Kate Winslet opens up about the importance of making mistakes.

The actress spoke to PEOPLE at the Women In Film (WIF) annual gala on Oct. 24 in Beverly Hills, where Leeward star received The Crystal Award for Advocacy in Film.

Although it was a night to celebrate, Winslet, 49, made it clear that the journey to success isn’t always linear.

When asked what advice she has for younger women coming up in the industry, Mare by Easttown the star had a lot to say.

“It’s such an interesting question, because I give it a lot of advice all the time,” the actress told PEOPLE exclusively.

“The main thing I’m saying is that mistakes are not only celebrated, but they matter,” she continued. “Because if we don’t make mistakes, we absolutely can never learn. And we all make mistakes, and there is no such thing as perfect. And just to be completely themselves. Because if they can be themselves, they always have something to hang on to and keep them grounded.”

And how does it work Titanic The actress actually get through these mistakes?

“Honestly, dig deep, keep going and just believe in myself,” Winslet said.

“I mean, that’s honestly what I do. And try not to be hard on myself. I think women in general, we’re hard on ourselves all the time. It’s a terrible waste of energy, and I never want to look back on my life and think to myself, “I wish I had been kinder to myself.” I want to do that now, and I always do.

Winslet received The Crystal Award for Advocacy in Film for her role in her new biopic Leewardwhich explores the life of an American model turned war photographer Lee Miller. Winslet championed the project for over a decade and also produced it.

After accepting the award, which was presented by other Oscar winners Marion Cotillardoffered Winslet additional advice for women in the industry.

She began by recounting a meeting she had with a potential male financier Leeward.

“I was sitting with a guy,” Winslet recalled, “(…) And he leans over eagerly and excitedly and says, ‘Tell me. Why should I like this woman?'”

“And of course I wanted to scream,” Winslet said. “I wanted to scream. I wanted to say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, because she’s kind of hungover and middle-aged and has her life’s marks and scars written all over her face and has PTSD that makes her unlikable? To me, of course, that makes her forever fascinating.”

“So at that moment I was nervous,” the actress said.

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“So I’d say shut up, girls. Don’t take no for an answer. Don’t make movies with people who don’t want to make your movie with you. They don’t deserve to be on your set. They don’t deserve that right, and continues .And really don’t take no for an answer.”

The star-studded event was also attended by Jane Fonda (who was also a presenter), Kerry Washington, Joey KingLili Reinhart and others. Other award winners of the evening were Annette Bening and Michelle Buteau.