Filmmaker Efrat Shalom Danon Explores Women's Struggles in Politics and Economics

Filmmaker Efrat Shalom Danon, in an interview on the "Cinema Shut" podcast, discussed her journey back to filmmaking after years as a journalist for publications like "Haaretz" and "Yedioth Ahronoth." She felt a deep need to create, leading her to make "The Dreamers," a film about Haredi women filmmakers. The project faced significant rejection, with Danon recounting receiving about 15 "no"s before two broadcasters eventually picked it up.

Danon's work often focuses on women's experiences within male-dominated systems. Her series "The Chosen Ones" examined women in Israeli politics, intentionally focusing on shared female experiences across different political divides rather than specific stances. This led to her new series, "Her Own Money," which shifts to the Israeli economic sector.

"Her Own Money" reveals that women in high-level business positions face similar challenges to those in politics, often getting stuck before reaching the top. Danon noted the difficulty in interviewing these women, as they are accustomed to projecting strength. She strives to create an intimate space during interviews to encourage vulnerability.

The series questions whether successful women can change the system for those who follow. Danon quotes a participant who describes reaching the top only to find oneself alone and exhausted, questioning the ability to enact change. Danon believes systemic change requires women to lead the effort, but emphasizes that men must also join the fight for it to occur.

She also highlighted motherhood as the biggest barrier for women in the workforce, often causing career stagnation in their thirties. However, Danon is optimistic about future change through evolving education and upbringing. Despite the ongoing rejections inherent in the film industry, she remains driven by the eventual "yes" that makes a project possible. Danon is currently working on a new series about Eastern women's identity in Israel.