Because of the Trump administration, immigrants have become particularly vulnerable in recent years. Accordingly, art has been forced to respond to this crisis quickly and effectively. Seeing immigrants represented humanistically is therefore essential — we need to make sure that immigration is an issue that’s difficult for people to ignore. This week, Women and Hollywood is supporting filmmakers who are telling the vital and urgent stories of immigrants in America.
In the documentary “Represent,” three American women from different walks of life, including a first-generation Korean immigrant, run for office in this year’s midterm elections.
Meanwhile, Amanda Morales and her family are featured in the doc “Sanctuary.” The first immigrant to claim sanctuary since Trump was sworn in, Amanda struggles with her new life, church-bound and unable to go outside.
Finally, the short film “Daughters” sees Chinese immigrant Evie and her Chinese-American daughter, Maeve, attempting to connect in spite of their cultural and generational differences.
Here’s our latest round of women-created and women-centric crowdfunding picks.
“Represent” (Documentary) – Directed by Hillary Bachelder
According to data gathered from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the United States currently ranks 103rd in the world for gender parity in politics. This documentary traces how American women are attempting to rectify this imbalance.
“Represent” follows three American women from various walks of life: Myya Jones, a 22-year-old college graduate who is running for Mayor of Detroit; Bryn Bird, a produce farmer and mother running for Township Trustee in her rural Ohio county, and Julie Cho, a Korean immigrant running for State Representative in Illinois. By featuring women on both sides of the aisle as well as focusing on local politics and grassroots movements, the film uniquely captures perspectives oft-neglected in mainstream media.
In the film’s statement on their crowdfunding page, the film’s creators explicitly stress their desire to have a wide variety of candidates represented on-screen, recognizing the extra hurdles that women of color, queer women, and disabled women must face to enter politics. Further, they have prioritized covering these candidates with intimacy and respect.
Though they have shot most of the footage for their documentary feature, there is not a lot of time until the midterm elections. Helping “Represent’s” crowdfunding campaign could provide us all with a deeper look at the state of American politics for women in 2018.
Help support this project by visiting its Kickstarter campaign.
“Sanctuary” (Documentary) – Directed by Andrea Cordoba
May 3, 2017, was the beginning of Amanda Morales’ nightmare. That day, she received the news that she could no longer remain in the United States. For this reason, Amanda and her family took sanctuary in a church, and she became the first immigrant since Trump took office to claim sanctuary. Though law enforcement was unable to arrest the family, these living quarters became a prison for Amanda.
The feature-length documentary “Sanctuary” gives us access to Amanda’s life as she attempts to figure out how to live in the church while considering what the uncertain future holds for the family. Though they are safer, Amanda faces the struggles of maintaining normalcy and a stable family unit when she is unable to ever leave the church.
Director Andrea Cordoba is a Mexican filmmaker who has six years of experience telling immigrant and Latinx stories. Because of her discerning eye and her empathetic storytelling, Cordoba has been able to share an intimate tale about Amanda’s family as an ally, not an outsider.
Find more information about the doc via its Seed&Spark campaign.
“Daughters” (Short) – Written and Directed by Nora Battelle and Emmy Liu
“Daughters” concerns the relationship between a Chinese immigrant mother, Evie, and her Chinese American daughter, Maeve. Because of their entirely different upbringings, they have trouble finding common ground, with their strained relationship culminating at Maeve’s debutante ball.
The short film, from Loverboy Productions, not only stars but features an Asian and Asian American crew. Co-writer/co-director Nora Battelle has written for outlets such as The Hairpin and The Awl, expressing an interest in conveying ideas about contemporary society through storytelling. Emmy Liu, the project’s other co-writer/co-director, based much of the film upon her own experiences as a first-generation Asian American woman, as well as the complications that arise from that identity.
The film is currently in post-production, so you can see some of the preliminary scenes in its trailer. Watching that minute alone, “Daughters” already looks to be a sexy, drama-fueled, unmissable romp.
Contribute to the film’s Indiegogo campaign here.
To be considered for Women and Hollywood’s biweekly crowdfunding feature, please write to womenandhollywoodinterns@gmail.com. All formats (features, shorts, web series, etc.) welcome. Projects must be by and/or about women.
