Hannah Marks is an actress, writer, and director. She was previously named one of Rolling Stone’s 25 Artists Changing the World, and was also featured as one of Forbes magazine’s 30 Trailblazers under 30 in the Hollywood and Entertainment field. Marks made her feature co-directorial debut with the independent film “After Everything,” which she also co-wrote. The film premiered in competition at SXSW in 2018, where Marks was nominated for their prestigious Game Changer award. She wrote and directed the indie comedy “Mark, Mary & Some Other People,” which earned her the Best Screenplay Award at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival.

“Don’t Make Me Go” is screening at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival, which is taking place June 8-19. Amazon Studios will release the film on July 15.

W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.

HM: “Don’t Make Me Go” is a story about a single father and his teenage daughter taking a road trip across the country. Max has just been given a terminal diagnosis, which he keeps from his daughter Wally, hoping to give her a happy and memorable last experience for them both, including teaching her how to drive. They travel from California to his college reunion in New Orleans in the hopes of reuniting Wally with her mother, who left when she was a baby.

W&H: What drew you to this story?

HM: I’m a sucker for a movie that encapsulates many genres — comedy, drama, adventure, and heart. I hadn’t seen many father-daughter stories represented on screen before, and it felt like an opportunity to make something different and special.

W&H: What do you want people to think about after they watch the film?

HM: Life is short. Life is precious.

W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?

HM: The biggest challenge by far was filming in New Zealand during the winter for a movie that takes place all across America in the summer. Not only that, but it’s a road trip movie, and they drive on the other side of the road there. It was a huge hurdle, but one that I’m immensely grateful for. It was an experience I’ll never forget, and our New Zealand and Australian cast and crew were terrific.

W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.

HM: I first met with producer Peter Saraf at the Big Beach offices in New York, and then he introduced me to producer Donald De Line in Los Angeles. They are two producers I admired greatly and I was flattered to be considered for this. We all shared the same vision, and shortly after I met wonderful producers Leah Holzer and Eddie Rubin. Amazon had read Vera Herbert’s terrific script and it became clear we had found the right home.

W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

HM: I started as an actress when I was little and always immensely enjoyed watching movies, reading scripts, and being on set learning. It was a blessing to get to be on set at such a young age — I got to learn from fantastic actors and directors while I was still forming who I was.

W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?

HM: Best advice is to persevere even when career goals can feel impossible.

Worst advice would be to hide who you are or what you’re thinking — sharing and being upfront and honest has always made for bigger strides for me.

W&H: What advice do you have for other women directors?

HM: I would say to any and all directors to put in the work and the time. You can never prep enough. When you actually get to shoot, it’s so short in the grand scheme of things that you want to make the absolute most out of the time you have.

And I’d say to try to enjoy the experience and the process — because it’s really not all about outcome.

W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.

HM: It changes all the time, but lately I’ve been thinking a lot about Sofia Coppola’s “Lost in Translation.” I love it because it feels so deeply personal and human with two incredibly well-defined characters at the center of it.

W&H: How are you adjusting to life during the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you keeping creative, and if so, how?

HM: I’ve been lucky enough to be working the whole time. Staying a little too creative! I’m excited to have some normal-life time after I wrap my current project, “Turtles All The Way Down.”

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 Hollywood and/or the doc world more inclusive?

HM: It’s so important to keep your eyes open and really search for the best person for a role or position, especially on a film or TV set. Media is a powerful force for representation and we all should be thinking about how we can support inclusion and positivity.