On January 21, millions of women across the globe marched in response to the overwhelming oppression of the Trump administration. Its message is crucial: “Women’s Rights are Human Rights and Human Rights are Women’s Rights.” Freedoms currently under federal attack include (but are not at all limited to) civil, immigrant, reproductive, and LGTBQ rights. This round of crowdfunding picks highlights — and celebrates — some of the liberties that have faced (or are facing) persecution.
The documentary “Women’s March” features women from different marches across the United States and their specific reasons for joining the movement. From the TrimTab Media team, the film seeks to “amplify the many voices and personal stories that aren’t heard often enough.”
Director Shilpi Roy and writer Brittani Noel’s short,“The Other,” focuses on the rigid categorization of race and ethnicity. According to its campaign, “the other race category was originally created as a catch-all for the insignificant group of people that didn’t fall into ‘normal’ demographics.” Through a fictional lens, Roy and Noel explore how this very real category may change now that “other” is slowly becoming “normal.”
Rachel Carey’s “Ask for Jane” comments on the current state of abortion rights by exploring the late 1960s—a time when even discussing abortion could result in jail time. “Ask for Jane” follows a young college student as she helps her friend find a safe but illegal abortion. They soon form the Jane Collective because “if society isn’t going to help them, they’re just going to do it themselves.”
Finally, “And the Moon” and “Lulu” address different aspects of gender and sexuality. Whereas Shelley Farmer’s musical short explores the queering of one’s public image, “Lulu” takes a darker turn, delving into the internal psyche and how it copes with sexual abuse and an ever-evolving gender identity.
Here are our women-created and women-centric crowdfunding picks for March 2017.
“Women’s March” (Documentary)
“Women’s March,” much like the event it showcases, is a collective effort that began in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the number of sister marches grew, TrimTab Media traveled around the country to document personal testimonies and march stories from San Francisco, Oakland, Boston, and Washington, D.C.
This project promises a diverse and in-depth look at the various reasons women around the country decided — and continue — to march. It also aims to “explore what it means to stand up for your values in America today.”
To reach as many viewers as possible, this team wishes to produce two versions of the film: a short film for online viewing, and a longer documentary for festivals, PBS, and VOD.
Help the story of the “Women’s March” hit screens of all sizes by contributing to its Seed&Spark campaign.
“The Other” (Short) — Directed by Shilpi Roy; Written by Brittani Noel
Did you ever struggle with which box to check on that race/ethnicity portion of the SATs? Who qualifies as “other”? Furthermore, as interracial relationships and the population of biracial children increase, do we continue to check (or even use) the “other” box?
Well, Brittani Noel wrote “The Other” because she is done “trying to fit into an ethnic box… [especially when] not all boxes are equal.” Based on Noel’s personal experiences, the film’s main protagonist (who is appropriately named Multiracial Mischa) must decide between hiding her true self and addressing the reality of both her mixed ethnic identity and the struggles attached to it.
Support “The Other’s” all-or-nothing campaign on Kickstarter.
“Ask for Jane” — Written and Directed by Rachel Carey
“Ask for Jane” is the first feature film project that will highlight the work of the Jane Collective, an underground service that helped over 11,000 women obtain safe abortions between 1968 and 1972. Based on the collective’s true origins, this film follows a group of young women as they develop, advance, and eventually pay the price for their secret organization.
“Ask for Jane” is as inclusive offscreen as it is on: It is “about women, for women, and by women… and it passes the Bechdel test in nearly every scene.”
Check out “Ask for Jane” on Seed&Spark to contribute to the collective.
“And the Moon” (Musical Short) — Written and Directed by Shelley Farmer
Through music and choreography, “And the Moon” features two women on a date. As one protagonist allows herself to embrace her desire for the other, she must also learn how to overcome her fear of expressing her queerness in public.
According to writer/director Shelley Farmer, this musical short is visually “informed by 1960s European art films” and thematically explores the “universal anxiety of making yourself vulnerable.” It features a female choreographer and an all-women cast.
Help “And the Moon” dance to completion by visiting its Kickstarter campaign.
“Lulu” — Written and Directed by Diana Cignoni
Diana Cignoni’s “Lulu” explores the complexities of gender and how multiple gender identities may exist in a single person. Dubbed a “modern day fable,” this project addresses sexual abuse and gender through the visual representation of one’s imagination. Struggling with notions of identity, Lulu attempts to overcome his/her situation by turning pain and isolation into beauty and fantasy.
Help “Lulu’s” postproduction and distribution by checking out its Seed&Spark campaign.
To be considered for Women and Hollywood’s biweekly crowdfunding feature, please write to womenandhollywoodinterns@gmail.com. All formats (features, shorts, web series, etc.) are welcome. Projects must be by and/or about women.
