It never crossed my mind to be a director, and I'll tell you why: because I'm a woman. It just didn't occur to me, but I knew I had to be in film.

It's a very tricky relationship, the cinematographer and the director as a woman.

I went to New York City to Columbia University, and with the first directing exercise, I knew I was a director.

I finally, you know, moved to Mexico City, where the film industry is. I started working there as a producer, which is a very, very valid thing for women to do, because we always produce for men, right?

Every single line, every single thing has to be fought over. There's kind of like an intrinsic doubt from absolutely everyone in my crew, my producer, everyone. It's not just the film industry - it's a worldwide thing. It's the culture of the world to doubt women.

I have a handicap in that English is not my first language. So even though I'm a writer, I don't write anymore because it's just harder in English.