Girl Culture Films has added photographer and director Peggy Sirota–famous for her work with A-list celebrities and her energetic, authentic style of visual storytelling–to its roster. Among her accomplishments, Sirota set a new standard for automotive advertising with her work for Volvo, introducing a humanistic, lifestyle-oriented aesthetic to a category that had previously been focused on steel and speed. She went on to direct spots for clients ranging from Target, Amazon, and Coca-Cola to Clorox, Chrysler, Lane Bryant, and Clairol, among many others.
“As a photographer, I have long looked up to Peggy’s iconic images and her ability to seamlessly translate her signature moments, serendipity, and joy into the moving image. Her connection with her subjects comes through in every frame, and her lighthearted optimism and love of life are the perfect antidote to 2020,” said filmmaker Lauren Greenfield, who co-founded Girl Culture Films in 2019 to develop and produce boundary-breaking commercials, branded content, documentary and scripted films helmed by A-list female and non-binary directors. “Peggy’s prolific film work telegraphs empowerment and self-acceptance in beautiful, aesthetic images that provoke a smile.”
Prior to joining Girl Culture Films, Sirota had most recently been represented by Rocket Film. She said of her new production house roost, “I cannot wait to make an imprint here. I intend to add an honest, optimistic, and playful dimension to this very inspiring and select group of visionaries.”
A renowned photographer, Sirota has produced remarkable portraits of notable names across entertainment, politics, and culture–including Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Brad Pitt, Viola Davis, Mahershala Ali, Rami Malek, Michelle Obama, Madonna, the Dalai Lama, Mariah Carey, Brie Larson, and countless others, and her work has been published in major magazines worldwide. Sirota’s effervescence and warmth on set enable her to draw equally compelling performances from non-celebrities, mining a wealth of storytelling possibilities.
“Peggy’s work has so many applications in advertising, as she is able to bring forth her unique visual style and exuberance across traditional categories of fashion, lifestyle, automotive, celebrity, and documentary,” said Greenfield.
Sirota, whom British Vogue crowned one of the “Top Female Fashion Photographers,” has been widely honored for her work, winning awards from Communications Arts, American Photography, and the Art Directors Club, as well as Columbia University’s prestigious Alfred Eisenstaedt Award. In 2000, venerable art-book publisher Steidl released Peggy Sirota: Guess Who, a star-studded monograph generating proceeds which benefited AIDS Project LA.
“Representing Peggy is a dream come true for us. Her visual mastery, natural ease with her beloved subjects, and her core multi-platform storytelling principles make her a perfect Girl Culture Films director,” said Frank Evers, president of Girl Culture Films.
After 20 Years of Acting, Megan Park Finds Her Groove In The Director’s Chair On “My Old Ass”
Megan Park feels a little bad that her movie is making so many people cry. It's not just a single tear either — more like full body sobs.
She didn't set out to make a tearjerker with "My Old Ass," now streaming on Prime Video. She just wanted to tell a story about a young woman in conversation with her older self. The film is quite funny (the dialogue between 18-year-old and almost 40-year-old Elliott happens because of a mushroom trip that includes a Justin Bieber cover), but it packs an emotional punch, too.
Writing, Park said, is often her way of working through things. When she put pen to paper on "My Old Ass," she was a new mom and staying in her childhood bedroom during the pandemic. One night, she and her whole nuclear family slept under the same roof. She didn't know it then, but it would be the last time, and she started wondering what it would be like to have known that.
In the film, older Elliott ( Aubrey Plaza ) advises younger Elliott ( Maisy Stella ) to not be so eager to leave her provincial town, her younger brothers and her parents and to slow down and appreciate things as they are. She also tells her to stay away from a guy named Chad who she meets the next day and discovers that, unfortunately, he's quite cute.
At 38, Park is just getting started as a filmmaker. Her first, "The Fallout," in which Jenna Ortega plays a teen in the aftermath of a school shooting, had one of those pandemic releases that didn't even feel real. But it did get the attention of Margot Robbie 's production company LuckyChap Entertainment, who reached out to Park to see what other ideas she had brewing.
"They were very instrumental in encouraging me to go with it," Park said. "They're just really even-keeled, good people, which makes... Read More