4/03/2023

WMM April E-News

WOMEN MAKE MOVIES | APRIL E-NEWS

WMM Filmmakers and Program Alums Premiering and Pitching New Films at Hot Docs!

Six films supported by our Production Assistance Program and four films from current WMM filmmakers and past Program alum are premiering at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival — North America's largest doc festival, conference, and market (April 27 to May 7)!

The following films made with the support of our Production Assistance Program will premiere at this year's festival: 

We are also thrilled to see five projects from WMM filmmakers selected to pitch at the 2023 Hot Docs Forum and Deal Maker Meetings! WMM-sponsored projects INTERCEPTED (dir. Oksana Karpovych), UNTITLED DWARFISM PROJECT (dir. Julie Wyman) and EMERGENT CITY (dir. Kelly Anderson, Jay Arthur Sterrenberg, prod. Brenda Avila-Hanna) will all be pitching. And Kimberlee Bassford (dir. WINNING GIRL and PATSY MINK: AHEAD OF THE MAJORITY) will be pitching two new projects: I OF THE WATER and IRIS CHANG: POWER OF ONE (working title).  

Last but certainly not least, two WMM-sponsored films will be a part of selective programs for projects in development: THE SANDBOX (dir. Kenya-Jade Pinto) was 1 of 5 films accepted into the Hot Docs Incubator and MOTHER VERA (dir. Cécile Embleton, Alys Tomlinson) is 1 of 6 films that will be presented in the Works-in-Progress Screenings.

Executive Director Debra Zimmerman and Managing Director Kendra Hodgson will be in attendance at the festival and participating in the Forum and Deal Maker Meetings. Read more about WMM at Hot Docs on our blog.

WMM Films and Filmmakers are Headed to Tribeca!

The 2023 Tribeca film festival (June 7-18) lineup has been released and 4 films from WMM filmmakers are on the list! Two films made with the support of our Production Assistance Program will have world premieres: BREAK THE GAME (dir. Jane M. Wagner) and RICHLAND (dir. Irene Lusztig, YOURS IN SISTERHOOD, THE MOTHERHOOD ARCHIVES). And WMM-sponsored film INVISIBLE BEAUTY (Dir. Bethann Hardison and Lisa Cortés), which premiered at Sundance in January, will have its NY Premiere. Also making its World Premiere is THE SPACE RACE, a new film from Lisa Cortés (whose fabulous film LITTLE RICHARD is opening theatrically and digitally on Friday).

See the full lineup here.


Congratulations to all!

Join Us For A New Webinar Series

LEVERAGING THE POWER OF STORY TO FINANCE YOUR FILM
May 11 - June 1, 2023
Thursdays, 12:00 - 1:30pm EST via Zoom

A strong, compelling story about why your film matters and a well-thought-out fundraising plan are your two greatest assets when it comes to raising money for your film! In this four-part webinar series, seasoned professionals and experts in the independent film industry will walk you through financing strategies and developing the story you tell about your film, including perfecting proposal and pitch materials to get buy-in from funders and raise money! This is a great series for those working on their first feature, as well as experienced filmmakers looking for fresh ideas and perspectives on how the fundraising landscape has changed in independent film.

Sign up for the series and get four sessions for the price of three! Your discount is even greater if you are a WMM filmmaker ($75 $50) or a member of a partner organization ($75 $60).
REGISTER FOR THE SERIES NOW

2 NEW ACQUISITIONS!

We have two powerful, timely new acquisitions that we are excited to share! ABORTION AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS 1970 (dir. Catha Maslow, Jane Pincus, Mary Summers, and Karen Weinstein ) reminds us of the conditions and demands that drove the movement for abortion rights fifty years ago. 

Peabody, BAFTA, and Emmy award-winning filmmaker Deeyah Khan (MUSLIM IN AMERICA and AMERICA'S WAR ON ABORTION) takes a bold and unconventional approach in her new film BEHIND THE RAGE, which attempts to understand the root cause of domestic violence by talking directly with male perpetrators. These films are available to book or screen

JOIN OUR TEAM: We Are Hiring!

As we emerge from three years in the pandemic, Women Make Movies continues to reorganize and re-envision our office and staff positions, and we have an opportunity for you to join us! We are looking to fill 2 positions: Finance and Administration Lead and Manager of Filmmaker Services (MFS).

We are seeking a detail-oriented and financially-savvy Financial and Administration Lead. As part of WMM's leadership team, this is the person who makes the organization's non-profit and business processes run smoothly. The Manager of Filmmaker Services is the point person for filmmaker relations in both the Distribution and Production Assistance Programs. This person provides artist support and serves as a bridge between production assistance and acquisitions, as well as between the organization and the larger industry.

If you are someone who fits any one of the above descriptions then we encourage you to read the full job descriptions and apply!

Save on Our Second Chance Awareness Month Collection

April is Second Chance Awareness Month! We've curated a collection of films that shed light on the impact of mass incarceration:  WINN (dir. Erica Tanamachi & Joseph East), which documents Pamela Winn's mission to end shackling and ultimately prison birth; A WOMAN ON THE OUTSIDE (dir. Zara Katz & Lisa Riordan Seville), a deeply American story about prison-involved families and women caregivers;  APART (dir. Jennifer Redfearn), an intimate portrait of three women who return home from prison and rebuild their lives after being separated from their children for years; LOVE & DIANE (dir. Jennifer Dworkin), an examination of poverty, welfare, and drug rehabilitation in the United States today; MOTHERS OF BEDFORD (dir. Jenifer McShane), a candid look inside mothering young children while incarcerated; and BELLY OF THE BEAST (dir. Erika Cohn, prod. Angela Tucker, Christen Marquez, and Nicole Docta), an exposé of modern-day eugenics and reproductive injustice in California prisons.

Save 15 percent off of the titles in the collection through the month of April by using code 2CHANCE23.

BROWSE THIS COLLECTION
MORE FILMS IN THE NEWS
LITTLE RICHARD, directed by Lisa Cortés and made with the support of the WMM Production Assistance Program, is opening in select theaters this Friday, April 21. Make sure to get your tickets to watch this wonderful Sundance official selection. You can find your local theater here.
The topic of abortion is back in the Supreme Court as they consider a high-profile case attempting to restrict or ban the abortion drug Mifepristone. WMM has numerous films on reproductive justice including BAFTA award-winning film, AMERICA'S WAR ON ABORTION, directed by two-time Emmy and Peabody award-winning filmmaker Deeyah Khan, and brand new release ABORTION AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS 1970. Browse our full Reproductive Justice collection
WMM release CATEGORY: WOMAN (dir. Phylis Ellis) continues to prove its relevance after a new ruling banned male-to-female transgender athletes from competition and requires those with Differences of Sexual Development (DSD) to reduce their testosterone levels for at least six months to compete in any competition sanctioned by World Athletics. CATEGORY: WOMAN highlights the athletes that this ruling directly affects. Buy or Screen CATEGORY: WOMAN
Great news coming out of Prince George's County as a universal income pilot program has been approved. This reminds us of the hard work of Ruby Duncan and her team of mothers, whose tireless fight for equitable welfare rights for all is documented in STORMING CAESARS PALACE (dir. Hazel Gurland-Pooler). Buy or Screen.
Forbes recently took a deep dive into what it means to be NEURODIVERGENT. Take a look at their research on the different qualities, diagnoses, and expert-recommended approaches to ensuring neurodivergent individuals lead happy, successful lives. These themes are prevalent in WMM release NEURODIVERGENT (dir. Afton Quast Saler), which gives a first-hand experience of a woman living with ADHD. Buy or screen NEURODIVERGENT
TikTok remains in the headlines with the federal government continuing to escalate its efforts against the social media platform and Republicans proposing a ban on lawmakers using the app to engage constituents. Learn more about the high-profile social media platform with WMM release TIKTOK, BOOM. (dir. Shalini Kantayya). Buy or book a screening.
For more than 45 years, Women Make Movies has helped elevate diverse women directors and producers and improved equity in the film industry. The largest distributor of films by and about women in the world, WMM also supports hundreds of independent filmmakers each year with our highly successful Production Assistance Program. 
 
Women Make Movies gratefully acknowledges the support of our funders:

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