Q. 1 -   Introduce yourself

Hi everyone - moms, parents-to-be, or whoever found your way in here. Writing these words already feel supportive for myself as I become part of your great network of peers. I’m Louise Højgaard Johansen, Danish-born, now based in Prague where I live with my husband and 2 daughters, while also being a bonus mother. I’m a film and arts loving person, finding joy in chasing the obscure while also truly enjoying singing pop songs in an international acapella choir.

Q.2 –  What is your job title?

That was probably supposed to be the easy question, but any freelancer will know that it’s complicated. I’m the founder of Sane Cinema which pushes for healthier practices in the film industry, through training, education and conversation. A festival programmer and industry consultant for Athens International Children’s Film Festival, and for almost 20 years an organiser and moderator of talks on film. I produced a handful of documentaries as well. And if this was my official bio, it would include the fact that I am also a proud mother (I love reading that in the bios of other film professionals).

Q.3 – Who looks after the kids when you are working?

Now, the state kindergarten does, and we are so lucky to have both our girls at the same kindergarten. But before that we – as a couple both working in and around indie film – had to enroll them into private daycare a few days a week since they were about 1 year old. Starting at this age is the tradition in Denmark where I have my roots. In the Czech Republic, however, the state-supported system is only obliged to offer a spot from when the child has turned 3. The subsidies are spread out thinly over these 3 years, and there is no set system for fathers to take leave. This of course has major implications for any working mother, especially if you are a freelancer in the audiovisual industry like myself, and for good reasons are fretting to lose your job and your network while on leave.

Q.4 –  How long did you take off work after having your baby?

2 weeks! I’m not out to shock anyone reading these lines, but I did take a project job as an expert reader, working through the hours my baby was asleep. Those were some hard nights… I saw that my due dates fit alright with the production plans of the festivals I worked for at the time, which gave me about 3 months of focusing on the newborns. But I basically decided to stay connected and to work through my so-called “leaves” – just like a brand new Czech survey shows that 51% of parents working in the local industry have done. (Source: APA Audiovisual Producers Association, Czech Republic, Oct 2024)

Q. 5 – Would you say that you have a good work/life balance?

That’s the million-dollar question of course – and I honestly think my answer would differ on a good day versus a bad one. What I mean is that working in film always came with blurred boundaries – my work was literally my life for years. I called it my baby, no kidding. And of course that wasn’t sustainable in the long run. Then comes a phase of wanting to and needing to draw some lines, and separate things. Confront the paradox of passion as one’s driver. This is really the starting point of any Sane Cinema event, to get people reflecting on their own values and needs. These days I consciously try to separate things: work and off-time, as trying to be the best at everything at the same time makes me a wreck instantly. I try my best to be mentally present when spending time with my family and leave the emails for later. And I try my best to set an example towards my dedicated colleagues and collaborators out there and to dose my use of terms like “urgent” to situations that actually are. However, I must say that I do not fully subscribe to the dichotomy of work versus life. I think working in film means a life in film, and I do enjoy these wonderfully blurred boundaries too. As long as we stay aware and remember to check in with our priorities as of now.

Q. 6 – Are you job sharing or working flexibly?

Not in the traditional sense. I have a certain flexibility in my work, as I am my own boss for most of the year.

Q.7 –  What do you think is the hardest part of working in media/film/tv industry and being a parent?

The clash of my own ambitions as a passionate film buff and perfectionist and the reality of having a family to care for, first and foremost. That clash and feeling of compromising is constant, and it’s something I gotta remember not to guilt-trip myself for.

Q. 8 – What are your tips for any other women out there wanting to have kids and keep a career in film?

Perhaps following on from what I mentioned just above. I see that many colleagues express something similar, and that is actually a support in itself – to know that we are not alone with this kind of guilt-tripping. And perhaps we can be kinder to ourselves. After having children I was instantly hit by an overwhelming compassion for other mothers. Add to that the empathy for any mother or parent juggling a life in film.

Q. 9 – Any advice for anyone about to return to work after maternity?

I’m sure your workplace is a richer place with you in it, especially after you’ve had a proper break away enjoying that precious first period with your baby. You’ve got even more stories to tell now, following this massive leap of lived experiences. Try to find support in your colleagues – your peers. And figure out what kind of balance you can create for yourself and your family – what works for you.

Q. 10 – What advice did you wish someone had given you?

Values can – and perhaps should – change over time. What brought you into film might not be the same motivations today, and believing so is very likely to bring you down – or be the cause of much stress and self doubt. Another thing which was eye opening to me in The Looking Glass surveys, which could tie a nice knot on this interview, was this piece of information: "Having a family is largely considered incompatible with working in the industry and many women either put off starting families or leave permanently upon having children." (The Looking Glass, 2020, by the Film & TV Charity). It was simply not on my radar in my 20’s or even early 30’s that this was a real kind of risk to my private life. I would like to have known – and today I am grateful that it has all worked out anyway. And what a joy it is when I get to drag the whole family along to a job or another film festival, and my little daughters spot a film poster they like and we get to watch that film together. That’s the upside of the blurred boundaries. – Thanks for listening to my story.