Beyond the Frame: The Filmmaking Vision & Inner Journey of Kire Godal

In this intimate conversation, award-winning filmmaker Kire Godal sits down with host Chris Stafford to explore the heart, vulnerability, and curiosity that drive her powerful storytelling. Known for capturing deeply human narratives and cinematic beauty across cultures and landscapes, Kire shares how she seeks truth through her lens, the emotional and physical challenges of documentary filmmaking, and the deeply personal moments that have shaped her artistic path. From her earliest creative sparks to defining professional milestones, Kire opens up about where her inspiration comes from, how she builds trust with subjects, and the role of empathy, intuition, and resilience in shaping her voice as a filmmaker. Together, we explore the quiet inner reflections that guide her creative process and the evolving purpose behind her work. Whether you’re a filmmaker, artist, storyteller, or simply inspired by authentic human journeys, this episode offers a rare, heartfelt look into a life lived in pursuit of connection, honesty, and meaning.Keywords:Kire Godal, Kire Godal interview, filmmaker interview, documentary filmmaking, art podcast, storytelling podcast, creative process, independent filmmaking, cinematography, film director, documentary director, creative journey, personal interview, creative storytelling, artist conversation, behind the scenes filmmaking, purpose-driven art, intimate podcast, AART podcast, Chris Stafford podcastBIOFilmmaker Kire Godal whose focus on African culture and wildlife has reached audiences through National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, BBC, Amazon Prime among others. Her purpose and goal is to capture and memorialize important stories that she feels need to be recorded for history and to educate a wider public at a time when both people and animals are under threat of radical social and environmental changes or extinction.  Kire was born in Aspen, Colorado in 1962, one of three children—she has two brothers—to Norwegian immigrants Inge and Bente Godal . Her childhood was spent exploring the back country of Colorado, riding and skiing. She soon developed a passion for the outdoors and animals, which drew her to ambitions of being an explorer. But first, after High School, she was going to find herself in the Big Apple, drawn to the world of modeling after being talent spotted on the slopes by the American modeling agency executive, Eileen Ford. Whilst on fashion shoots, and catwalks of New York, Kire became fascinated in the art of photography and was soon drawn to being behind the camera. It was also at this time that Kire met her first husband, the Italian model agent, Giogio Piazzi, which would take her in a new direction. Kire found herself living in Aguilla BWI and Caracas, Venezuela while raising her first two children before returning to the US. She had decided by now that she wanted a career in filmmaking and took herself back to school at UCLA to study broadcast journalism. From there she worked in TV news, but it was the draw of the wild that led her to Kenya where she met her second husband and started her own production company Malaika Media as an independent filmmaker while raising three children but by now as a single parent. Her dreams and ambitions led to make her own self-funded films, which gradually led to bigger and more ambitious productions. Her portfolio includes Maasai The Last Dance of the Warriors for National Geographic, Lion Warriors for National Geographic Wild, Skypaths, and many more ethnographic, and natural history wildlife productions. Kire lives in Kenya and is currently working on two productions; Tolstoy, The Tomato Thief about a Super Tusker Elephant, and Maasai Eunoto featuring the important Maasai Warrior passage to elderhood ceremony. Kire's website:https://www.kiregodal.com/Kira on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kiregodal_filmmaker_in_africa/ Tolstoy The Tomato Thief:  https://www.tolstoythetomatothief.com/ Kire’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0323701/Kire’s playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4gzA9O48M99t6ddwJfhgdU?si=j9pCGQA0T-C8W3srs3ij9A&pi=u-1bohYGWNTsuR&nd=1&dlsi=152ed12c0d9a4342 Women whose work Kire admires:Mirella RiccardiLeni ReifenstahlAngela FisherCarol BeckwithAnnie LeibowitzMandy WalkerDame Jane Campion Host: Chris StaffordProduced by Hollowell StudiosFollow @theaartpodcast on InstagramAART on FacebookEmail: [email protected] a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/aart--5814675/support.A Hollowell Studios ProductionInstagram: @theaartpodcast Email: [email protected]© Copyright: Chris Stafford | Hollowell StudiosAll Rights Reserved

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