Paula Goldberg

Kymn Goldstein interviews screenwriter and director of the short film Traveling Companion, Paula Goldberg, about her experiences at the lesbian coffee shop Little Frida’s and its influences on her film. Goldberg moved to Los Angeles in 1993 or 1994 when she was newly out. She remembers a vibrant lesbian social scene with something to do almost every night in West Hollywood. She describes Little Frida’s in particular as a welcoming coffeehouse and “the heartbeat of the community,” where she met many friends and heard singer-songwriters perform.

Goldberg discusses writing and directing Traveling Companion, a short film about a woman returning to dating after losing a longtime partner to cancer. Little Frida’s served as both an inspiration for the story and the primary location for the film. Goldberg remembers Kathleen Mahoney generously closing Little Frida’s for three days so they could film there. She also organized a fundraiser for the film at Little Frida’s, where she sold donated memorabilia from famous women in Hollywood. Goldberg remembers how friends and emerging filmmakers contributed their time and talents to the project. She also describes how the finished film preserves the interior and atmosphere of Little Frida’s.