Creating change in any field requires flipping the script — that is, upending the status quo and redefining expectations. Fortunately, there are countless women who do just that every day, challenging beliefs and practices in unexpected and revolutionary ways.
Our latest round of crowdfunding picks feature women filmmakers who are flipping the script and creating change with their own projects, whether it be by reimagining a genre or challenging an entire film industry.
First, Marlene Emilia Rios’ short film, “We Choose to Go,” places a woman protagonist at the center of a thrilling science fiction story of survival and sacrifice. Sarah Brill’s short, “Melody,” is a horror adventure following a young girl with a dark past and a taste for revenge. Finally, Femme for Films is a group of five women filmmakers from Guatemala, each making a unique short from diverse genres and styles.
Here are Women and Hollywood’s newest crowdfunding picks by and about women.
“We Choose to Go” (Short) – Written and Directed by Marlene Emilia Rios
Last year, director James Cameron emphasized the need for science fiction filmmaking to evolve; the genre’s origins, he said, are “extremely stale, male, and pale.” Luckily, innovative women filmmakers have been working for decades to reimagine what science fiction can be.
One such filmmaker is Marlene Emilia Rios, whose short film “We Choose to Go” tells a thrilling story of survival with a woman at the center. “We Choose to Go” follows pilot Angie Miranda, who awakens from cryosleep aboard the spaceship Horizon to find herself in a deadly situation: her crewmates are dead, her food supply is expired, and her ship has dramatically overshot its destination.
Selected by Kickstarter as a “Project We Love,” “We Choose to Go” pairs impressive cinematography with a deeply moving narrative. In Rios’ own words, the short film is an “emotional, epic sci-fi story” that chronicles one woman’s “lifelong dream to explore deep space” while grappling with fears we all share. Angie’s story is a rarity in science fiction, in which a complex woman deals with stakes that are both emotional and life-and-death. “We Choose to Go” organically envisions a future that is female, telling a future-set story with a woman at its center — an inherently radical act.
Support “We Choose to Go” on Kickstarter.
“Melody” (Short) – Written and Directed by Sarah Brill
When asked why Blumhouse Productions had yet to produce any horror films directed by women, producer Jason Blum explained, “There are not a lot of female directors period, and even less who are inclined to do horror.” Blum has since apologized, acknowledging that Blumhouse has “not done a good enough job working with female directors and it is not because they don’t exist.” But his gaffe reveals the larger, systemic exclusion of women filmmakers from the horror genre.
Filmmaker Sarah Brill is fighting back. Her horror short tells the story of 14-year-old Melody who, while caring for her dying grandfather on his desolate ranch, must seek bloody revenge on a group of chaos junkies who upend her life. The film aims to challenge the conventions of the horror genre by questioning gender norms and horror tropes.
With “Melody,” Brill hopes to reimagine problematic horror conventions to tell stories about female empowerment and interrogate our society. Having worked on over 30 films and directed four of her own, Brill is well on her way to making a major name for herself as a horror director. She doesn’t mince words when it comes to women in horror: “Women filmmakers are fucking awesome, and we’re paving the way in the horror genre.”
Support “Melody” on Seed&Spark.
Femme for Films (Filmmaking Group)
Since submitting its first ever Academy Awards entry in 2015 (the stunning, woman-centric “Ixcanul”), Guatemala has seen its nascent film industry explode like never before. Femme for Films is a group of five women filmmakers at Guatemala’s Universidad Francisco Marroquín. Each talented young filmmaker —Gabriela Flores, Isabel Cacacho, Aletse López, Sofia Escribá, and Yasmin Valdez — will make her own unique short film as she finishes her studies. In their own words, “Our short films talk about prejudices, empathy, unconditional love, brotherhood, and unexpected friendships.”
Flores’ “Teresa y la Noche” follows teenage Teresa, whose secret night out quickly turns disastrous. Cacacho’s “Did you see it?” centers around two young brothers, Logan and Alex, whose camping trip is threatened by a mysterious creature. López’s “María” chronicles the deteriorating relationship between 25-year-old María and her mother. Escribá’s “Los conejos oyen” takes place at a child’s birthday party, where an unplanned turn of events tests 22-year-old Lucy’s relationship with her young niece. Finally, Valdez’s “Casa de Muñecas” follows 11-year-old Allison as she gets to know her school bully in an unexpected way.
The burgeoning Guatemalan film industry is familiarly male-dominated, but these passionate film students are claiming their place in it. With each of their films, the women of Femme for Films are reimagining what cinematic storytelling can be in Guatemala. The only thing more rewarding than supporting one female filmmaker, they remind us, is supporting five.
Support Femme for Films on Indiegogo.
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.
