If I was not a film-maker I'd probably be a musician. I like Kanye West, Jay-Z, R&B, classical, jazz and all kinds of music, but I'd say soulful World Music is my favorite.

The biggest challenges are always getting into the rooms that you need to get into and having people open to the types of stories that I want to tell. And I feel that just being a female director and doing that is a big deal in this country. On my third movie I worked with a French DP. I asked him has he ever worked with a woman director before? He said in France a third of directors are women; so you can’t avoid them. So I realized that the US is behind.

I think Black Nativity movie has a very clear message. It's about a family in crisis facing some of the very familiar struggles we face in our communities. It's really about love, redemption, forgiveness, faith and family, the things that have gotten us through so many hard times, and that continue to get us through them. When times are hard, we need each other.

I'm able to inspire other people, to see the potential of a career, they can look to me and see that they can do it.

Honestly, I do spend most of my time between films trying to get the next one made.

If I like a film, I usually appreciate the way it was made the first time.

My guiltiest pleasure is reading a novel with a glass of wine. I love to read voraciously. I always have. And I love to lose myself in a good book.