Alissa
Kantrow

Who are you—and what has shaped the way you see the world?

I’m Alissa Kantrow. I spent much of my career in the film industry as a producer and DGA unit production manager. I was also a co-founder of Moonbot Studios, an animation company whose work received the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

These days, I’m the very proud mother of two wonderful children, Zach and Lily, and the wife of my brilliant, handsome husband, Ted.

I hesitate to claim a particular field of expertise. What I do have is an ever-growing curiosity and a genuine love of discovery. I’m enjoying the freedom to keep learning—about wine, travel, art, history, books, food, music, and anything else that helps me understand the world a little better. Her Second Pour grew from that search and from my desire to pass the most meaningful discoveries along.

What book has stayed with you?

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. Its characters stayed with me long after I finished reading it. The story carried me through so many emotions, and its humanity, beauty, and heartbreak felt profound. It is a magnificent story and an absolutely brilliant book—one I still think about years later.

What film moved you or took you somewhere unexpected?

I have two enduring favorites. The first is The Godfather. The scope of the story, the direction, performances, production design, and costumes all feel perfectly united. Every detail reveals something about the characters, their world, and their relationships—often in ways I did not fully appreciate until much later.

The second is Cinema Paradiso. It still completely chokes me up, and I can sob my way through the ending no matter how many times I see it. I love the film, its characters, and the way it captures memory, longing, friendship, and our emotional connection to the movies themselves.

What is the soundtrack to your life right now?

At the moment, I keep returning to two performances: Sandra Hüller’s rendition of Harry Styles’ Sign of the Times from Project Hail Mary, and Brandi Carlile’s rendition of Alanis Morissette’s Uninvited.

Where have you felt most connected—and where would you still love to go?

Santa Fe, New Mexico, is the place that has stayed with me most. I lived there for a time, and although I always say that New Orleans has my heart, Santa Fe has my soul.

There is something magical about its energy—the quality of the light, the landscape, the weather, and the feeling of the place itself. It continues to pull at me.

As for where I would still love to go, the honest answer is everywhere. But two places I would especially love to explore with my family are the Galápagos Islands and New Zealand.

What did filmmaking teach you that others might not see?

A film is an enormous puzzle. Countless people, places, schedules, decisions, and physical details must come together—often under extraordinary pressure—for the finished story to appear seamless on screen.

Assembling all of those pieces is immensely challenging, but it is also fascinating and deeply rewarding. Filmmaking taught me that no meaningful creation is ever the work of just one person. Behind every finished scene is an extraordinary amount of collaboration, problem-solving, imagination, and largely unseen effort.

Perhaps that is also why I’m so interested in looking beyond the surface of things. Whether it is a film, a bottle of wine, a work of art, a meal, or a place, I want to understand the people, history, choices, and countless small details that brought it into being.

What’s next on your list?

At the moment, I’m watching Season 13 of Alone, listening to The Zorg on Audible, and about to begin reading The Calamity Club.

I’m also preparing to explore the Langhe, following my curiosity through truffles, wine, history, and the people and places that connect them. Naturally, I’m looking forward to discovering the region’s exceptional wines—Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera d’Alba, Roero Arneis, and Asti among them.

A favorite bottle—and what is on your wish list?

One of my most memorable bottles would have to be a Sauternes from Château d’Yquem.

At the very top of my wine wish list is a classic bottle from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. I would love the opportunity to experience it for myself and better understand what makes it one of the world’s most celebrated wines.

I would also love to try beautifully aged California Cabernet Sauvignon from producers such as Dominus, Corison, Lokoya, and Harlan Estate. My palate unapologetically leans toward rich, brooding California Cabernet—with dark fruit, structure, oak, and the depth that comes with time.

What discovery would you pass along to a friend?

I would encourage anyone who feels drawn to it to experience some portion of the Camino de Santiago. It does not have to be the entire route, and the reason for walking can be entirely personal. For me, it was an unforgettable experience—one shaped by friendship, reflection, accomplishment, history, landscape, and the simple act of continuing to place one foot in front of the other. It became both the completion of one journey and the beginning of Her Second Pour.