SXSW 2022 Women Directors: Meet Rosa Ruth Boesten – “Master of Light”

Born in Utrecht and based in Amsterdam, Rosa Ruth Boesten, made her first documentary about her grandmother, a single mother and struggling artist who made textile art. She studied directing of documentary film at the Netherlands Film Academy and from then on she mostly collaborated with different artists in capturing their journey in film.

“Master of Light” is screening at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival, which is taking place March 11-20. Find more information on the fest’s website.

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

RRB: “Master of Light” is an intimately shot film about George Morton, an emerging artist who uses his art as a vehicle for healing after a decade of incarceration. The film shows the complexity of this journey as George’s trauma is rooted in his family’s cycle of systemic racism which comes with intergenerational trauma and neglect.

We follow George as he tries to break that cycle for the next generation, while simultaneously finding his place in the tradition of classical art and reconnecting with his mother.

W&H: What drew you to this story?

RRB: When a good friend of mine first told me about George and showed me some of his works, I was immediately moved by the emotion in his art. When I learned more about his story in all its complexity, I knew this story needed to be told. I wasn’t sure yet if I was the right person to do so.

We started filming without any money and I promised George to bring this film as far as I could. Through my collaboration with George and eventually the rest of our fantastic crew, we have been able to capture an important part of George’s journey — a path that deals with art, incarceration, mental health issues, intergenerational trauma, systemic racism, love, and hope. 

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

RRB: This is just one story about a man who has a gift and who is trying to create a better life for himself and his family, but there are so many other stories like George’s. Too often Black people are discarded by society or reduced to a statistic on someone’s radar.

I want people to realize how much potential is thrown away because of a racist society that neglects people of color and impoverished people. When so many odds are stacked up against you, it’s almost impossible to get out of a marginalized position. I hope George’s story provides hope, inspires [people] to take action, and shows insights into how to make these first steps into breaking intergenerational cycles. 

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

RRB: For me, the editing phase is the most exciting, but also the most challenging phase in the filmmaking process. We had a lot of powerful variety scenes, but not every scene and not every angle or every character could make the cut. You build a relationship with the people in your film and you fall in love with your material.

It’s a huge challenge to keep enough distance — to stay true to your vision, but also open to what the footage actually tells you. Fortunately, I had an amazing team of really talented people who each played an important part in the telling of this story.

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

RRB: I was very fortunate to meet Roger Ross Williams at a screening of his film about the American prison system at the John Adams Institute in Amsterdam in 2018. I had been trying to get the project off the ground for some time and Roger embraced the project immediately.

He introduced me to two amazing producers, Ilja Roomans and Anousha Nzumé, and the four of us pitched it to various people in New York. We have been very lucky that Vulcan Productions decided to fund the whole film. 

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

RRB: I have always been an observer and somewhat introverted. When I was 17, I decided to make a documentary about my 80-year-old grandmother who made beautiful works of art and had an interesting life story. I filmed and interviewed her for a couple of weekends and got very inspired in the process of telling her story.

I borrowed a computer from a friend and spent days in my room editing without being able to stop or sleep. I never experienced this flow state in the creative process before. I had found something that allowed me to express a part of who I am through filming, editing, and interacting with my subjects while telling and interpreting someone’s story. 

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

RRB: Best advice: Something my loved ones often tell me which is cliché but true, “Follow your intuition.”

Worst: Something a colleague told me when I first tried to make this film, “Be realistic. Keep it small.”

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

RRB: As women directors, we should support and celebrate each other. Making a documentary can be a lonely and challenging process. Surround yourself with people who can create a safe space for your film and your process but who can also be critical towards you.

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

RRB: “LoveTrue” by Alma Har’el. I love her lyrical way of storytelling and the intimacy she creates with the people in her films. For me, her films hold the perfect balance between character observation and artistic interpretation.

Har’el is also a huge advocate for women and people of color in the film world.

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

RRB: When the pandemic just hit, I flew to the U.S. the morning the borders were closing and I stayed in Atlanta for nine months as my home country was in lockdown. I was lucky enough to be able to do some editing and filming for “Master of Light.” But keeping creative could also be a challenge. In moments that I couldn’t do much, what helped me was to go for walks or bike rides and to paint.

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? 

RRB: I am very aware of my position of privilege as a white woman. I know that the fact that I have been given this amazing opportunity has a lot to do with that. I’m actively starting conversations about this with other filmmakers and I’m trying to make space for more filmmakers of marginalized communities. I’m calling for my fellow white cis-gendered filmmakers to do the same. 

The list of actions that need to be taken to create equal education, opportunity, and payment is pretty long. Big players like Netflix, Amazon, and Apple should invest more in creators of color. There already is a shift happening, but still, we hear cases where POC are being paid less than their white colleagues doing the same kind of work. To really create change, Black people should be in leading positions within those companies. It’s unacceptable that these boards are majority white males with a few white women.

I also feel there are still too many films made with underdeveloped or stereotypical roles for Black people and people from all marginalized communities. These films are usually created by white people. In general, but especially for productions that have Black actors and/or Black subject matter, it is a necessity to have a diverse team with people of color as head of department.

You need a team of people with diverse perspectives to make an honest and layered film. It should be a constant conversation and it’s time for real action.