Fiona and Sophia Robert, The Robert Sisters, On Five Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful…

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Fiona and Sophia Robert, The Robert Sisters, On Five Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Filmmaker

…The message of our second film, and in a lot of ways the hidden message of our first film, is the idea of “compassionism.” We live in a capitalist society, but businesses can operate with compassion toward their employees. That means fair wages, not overworking people, making sure they have weekends off, and being paid fairly — I know I said that twice, but it’s important! Our second film touches on the exploitation of an artist, and we believe you don’t have to go to extremes. You don’t have to be a communist or an extreme capitalist. You can run a business and still treat people well. We’d love to see more of that across the country. We don’t like the class divide or seeing people being exploited. You see some family-run businesses where they treat their employees well and still run their business successfully. That’s really important to us. We try to run our sets in the same way. We avoid overworking people, try not to do overtime, and make sure everyone is paid fairly. We want people to be happy on set, and that’s something we care deeply about…

I had the pleasure of talking with Fiona and Sophia Robert. Fiona and Sophia, known professionally as the Robert Sisters, are quickly establishing themselves as influential voices in independent cinema. Their distinct style, characterized by a blend of sharp storytelling and an emphasis on strong, female-led narratives, has attracted both critical acclaim and a growing audience. With their latest film, A New York Story, the sibling duo continues to build on the success of their debut feature, The Country Club, further solidifying their reputation as filmmakers to watch.

Hailing from creative backgrounds, Fiona and Sophia developed a passion for storytelling at an early age, often collaborating on plays and performances during their childhood. Their shared interest in the arts deepened over time, with both sisters attending New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Fiona, who studied acting, credits the late Philip Seymour Hoffman with inspiring her transition into filmmaking. Hoffman cast Fiona in her first professional play at the age of 15, a role that would profoundly shape her artistic outlook. His belief in the power of deep, intentional storytelling became a guiding principle for her career.

While Fiona pursued acting, Sophia initially followed a different path, training as a ballet dancer in Berlin before moving into theater and film. Despite these distinct trajectories, the sisters found their creative synergy in filmmaking, eventually co-writing and producing their own projects. Their debut feature, The Country Club, a comedy set against the backdrop of a golf tournament, premiered to positive reviews and helped the Roberts gain a foothold in the industry.

Their sophomore feature, A New York Story, released in 2024 through Vertical Entertainment, delves into the tension between Manhattan’s elite social scene and the more free-spirited art world. The film features a cast led by Logan Miller and Annabella Sciorra, with a special cameo by filmmaker Whit Stillman, whose classic 1990 film Metropolitan served as inspiration. Set across multiple iconic New York locations, the film explores themes of love, loss, and self-discovery, drawing on the Roberts’ own experiences and observations of life in the city.

The sisters’ commitment to crafting films with strong female characters and exploring nuanced emotional landscapes sets them apart in an industry still marked by gender imbalance. Their vision is driven not only by a desire to tell stories but also by a mission to create more space for women in filmmaking. “We want to create a larger platform for women in the industry,” the Roberts have stated, emphasizing the importance of diverse voices and perspectives in shaping modern cinema.

The filmmaking process for A New York Story was ambitious. Over the course of 24 days, the team shot in 35 locations, including the Upper East Side’s St. Ignatius Loyola Church and the famed Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village. Time constraints and logistical challenges were frequent, but the Roberts remained undeterred, focused on their vision of authentically capturing New York’s unique cultural collisions. In one memorable instance, the sisters were only permitted a brief 30-minute window to film outside the Comedy Cellar, an experience that reflects both the challenges and excitement of working in such a dynamic environment.

The Robert Sisters are no strangers to creative risk-taking. When asked about their dream project, they cite a desire to create a sweeping period drama akin to Amadeus or The Age of Innocence. Their passion for history and narrative depth is evident in their storytelling approach, which combines a love for ensemble casts and intricate relationships. This is reflected in their writing style, which often centers on large groups of characters navigating complex personal and social dynamics. The sisters believe that real-world locations and authentic experiences enrich the emotional core of their films, a philosophy they carried through from The Country Club to A New York Story.

Looking ahead, Fiona and Sophia are already developing their next project, a murder mystery set in the UK countryside, slated to begin filming in 2025. This project represents another step in the evolution of their filmmaking, as they continue to push the boundaries of genre while maintaining the character-driven storytelling that has become their hallmark.

The Robert Sisters also recognize the importance of collaboration in filmmaking. They have expressed admiration for actors like Olivia Colman and Joaquin Phoenix and are eager to work with creatives who share their passion for pushing cinematic boundaries. Additionally, they acknowledge the crucial role producers like Megan Ellison and Drea Clark have played in shaping the landscape of independent film, offering invaluable mentorship and guidance to emerging filmmakers.

Their work ethic, optimism, and willingness to adapt have been essential to their success. “On a film set, things go wrong all the time,” Fiona noted in a recent interview, emphasizing the importance of staying flexible and positive in the face of challenges. This attitude, combined with a deep respect for the collaborative nature of filmmaking, has enabled the Roberts to navigate the often difficult process of bringing independent films to life.

With A New York Story now available on platforms like Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video, the Robert Sisters are poised to continue their rise in the world of independent cinema. Their ability to tell deeply personal yet universally resonant stories has earned them a dedicated following, and their future projects are highly anticipated by both audiences and industry insiders alike.

Yitzi: It’s a delight to meet you both. Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin stories. Can you share with us a story of your childhood and how you grew up?

Fiona: Sure. Well, Sophia and I always did a lot of plays together. We were always dancing around in our living room and being creative together. I went to the Chicago Academy for the Arts for high school, and then I went to NYU. My interest was always acting and filmmaking, and our mom was always really supportive — both our parents were. And yeah, that’s kind of how we evolved into becoming a sister filmmaking team, because our creativity has always been intertwined. It’s always been an interest we both share.

Sophia: I had a similar trajectory. However, I went to a ballet school for high school in Berlin, so I thought I was going to be a dancer. But then Fiona really inspired me to move more into theater and film. I also went to NYU Tisch — we were two years apart. So from that time, we started working together. But yeah, ballet was my first love.

Yitzi: Can you share with us the story of how this career started? What were your first breaks, your first entries into filmmaking?

Fiona: Sure. Yeah, I’d say my first break was as an actor. When I was 15, the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman cast me in my first professional play. I really credit him for everything I’ve learned as a director. He was the type of director who always believed we could go deeper, always pushing to find more in the script. He inspired me to take my work seriously and to be tenacious, because that’s what he would always say.

As for the transition from acting to filmmaking, it really started when I was auditioning a lot. At the time, it felt like every breakdown I saw said “hot girl,” and it was a different era in the industry. Now, we have these amazing female characters, and I really credit people like Reese Witherspoon and other actor-turned-filmmakers for that shift. But yeah, I just wanted to write something I could be in — something I really wanted to be a part of. And that’s how we started writing together.

Sophia: Yeah, well, after my dance career, I moved to New York when I was about 20 to go to Tisch. I’d say I really got into it through my training at NYU. I did a couple of plays and a few student films. I saw what Fiona was going out for and thought, “Well, we have the training, so why don’t we just create our own work?” So I guess I really started on my fellow students’ film sets, and then eventually on ours.

Yitzi: So you probably have some amazing stories from all the different projects you’ve worked on. Do you have a favorite story from your professional life so far — maybe the most humorous or best memory?

Fiona: There are actually so many. I’m trying to think… Well, okay, on our first movie, The Country Club, which was a golf film, it must have been the first day, and one of the golf balls — or no, it was actually a golf ball that someone else was playing — because we were shooting at a country club that was still operating. A golf ball hit our gear truck’s windshield on the very first day. In this most recent film, there are so many great stories too.

Sophia: Fiona and I love writing big ensemble characters into our films. Almost all of our films have large friend groups or families. So we work around that. We’re also very ambitious with our locations. We like to use every location for real. So if it’s set in New York at a comedy club, we’ll definitely be there. It won’t be a fake set.

Fiona: When we were shooting outside the comedy club down in the Village, there was this guy who kept walking by our set and calling out “cut.” He was like, “Cut, cut!” And we were thinking, “Oh my God, this is a low-budget film, we don’t have a lot of time, we don’t have a lot of money.” Then this NYPD officer came over and said, “These people are just trying to film a movie, sir. Please stop.” We all thought, “Wow, this is the most involved person!” That was pretty funny.

Sophia: I think it’s the characters around New York City that made that movie such a special experience. I remember there was a guy coming out of Pommes Frites, this French fry shop we filmed at. He was the best background actor I’ve ever seen. He walks out of the shop, doesn’t look at the camera, just walks right by doing his thing. I was like, “Yes, that’s great, that’s perfect!”

Yitzi: It’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake you made when you were first starting filmmaking and the lesson you learned from it?

Fiona: Yes, definitely. Working with animals and working in the rain — those would be two big ones. We were pretty ambitious from the beginning. We had a lot of rain in our first film. The second act takes place during a golf tournament in the rain. And in the most recent film, we had a snowstorm, some dogs, and even some possums. I remember we hired a possum for our first movie that we needed to walk out into the rain. That was tough because the possum was like, “I’m not going out there in the rain.” So we ended up ordering a pizza, and the trainer held a slice just outside the door. Eventually, the possum took three steps into the rain, and that was all we needed for the shot — just those three steps over the threshold. So yeah, that was a mistake. We decided not to hire any more animals for our second movie.

Sophia: I also learned a lot about SAG, the union, and how they handle payroll, which is really important. It’s something I didn’t learn at university, so I’m glad I figured it out on our first set. There are a lot of different rules depending on the location, whether the actors are local, under 18, over 18, whether you have animals or special effects involved. That was probably my biggest learning experience — understanding the union rules, because they really protect the actors. And as both an actor and a producer, it’s important to know.

Another lesson we learned, because we wanted to showcase New York in this second film, is that we filmed at 35 locations across the city. Sometimes we had to fit multiple locations into one day. We actually filmed a funeral scene at St. Ignatius Loyola Church, and they had two real funerals happening on either side of our shoot. There were people in black, and hearses were rolling up as we arrived and then as we left. So, I think we learned that sometimes fewer locations can be a good thing. But we’re very ambitious. We want our movies to feel big-budget and have a wide scope, so we don’t want to compromise by shooting everything in just one house.

Yitzi: We love hearing stories where someone who’s further ahead opens a door or creates an opportunity that changes someone’s life or career trajectory. Do you have a story where someone did that for you, or where you did that for someone else?

Fiona: A hundred percent. With this movie, for example, it’s a companion film to Whit Stillman’s 1990 film Metropolitan. Metropolitan is a beloved film in New York, especially for New Yorkers, about the debutante scene. When we were writing, we felt we had something to add to that specific group. We were like, “Oh, we know the philanthropy scene in New York really well, so what if we wrote a film about a similar group of people, but set 30 years later? What does that look like?”

So we wrote the script and reached out to Whit Stillman. We sent him the film because we wanted him to read it and, in a way, give us his blessing. To our surprise, he replied, invited us to tea, and we had a great conversation. We asked him if he wanted to be involved in the film, and he said yes — he wanted to act in it! We already had this great scene in the movie involving a mother and father, and Whit suggested getting Carolyn Farina, the star of Metropolitan, back into acting. He was like, “What if Carolyn is in it with me, and we play the mother and father?” We were completely sold on that idea. His support really legitimized what we were trying to do, which was to create a companion New York movie. I think without Whit’s blessing, naysayers might have quickly dismissed our film because we’re unknown and just two girls. But his involvement really opened doors for us.

Sophia: I just wanted to add that several of the amazing actors and artists we worked with on this film, we reached out to them directly to tell them how much their work meant to us. We reached out to Norah Jones, and we’re featuring one of her songs, Back to Manhattan, because we grew up listening to her music. And then there’s Annabella Sciorra and Elaine Hendrix. Elaine has worked with us in both of our films, and obviously, Annabella is Oscar-nominated. It was a real blessing that they were willing to do our film. It really elevated the cast.

Fiona: And in addition to that, our other producer, Drea Clark, has been a huge help. She’s involved with the Bentonville Film Festival and Sundance, and she’s also on the nominating committee for the Independent Spirit Awards. Her guidance has been invaluable, helping us understand producing much better.

Yitzi: So please tell us about the exciting projects you’re working on now.

Fiona: Our next movie is a murder mystery. We’re actually heading over to the UK soon to hopefully start putting it together. The script is finished, and it’ll be set in the countryside in the UK. We’re hoping to bring it to life next year.

We write our own scripts, but we do get a lot of great notes from other producers we work with — mostly other producers, though sometimes friends too. We like to have a creative producing hand in the project to make sure we’re guiding the vision. I love to direct, and both of us love to act. But for our third film, we’re planning to take more supporting roles so we can focus on the creative vision and execution. But yes, we write our own projects.

Yitzi: Tell us more about A New York Story.

Sophia: Well, A New York Story is really about friendship and how friends can influence a relationship. It’s a love story, so there’s romance, but it’s also about discovering yourself within a friend group and a relationship, and how those two things don’t always align. It’s about the growth needed to balance that in your life. It’s a really beautiful story. It’s set all over Manhattan, New York City, and out on Long Island in the Hamptons. It’s a stunning, beautiful movie that should make you feel warm inside. People have told me they were very moved by it. Hopefully, it helps you reflect on your life, relationships, friends, and choices.

Fiona: Yeah, it’s out now. It came out on Friday, so please rent or buy it.

Fiona: It means a lot to us, especially as young women filmmakers. The numbers are really important, so yeah.

Yitzi: This is our signature question. You’ve been blessed with a lot of success now. Based on your experiences, can you share five things you need to create a successful career as a filmmaker?

Sophia: That’s a great question. Well, I think good training is important in film and acting. If you’re trained in acting, it makes you better equipped to direct. If you’re trained in producing, obviously it’s crucial to know how to run a production. And with writing, screenwriting is its own skill. So I would say training is number one.

Fiona: Yeah, and perseverance. A lot of the time people will say no, or you might get excited about something and it doesn’t happen, or you do a draft of the script and they don’t like it. So it’s really about persevering and not losing sight of your goal. Passion goes hand-in-hand with that — you really have to love it to keep going, or at least enjoy the pursuit of it.

Sophia: Another important skill is being adaptable. On a film set, things go wrong all the time, and you have to be able to pivot. I mean, we once failed to get a fire marshal for a scene and couldn’t use any of the real candles we’d ordered, so we had to find 200 fake candles the night before. That’s pretty normal; stuff like that happens all the time. You run out of light, have to change the schedule — whatever it is. I think some directors can get completely thrown off, like it’s going to destroy their vision. But Fiona and I really try to stay positive, saying, “Okay, this is going to be great. How do we make this work with what we have?” That optimism is what helps bring our projects to the finish line. We keep the attitude that it’s all good, and it’s all going to turn out great.

Fiona: What is that, number three? I do think money is a big factor. We’re very privileged that we’ve been able to raise the funds for our films. For young filmmakers who might not have the money, it’s all about connecting with other people on set — doing other people’s projects, music videos, short films — and then calling in those favors when it’s time to make your own stuff. If you don’t have the money, there are ways to scrape it together. Networking is a big part of raising funds, too. I’d be lying if I said money wasn’t an important part of getting your film off the ground.

Sophia: And finally, I’d say an attitude of collaboration is key. We like to hire people who are down for whatever needs to be done to make the film work. Sometimes people have to cross over roles. We want people who are happy to pitch in. I’ve done almost every role on set at some point, without even realizing it, and I’m sure Fiona has too. Making a film is a huge collaboration. It takes hundreds of people — the lighting guy, the composer, everyone has a role. So if you can’t collaborate, it’s probably not the right place for you.

Yitzi: Amazing answers. Do you have any insights for other filmmakers, especially new filmmakers, about how to get their projects picked up by film festivals or distributed by a big company?

Fiona: Yeah, I think they’re kind of two different things. Film festivals are looking for up-and-coming artists and new voices, so having a very unique voice and perspective is really important. For distributors, on the other hand, they’re often looking for a more commercial film. Most of the time, you’ll need a sales agent to help negotiate a deal with a distributor. So if you can find a good sales agent, they can get your film seen by the right people.

Sophia: Exactly. When you’re creating something, you want to marry your unique voice with commercial appeal in your writing and filmmaking. That’s what will help you succeed in both festivals and with distributors.

Yitzi: That’s very smart. So you’re saying the purpose of a film festival is to get picked up by distributors, but the distributors want commercial appeal, while the film festivals are looking for something more personal or art house.

Sophia: Exactly. They’re trying to discover the most important voices in filmmaking across the country — that’s their role. So to be successful, I think you need to do both. What’s your unique voice, and what’s your talent? But also, how does this appeal to a wider audience?

Yitzi: Can you share with our readers any self-care routines that help your body, mind, and heart thrive?

Sophia: Coffee. (Laughs) No, but seriously, I think surrounding yourself with a nurturing environment is really important. Fiona and I share apartments in different cities, so it’s nice to have that support in our work environment. What else? Eating healthy and exercising is key for both of us.

Fiona: Yeah, I mean, this might sound obvious, but I used to think that if you just pushed hard all the time, you’d get more done. But I’ve really learned the value of taking a weekend or a day off — where you don’t look at your phone or deal with work. It helps you come back refreshed. Also, for filmmakers working those 12-hour or 14-hour days, I highly recommend magnesium. There’s this amazing powdered magnesium that knocks you out at night. I take a big scoop after long days on set, and it helps me go straight to sleep. That’s just the honest truth. And then in the morning, coffee — it’s an up-down, but it’s a healthy up-down!

Yitzi: This is our aspirational question. Because of your great work and the platform you’ve built, both of you are people of enormous influence. If you could spread an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the most good to the most people, what would that be?

Sophia: Well, I think the message of our second film, and in a lot of ways the hidden message of our first film, is the idea of “compassionism.” We live in a capitalist society, but businesses can operate with compassion toward their employees. That means fair wages, not overworking people, making sure they have weekends off, and being paid fairly — I know I said that twice, but it’s important! Our second film touches on the exploitation of an artist, and we believe you don’t have to go to extremes. You don’t have to be a communist or an extreme capitalist. You can run a business and still treat people well.

We’d love to see more of that across the country. We don’t like the class divide or seeing people being exploited. You see some family-run businesses where they treat their employees well and still run their business successfully. That’s really important to us. We try to run our sets in the same way. We avoid overworking people, try not to do overtime, and make sure everyone is paid fairly. We want people to be happy on set, and that’s something we care deeply about.

Yitzi: So you used the word “compassionism,” and you coined that phrase. That’s a brilliant phrase.

Sophia: Yes, this is my idea. Thank you. I think it’s kind of cool. Let’s start a new economic system called compassionism — capitalism with compassion.

Yitzi: Okay, great. We’re almost done. This is what we call our matchmaker question that sometimes works. We’re very blessed that prominent leaders in entertainment and business are among our readers. Is there a person in the US or the world with whom you’d like to have coffee or collaborate? We could tag them on social media and maybe help connect you.

Fiona: Olivia Colman. We love her. We’re big fans.

Sophia: Yeah, we would love her to maybe be in our next project.

Yitzi: Amazing. Okay, great. We’ll try our best to get her attention. Even if she doesn’t respond, it’ll be out there on the internet, and it might make its way to her eventually.

Sophia: Love it. Thank you.

Fiona: These are amazing questions, by the way. We’ve done a lot of interviews, and we haven’t gotten questions like this.

Yitzi: Thanks so much for that. It means a lot coming from folks like you. So how can our readers watch your work? How can they support you? How can they keep up with what you’re doing?

Sophia: Well, you can follow our movie account, @anewyorkstorymovie. Or follow our production account, @robertsisters. You can also follow us individually; we’re always posting about our work.

Fiona: And you can watch the film anywhere you can buy or rent movies. It’s on Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Comcast, Google Play, Fandango — all of those. It’s available in 100 million homes worldwide.

Sophia: We’d love to hear your thoughts. Let us know — write a review on Letterbox or send us a message on Instagram. If you have fun things to say about the film, we’re always happy to get feedback. The audience really makes the project, so we want to know what you want to see.

Fiona: Yeah, we grew up in the Midwest, and for us, the audience’s opinion is really important. We want to hear from people across the states, to know what they think.

Sophia: And in the UK and Ireland, too.

Yitzi: Great. That’s amazing. Okay, I hope we can do this again next year when you release your next amazing project with Olivia Colman. It’s really been an honor to meet you both. You’re rising stars, and the world’s going to hear from you.

Fiona: Thank you.

Sophia: Thank you. It’s really nice to meet you.


Fiona and Sophia Robert, The Robert Sisters, On Five Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.