

When I first started participating on sets, I thought production design was what I was best at. Yet, a couple of years later, I know that writing and directing are actually what I am the most passionate about and what I want to do for the rest of my life. I dream of, one day, being able to tell stories from Argentina that move people all over the world.

Claire Englebienne adjusting the camera on set (photo courtesy of Claire Englebienne)

What brought you to NYWIFT?

[NYWIFT Board Member] Sirad Balducci visited [NYWIFT Member] Janet Grillo’s class semester at NYU and gave us a lot of valuable insights on independent producing, but also shared with the women of the class the opportunity to access NYWIFT and enrich our connections.

You’re originally from Argentina. What inspired you to pursue your education in film and television in New York?

Although I am extremely fond of Argentine cinema and would love to contribute to the national industry someday, I was inevitably intrigued by the opportunity to take advantage of all the resources, experiences, and industry exposure that New York and NYU could give me as a filmmaker if I ever got in, so I did not hesitate to apply.

What is your coursework like at NYU? What projects are you most proud of?

As a Film & TV student at NYU, my coursework is certainly very creative. Many of my classes are intensive production workshops of about eight hours, where I have learned about TV production on set or the art of filmmaking as a whole. However, I also study film history and theory, as well as screenwriting, a craft to which I am dedicating most of my elective credits. 

One of my biggest accomplishments is certainly my first feature-length script, which I finished this year while taking the class “Developing the Screenplay,” as well as one of my “Sight & Sound: Filmmaking” short films I wrote, directed, shot, and edited myself and which my mom starred: Happy Birthday.

I am also currently pursuing a minor in Business of Entertainment, Media & Technology at Stern, which requires me to learn a lot about the commercial aspects of the industry too, something I am very interested in.

Claire Englebienne on set (photo courtesy of Claire Englebienne)

How do you think the film and television industry differs in Argentina?

The film and television industry in Argentina, being smaller than the American [one], is certainly a much more independent field. Currently, it is also struggling as the funding historically dedicated by the government to emerging artists has been significantly reduced with the ongoing economic crisis. However, Argentine cinema has gotten recognition all over the world on various occasions.

Yet, I don’t think someone who is not from the country can truly understand and enjoy it to the limit, as our culture is inevitably very present in all pieces, mostly through the sense of humor and traditions that are almost always present throughout. To me, its relatability is the biggest difference and, at the same time, what makes me love it so much. 

You worked on set for Netflix’s El Eternauta as an Art Department Assistant. What did you do in that role?

As an Art Department Assistant on set for Netflix’s El Eternauta, which will be released in a few months, I was primarily in charge of the mise-en-scènes and the budgeting, supplying, and organizing of props. Although it was definitely a very fruitful professional experience, it helped me realize I am not as into production design as I thought I was and that I enjoy the development of projects and being on set to direct much more.

Who are your role models, and what do you admire most about them?

Sofia Coppola is undoubtedly one of my role models not only because of her art itself, which I look up to enormously due to her great usage and blending of both writing and production design, but also because of the figure she occupies in the lives of lots of teenage girls and as a female in the film industry worldwide.

Argentine filmmakers that have gone a long way, like Juan José Campanella or Damián Szifrón, are very strong role models to me too. Their journey and global reach as storytellers from Latin America are very motivating for me as someone who aspires to get there someday.

Claire Englebienne filming in Washington Square Park (photo courtesy of Claire Englebienne)

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

The best piece of advice I have ever received was probably from a teacher who said, “As storytellers, our duty is to narrate a world. If we have not experienced the world, then what will we be able to tell?” This made me realize that, more than anything else, I needed to get out there and make the most of my life in order to be a good filmmaker.

For more information on Claire, check out her website. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Instagram.