Katie Cokinos began her film career in the late 1980s working at Southwest Alternate Media Project (SWAMP) in Houston, where she co-produced Eagle Pennell’s “Heart Full of Soul” in 1989. She also helped Richard Linklater complete funding for his breakthrough film “Slacker.” Cokinos served as Managing Director of the Austin Film Society from 1990 to 1995. She has made more than 10 short films and written several screenplays. “I Dream Too Much,” Cokino’s feature debut, premiered at SXSW.
“I Dream Too Much” will be available on iTunes and Digital Platforms June 21.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
KC: It’s a sweet coming-of-age story about a transitional time in a young girl’s life — when the real world enters the world of your dreams. There are so many dark stories out there about this time in life, but this one is bright and uplifting. It shows that you can keep dreaming and believing in your imagination: so much good can come out of this awkward time. I love to let people know they can laugh and have fun with it.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
KC: That period of life — the transition into the real world after college was a very stressful time for me in a very real way. I myself was considering law school, and to take that leap of faith into the art world. That was a story I really wanted to tell.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when the film ends?
KC: I would love for the audience to leave with a smile — and for the smiles to transcend across multi-generations of faces. And I hope it inspires the youth but also reminds others that you are never too old to come of age.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
KC: It was coming out of 15 years of being, as my sister calls it, a stay at home filmmaker! My children always came first for so long, and I had to remind myself daily that it was OK to allow myself to put this project first.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
KC: Like many independent films, it came from many sources. But one in particular, the Pantheon of Women, based in Texas, was a group that really fit well with what I was doing and supporting women filmmakers.
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
KC: The Best: I had just finished running Austin Film Society, yet still came to a place where I thought that maybe film was not for me. A friend of mine was in the fashion industry, so I went to help her. One day my friend stopped me and said, “Katie, what are you doing? Film is where you should be. It’s all you talk about!” This was around 1996, and it re-awakened my excitement. I moved forward with my featurette “Portrait of a Girl as a Young Cat,” and never questioned my decision to be in film again. Don’t take your passion for granted.
The Worst: I don’t know if this is advice, but a male director once told me that because females don’t make good criminals, they don’t make good directors!
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
KC: To always persevere. We need more female voices from strong female characters. It reminds me of a quote from Jane Campion: “Half the world is women — and they gave birth to the whole world. Without them writing or directing, the rest of us are not going to know the whole story.”
This has always been more than a career for me — it was fiercer. It was also a cause.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
KC: Can it be a three-way tie? It’s so hard to pick just one.
“Orlando” by Sally Potter was so original. It was the early ’90s, and it was exactly what I needed to see at a very important time for me. Also Shirley Clarke’s “The Cool World.” I saw this early on and it has never left me. It was so Cassavetes in spirit, but the director was a woman. And Agnès Varda’s “The Gleaners and I.” Simply put, she’s just such an artist. It’s so beautiful and reflective.
