Linda Kandel's fascination with the ways of seeing and discovering meaning by looking at the past has been a constant thread throughout her life. She has always been intrigued by the concept of perception and how images can often convey truths about reality more effectively than words. This curiosity has led her to explore various mediums, including painting and photography, which she pursued in conjunction with her academic studies.
After studying Archaeology at Cambridge University, Gonville and Caius College, Linda went on to attend Brown University, where she majored in Religious Studies. She also continued to nurture her photographic interests by taking filmmaking and photography classes at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).
The study of philosophy and religion has allowed Linda to develop a profound understanding of human nature, enabling her to create richly nuanced characters by exploring their motivations from the inside out. This skill was honed during her work as an assistant to director Armand Mastroianni on a psychological thriller in Hollywood.
Linda's experience in Hollywood led her to realize that making a feature film was not vastly different from producing award-winning student films on 16 mm. This realization prompted her to write her own script, "Los Feliz," about an aging L.A. real estate developer who becomes obsessed and marries an underage Hispanic girl. The success of this script earned her entry into the Hollywood community.
Next, Linda wrote "Naked Jane," which premiered in the dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival and received overwhelmingly positive responses. The film was notable for being the only one that year to receive unanimous approval from all the Sundance judges to be included in the festival.
Following the release of "Naked Jane," Linda collaborated on various scripts, including an adaptation of a Paul Theroux novel, a psychological thriller, and read Hollywood scripts through her agency, ICM, as a director for hire. However, she found that the most interesting projects were scarce and decided to write another original script, "Mascara," about three childhood friends in L.A. who discover that their lives are not what they had imagined them to be.
"Mascara" features a talented cast, including Ione Skye, Karen Black, Amanda de Cadenet, Tara Subkoff, and Steve Jones, the Sex Pistols' guitarist, in his first narrative fictional film. The movie premiered at the Laemmle theaters and received positive reviews.
After "Mascara," Linda turned her attention to her spiritual quest, studying Buddhism and delving deeper into the journey of the Soul. She pursued a Ph.D. at Pacifica University in Archetypal and Jungian studies, which has given her a richer and deeper understanding of human nature.
Linda has now returned to the film world, armed with her newfound knowledge and a wealth of images waiting to be brought to the screen. Her latest project is the character study/psychological thriller "Shadows in the Sun," set in both Los Angeles and the Middle East. Additionally, she has been working on a book about her close friend, the actress Karen Black.
