I do think film can change culture, in a way that reading a story in the New York Times does not.

During the mourning period after my father passed, his friends and colleagues were saying there was no way the business would survive. There was no way that a 27-year-old woman could run a company. I was so pissed that this was a conversation during a mourning period, and that a woman who was educated and working at a high level at the company wasn't considered for leadership. This was my father's life work, something I was completely connected to, and I knew I could take the reins.

I didn't take a single business class. I learned on the job.

I do think film can change culture, in a way that reading a story in the New York Times does not.

I have an opportunity to give a voice to those who have no voice. Even though film production wasn't a bucket list item for my life, what I have been passionate about is creating change and impacting society - especially bringing conversations forward on formerly taboo subjects.

It is all of our jobs to make sure that women's rights are human rights, and that they do have a place at the table, and we all push toward equality. The leadership numbers for women in business really haven't changed since I began as CEO. There are only 21 female CEOs at Fortune 500 companies, there is only 17 to 19 percent of female representatives in Congress, there are only eight female governors.

What is exciting today is that with technology filmmaking has been democratized, and so many more people have access to making a film.