Allison Anders is an award-winning American director whose best known films include _Gas Food Lodging_, _Mi Vida Loca_ and _Grace of My Heart_ — she's also directed television shows like _Orange is the New Black_, _Sex and the City_ and _The L Word_, among myriad others. Born and raised in Kentucky, Anders graduated from UCLA in 1986 and soon began working on independent films, many of which featured themes of human resilience and the realities of fame. Amongst her many accolades, she’s been presented with a MacArthur fellowship and a Peabody Award, and she’s held the position of distinguished professor at the University of California Santa Barbara’s film And media studies department since 2003. In her Fireside Chat she discusses her passion for music and film score composition, the influence of DIY punk culture and the power of a three-minute pop song.
