We recently had the chance to connect with Natasha Mayet and have shared our conversation below.
Natasha, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
A recent moment that made me proud was launching an international film festival, GLOW Film Festival, on my birthday. It was a leap into a dream I’d been afraid to fully pursue—stepping into my vision as a female entrepreneur and former festival co-founder. GLOW creates space for storytellers, especially women and underrepresented voices, to be seen, celebrating high-quality films from around the world. I’m proud I faced the fear—fear is not a reason to hold back, and we often need to start before we feel ready. The impulse to start GLOW was too strong to ignore, and I’m excited for what it will become: a festival built to serve filmmakers and amplify their stories globally, with plans to expand to cities like Cape Town, Atlanta, and Paris.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Natasha Mayet, a Pakistani-born actor, acting coach, and the founder of GLOW International Film Festival. Having lived between the USA and South Africa, I’ve seen the power of global stories—and as a woman of color, I didn’t always see a space for people like me—or anyone who didn’t fit the mold. That’s why I’m passionate about creating inclusive spaces for everyone to be seen and to give visibility to filmmakers, because I believe stories have the power to impact change.
GLOW is a women-founded, international festival celebrating storytellers, especially women and underrepresented voices, connecting them with audiences and opportunity makers worldwide. As an actor and international acting coach with Anthony Meindl’s Actor Workshop, I help people step into their boldest, most authentic work. Right now, my goal is to bring GLOW to multiple cities, including Cape Town, Atlanta, and Paris, and I’d love to connect with filmmakers and collaborators who want to share their stories with the world as well as actors and storytellers.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
The moment that really shaped how I see the world was my dad’s passing exactly a year ago. In one of his final messages to me, he wrote, “Keep following your dreams,” echoing the message from the Steve Jobs commencement speech he had shared. Losing him was devastating, but it also crystallized something I’ve carried ever since: life is too short to wait for the perfect moment or let fear hold you back. We have to do it now, as there might not be a tomorrow. And if you feel the calling to do something, there’s a reason that call came to you. That’s why I launched GLOW Film Festival—to create spaces where storytellers, especially women and underrepresented voices, can be seen, celebrated, and connected with opportunity makers. My dad’s belief in me inspires how I show up every day: with courage, with purpose, and with the conviction that stories have the power to change the world. As I said in my birthday speech, stories remind us we are not so different. When we step into the shoes of a protagonist as we watch a movie—or as an actor into someone else’s experience—we feel empathy, connection, and the shared humanity my dad always wanted me to honor. So I keep showing up each day as authentically as I can, to fulfill the mission my father left me: follow your dreams.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that has held me back the most in my life is the fear of what people think—or, in a way, the fear of being seen. Early on, I realized that trying to control how others perceive me robs me of my authenticity. My performance coach, AJ Jones, told me that it sounded like I had a calling to have an impact, but I also had a big fear of being seen. That resonated deeply: I wanted to be seen and make a difference, yet I was terrified of being visible. After feeling invisible for so long, or making myself smaller, being seen is terrifying. That is why, on my birthday, I decided to face the fear of being seen. Facing that fear has been transformative. I’ve learned that when we show up authentically, some people may not resonate—but the ones meant to will. Letting go of fear and embracing authenticity has allowed me to step into my purpose and create spaces, like GLOW, where others can be seen and empowered too. When we face our fears, it helps others do the same. I now know that if I’m scared of something, I’m meant to do it.
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. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies in film is that there’s a lack—that we’re in competition, and opportunities are scarce. Another is that AI is something to fear. At GLOW, we welcome AI films, because what moves you matters more than the tools used. On my birthday, I gave everyone sparklers and had them light each other’s—a reminder that we cannot glow alone. You cannot make a successful film without collaboration. As an acting coach, I tell my actors the same: we are all completely unique. Only you can bring a character to life in your way—nobody else has your vibe, your energy, your spark.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I actually ask myself a similar question every day in my journaling, inspired by Robin Sharma: ‘What do I want to be said in the end?’ What I hope they say is that she was loved, that she created spaces for people, built community, inspired others to follow their dreams and showed them it was possible, that she was a good daughter, that she made people happy, that she lived boldly, laughed, had fun, and didn’t care what people think. That she left something good behind. That she inspired change, had impact, and helped filmmakers and actors get visibility. And most importantly, I hope they say she fulfilled her promise to her dad and followed her dreams.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://filmfreeway.com/GlowFilmFestival
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashamayet
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glowfilmfestival
- Other: Submit your film to GLOW via FilmFreeway https://filmfreeway.com/GlowFilmFestival
My resources for actors www.stan.store/natashamayet
Image Credits
@maxblurr_photography
MaxBlurr Photography
