Constance Marks is a director, producer, and award-winning independent documentary filmmaker. She is the founder and president of Constance Marks Productions, Inc., a documentary production company based in New York City. Her productions include “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey,” which won the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and “Green Chimneys,” a documentary feature that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and aired on HBO. Marks has produced over 40 films for non-profit organizations focusing on important social issues.
“Grandpa Was an Emperor” starts screening at the 2021 DOC NYC Film Festival on November 14. The fest runs from November 10-28.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
CM: “Grandpa Was an Emperor” follows the story of Yeshi Kassa, the great-granddaughter of Haile Selassie, the last Emperor of Ethiopia, as she tries to reconcile the complicated political and cultural legacy of her family.
As Yeshi re-opens old wounds and returns to Ethiopia, she uncovers long-buried secrets of her family’s exile and the price of power, but also the intense bonds that bind us as people.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
CM: I was drawn to Yeshi first, then her family’s story. The night I met Yeshi, I watched as she kindly and respectfully knelt and gave her gloves to a homeless man. With genuine ease, she spoke with him at length, and I immediately wanted to know her better. We were both volunteers for the annual NYC homeless count, and were serendipitously placed in the same group. I didn’t know her great-grandfather was Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia — who was overthrown in 1974 in a bloody coup — until later. We became friends before there was any talk of recording her family history for the first time.
W&H: What do you want people to think about after they watch the film?
CM: How is it possible that I never knew this story?
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
CM: Editing. We were dealing with multiple storylines with this complex and massive story — the editing team dubbed it “the octopus.”
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
CM: I funded the film with the proceeds from my last feature documentary, “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey.”
W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
CM: I can’t recall ever not wanting to be a filmmaker. My producing partner, Corinne LaPook, was in my eighth grade film class with me.
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
CM: Best film advice: Never state what you can imply, and if it’s not moving the story forward, lose it.
Worst: I must’ve flushed bad advice. I can’t think of any.
W&H: What advice do you have for other women directors?
CM: Charge ahead with grace, grit, and passion.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
CM: There are so many! “Harlan County, USA” by Barbara Kopple [stands out] — her moxie is stunning.
W&H: How are you adjusting to life during the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you keeping creative, and if so, how?
CM: I bought a sewing machine and tons of fabric with an aim to resume quilting after a 20-year hiatus. It’s all collecting dust in the corner because I’m working on my films.
W&H: The film industry has a long history of underrepresenting people of color onscreen and behind the scenes and reinforcing — and creating — negative stereotypes. What actions do you think need to be taken to make it more inclusive?
CM: To begin, we must educate ourselves. Read. Learn about negative stereotypes on-screen and look at one’s own hiring practices. That’s a start.
