Tell us a little about yourself
I’m a filmmaker living in Randwick with my husband, Mark (photographer), two kids Tashi and Luca, and River, and our two-year-old border collie.

How about your filmmaking?
I worked in the corporate world until I decided to throw it all in and became a competitor on the ABC TV filmmaking series Race Around Oz in 2000. I went on to write and direct non-fiction films including Sherpa, which was nominated for a Bafta Award for best documentary in 2016. I was on Mount Everest in 2014 making Sherpa, from the point of view of the Sherpa people, when 16 Sherpa guides were killed in an avalanche. Prior that film, I had spent several years working and making documentaries in the Himalayas, including the Discovery Channel series Everest: Beyond the Limit, and Miracle on Everest for the ABC and National Geographic. My new film River is a follow up to my 2017 film Mountain, a collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Narrated by Willem Dafoe, it takes a birds’-eye view of humanity’s relationship with our most precious resource through time.

What do you love about Sydney?
The cliff walks and access to nature. The Sydney Film Festival.

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What’s your favourite restaurant?

Una Mas. It’s right on the beach at Coogee (inside the Pavilion). It’s got an amazing array of Spanish tapas with a fabulous Mediterranean vibe.

It’s your birthday – where and what are you doing?

Out for dinner with a few close friends.

Where do you brunch or breakfast
I love to sit on the outdoor tables at Barzura at Coogee after walking with friends. Its corn fritter with bacon, avocado and tomato is amazing.

What are your favourite shops?
Livedin Coogee for homewares, Jardan for design and furniture, Ariel in Paddington for books. Most of my wardrobe comes from either Di Nuovo in Paddington or the Frock Exchange in Clovelly – both beautifully curated recycled fashion [stores].

When you want to impress someone, you take them where?
It’s hard to go past Icebergs Dining Room at Bondi for the wow factor, but Cafe Sydney at Circular Quay is wonderful for international guests. I’ve been to many excellent Sydney Film Festival lunches here with international filmmakers.

What’s one of the city’s most underrated places/spots (why)?
The Randwick Ritz, just down the road from my place. It’s the best (and cheapest) cinema in Sydney with a mix of arthouse and mainstream films. They’re always incredibly supportive whenever I have a film in release.

What’s your favourite weekend getaway?
We love going down to Bawley Point on the South Coast where my family has a shack.

Is there an essential Sydney movie?

Lantana.

Give a shout to a small business that makes your city a better place:
My local cafe Gr8 Spot. They make us coffee every day, and even delivered it to our front door when we recently had to isolate with Covid-19.

Jennifer Peedom’s latest film, River, is in cinemas Thursday March 24. Watch the trailer here.

This is the first instalment of “My Sydney”, a regular column discovering the places and spaces that captivate and entice Sydney’s well-known residents, past and present.