I grew up in Siena and was surrounded by the Palio, and all my friends at school were obsessed with it. But since my parents are English, I was never quite part of it.
Cosima SpenderI studied anthropology and art history, as I have always been captivated by living traditions.
Cosima SpenderParadoxically, in the field being a woman actually helps you: people often feel more comfortable talking to women, which is key in documentaries.
Cosima SpenderIf something I make succeeds, people say it was luck. But I don't just throw myself into the unknown. I research my subjects and listen constantly to what the characters have to say. Luck comes into it, but the story is made by them.
Cosima Spender