Rana San is the artistic director of the Northwest Film Forum in Seattle, an independent film and arts hub offering year-round programs and artist services. San and the team at the Northwest Film Forum are the producers of the Local Sightings Film Festival, which takes place Sept. 16 to Sept. 26, both virtually and in person. Learn about Rana San…
Hometown: Seattle, WA
First job: Artist Relations Coordinator at Teatro ZinZanni! I have a soft spot for cirque.
Favorite ways to spend your free time in WA: Baking at midnight, camping on the coast and swimming in salty pockets of water.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: I think of it more as a most fulfilling life experience—the year I spent living and learning in the city of my dreams, Barcelona, while completing my MA in Arts Management. The relationships and growth that came from that year continue to reverberate and guide my journey.
The biggest obstacle you overcame: In 2014, I fractured a disc in the middle of my back in a dance accident, just weeks into a new job. During the brutal year of healing and two years of physical therapy that followed, I came to fully understand the significance of slowing down, setting boundaries, receiving support and ultimately, prioritizing care.
Someone who inspires you and why: My maternal grandmother was the embodiment of compassion, grace and courage. Her teachings live on.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: I defer to Valerie Curtis-Newton: “Burn the tape that plays ‘I am not good/not smart/not worthy enough to be among the good and talented. I deserve to be left on an ice float to die.’ Melt the ice float.” – Fear and the Creative Process: A Manifesto for Creative Survival
Favorite quote: This month: “How do you contain within a domestic arrangement a howling respect for the wild in each other?” –Terry Tempest Williams, When Women Were Birds
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: I subconsciously play air piano with my fingers. Sometimes it’s an actual tune, though often I’m just keeping rhythm in my body.
What makes someone fabulous: Authenticity, pure and true.