Story & Lesson Highlights with Virginia Hendry of South Los Angeles

Virginia Hendry shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Virginia, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I’m a mom to two young daughters. They are just under two years apart, so the first few years with them both on Earth at the same time feels like a sleepless blur, honestly. Then we had a pandemic, and I spent a lot of time trying to keep them safe and healthy, while helping them learn and develop without a lot of outside socialization. Now that they are both in school full-time, and are more independent, I am having more time to also focus on my own work, and it feels like we all have more room to breathe and create, and our time spent together is more relaxed and enjoyable. We have actual conversations now as people. We go to the movies together, and talk about the big (sometimes scary) world. I am finding a lot of joy in watching them grow and become more engaged in the world around them, and they are choosing activities they find interesting on their own. They are both taking piano lessons, and our house is filled with music now, and while there is still a baseline level of chaos, it finally feels like we have a flow and that is bringing me so much joy.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Virginia Powers Hendry (friends call me “Gina”), and I am a mother to two daughters (and two dogs), and I write and direct horror films. Having grown up watching scary movies, at some point I realized most of the films I was watching were made for teenaged boys, through a male gaze; so when I started writing my own horror stories, I wanted to write stories for girls who liked darker stories like I did. My stories tend to focus on complex female characters struggling to survive in a world run by a patriarchal system that endorses misogyny and white supremacy. I like to tell stories that give readers/viewers the catharsis of justice when it seems like there is so much injustice in real life.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My mother has always believed in me. I used to think that was the case for everyone, but I now know it is certainly not. My mother told me I could do anything I wanted if I worked hard and stayed focused. She told me that her mother told her she could go to college as long as she chose to be a nurse or a teacher. My mother promised she would never put those limitations on me, and she honestly has always encouraged me to choose my own path. I was born with the writer’s curse of being plagued with self-doubt, and having my mom as a constant cheerleader has been such a gift to me. Very early on she recognized that I loved movies and liked to tell stories, and she encouraged my writing. In fact, at one point when I had given up on filmmaking and was working some job I hated, she had a sit down with me, and said she wanted me to go back to school for film, and stop running from my dream, and that really changed my life. After graduating, I moved to LA, and have been pursuing that ever since.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Do not put off pursuing your dreams for any reason. For example, I just told someone I met at a film festival who was thinking of moving to Los Angeles -if that’s what you want to do, just do it. Get your friend and get in the car and move. Don’t wait until you have more money or more resources because if you do that, you will always find a reason not to do it. Just do it and then figure it out when you get there because you have to. Take the risk. Don’t wait until you are thinner, have more money, better resources, etc. If you want something to the point of being miserable without it, pursue it with all your might and never give up.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version of me is for sure the real me… plus hair extensions. ha! I think the reason I am out here in the public view in the first place is because I finally accepted who I am and what I look like, and have embraced my true self. I think when you do that, people connect with your authenticity; so let that freak flag fly, queens!

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing? 
I will regret waiting so long to start living my life. I don’t think I really starting pursuing things until my 30s. As a result, I’m an older parent, and feel like I’m going to be gone before my girls have so many major life experiences. I also think I waited too long to really pursue filmmaking. I just regret giving into fears and insecurities for so many years. I feel like I wasted a lot of time and that stinks.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.finalgirlgina.com
• Instagram: @virginiapowershendry