Editor’s Note: Welcome to REEL WOMEN, our annual tribute to dynamic women in creative industries. As we Celebrate Women’s History Month throughout the month of March, let us introduce you to some very special women, like doc and lifestyle writer / director, Marta Chierego
Originally from Italy, Director Marta Chierego is on Chicago-based Strange Loop‘s roster for exclusive US commercial representation.
Looking for beauty and truth in every story she tells, Marta’s highly cinematic style expands across documentary, conceptual and commercial projects, crafting intellectually rich heart-centered experiences for international audiences.
Marta’s journey as a storyteller spans from working with a client roster that includes Netflix, Meta, Google, CDC, Diageo, On-Star and more, to pulling back the curtain on the complex realms of AI and online privacy. Her upcoming documentary, Your Web Reimagines, is slated for major streaming debut later this year.
A master polyglot, Marta has helmed sets in her mother tongues of English and Italian, as well as Spanish and French.
Let’s meet Marta.
What’s your origin story?
I am a wandering soul looking for meaning and transformation. I think I am one of those people who is destined to feel at home everywhere and nowhere. The Welsh have a word for it, which is ‘hiraeth’.
How did you get into the film industry?
Hard work, sweat and tears? I think the passion I’ve always genuinely shown for filmmaking has helped me get a foot in the door first. Then I think it’s my ability and desire to take complex subjects and turn them into heart-centered experiences.
Who were your mentors?
The folks at Panico Films in London were very helpful in my early years. Kevin Brownlow was a wonderful mentor, who taught me a lot about film history, filmmaking and generally remaining grounded in a volatile industry. My collaborator and friend Nick Siegenthaler was a great ally with whom I’ve learnt and laughed a lot.
While there will be others, what do you consider your biggest achievement to date?
Establishing myself as a director in Los Angeles is certainly a dream come true.
What drives you to create?
A desire to tell stories that can contribute to the collective evolution of our species, as well as a genuine need to express myself visually. There is no life without art.
What is a product or service you dream of doing a campaign for?
Intel is a brand I’ve always loved. Being Italian I feel makes me very prone to love cars. I’d also love to work for any brand that promotes clean energy, climate sustainability, the circular economy and innovative technologies used to create a better world for all in partnership rather than in conflict with Nature.
Who are you dying to work with?
One day, I hope Nick Cave and Warren Ellis will score one of my films.
Award you crave, but haven’t won.
All of them! 🙂
Female-directed franchise films such as Star Wars or MCU constantly get called “woke” by Internet trolls. Why?
This is a question that would need several hundred pages to answer. In short, these are troubled individuals who are at the mercy of a gnarly mix of fear and ignorance, all of which is exacerbated by a culture that’s been stripped of any valuable sense of community and has rendered these folks prone to radicalization.
Coffee, Lunch and Happy Hour. Name a female Shero (living or dead you would like to attend each function with.
So hard to choose just three! I think coffee with PJ Harvey, lunch with Jane Campion and happy hour with Justine Triet.
It’s an election year, what is keeping you up at night?
A very real threat to democracy, the steady re-emergence of white supremacy and the carnage of war, especially when it comes to children.
Favorite movie and TV show of 2023.
It’s refreshing not to have an easy answer for this, as in the past year we’ve seen such a wonderful amount of amazing films and series from all parts of the world. I’d say Anatomy Of A Fall and Poor Things.
Band or singer you would ditch your career and go perform with.
My own! In my mind, I would love to be a singer. Maybe one day. I could also swap lives with Karen O for a while if she’s open to it.
What’s your theme song for 2024?
Count Your Blessings by Mattiel
To see more of Marta’s work visit here.
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