Comedy is an extremely effective — and often underrated — tool by which to tell important stories. Our latest crowdfunding picks use humor to examine a variety of important contemporary social issues facing women, ranging from recovering after a sexual assault, to struggling to assert one’s identity as a young professional. Through laughter, these stories display the strength and resilience of their protagonists, and assert that there are many ways the stories of women and marginalized people can be told.
April Moreau and Emily Hanley’s short, “Hysterical,” depicts the aftermath of a sexual assault as comedian Bridget determinedly attempts to resume her life and career, only to realize recovery might not be so simple.
In “Chickago,” written and directed by Nora Kaye and Whitney Uland, a down-on-her-luck theater kid and her friends decide to produce the musical “Chicago” in their New England hometown — that is, until they’re struck by disaster, and forced to rebrand.
The web series “Black Enough” explores fundamental issues of gender and race with its portrayal of Amaya, a Black dancer struggling to find her place at a primarily white college. Writer-director Micah Ariel Watson utilizes warm humor, music, and whip-smart writing to paint a portrait of the complex experiences of Black women.
Here are Women and Hollywood’s latest women-created and women-centric crowdfunding picks.
“Hysterical” (Short) – Directed by April Moreau; Written by Emily Hanley and April Moreau
“Hysterical” examines the road to recovery after the trauma of sexual assault, particularly in the context of a woman whose job it is to perform. After experiencing sexual assault, stand-up comedian Bridget Vaughn tries her hardest to hop right back into her routine, both on the stage and off. When this proves far more difficult than she’d anticipated, she is forced to look inward as she reorientates her life and begins her first steps toward true recovery.
In film and media, sexual assault and recovery are rarely depicted with honesty and sensitivity, if at all. With “Hysterical,” director April Moreau and her co-writer Emily Hanley seek to break the trend of sensationalizing trauma for entertainment and instead honestly examine the reality of sexual assault, while also staying true to their comedic roots. “We’re exploring a serious subject through the lens of comedy,” the filmmakers explain in the above campaign video.
“Hysterical” is one of eight films being made in the 2021 Directing Workshop for Women at the American Film Institute. The project is directed, written, and produced by women, and will feature racial and gender diversity in front of and behind the camera.
Find out how to help “Hysterical” by visiting its Seed&Spark campaign.
“Chickago” – Written and Directed by Nora Kaye and Whitney Uland
When Brittany Johnson is rejected from yet another tour of the musical “Chicago,” she elects to leave New York City and move back home to Northampton, Massachusetts. Then she discovers her childhood dance teacher has died — and on top of everything else, her agent decides to drop her. After reuniting with Laura, an old friend who is struggling with addiction and mental illness, Brittany throws herself into a variety of ill-advised projects, including her own production of “Chicago” in her hometown. Even as Laura joins her, their creative endeavor attracts constant disaster; a cease and desist forces the women to write their own original script, and they wonder if their work will pay off after all.
Using a blend of dark comedy and musical theater, Nora Kaye and Whitney Uland’s “Chickago” addresses the complexities of young adulthood, and the struggle of wanting to find your place in the world and achieve something.
“This movie is for anyone who has ever tried to make something of themselves in this very daunting and often unsupportive world — packaged in the musical theater vehicle that we all know and love,” Kaye and Uland say on the project’s Seed&Spark campaign page. “‘Chickago’ is a story of the young professional’s journey to success: equal parts creation and destruction. It’s the undeniable millennial experience of existential dread and depression … plus leotards and music!”
“Chickago” is crowdfunding primarily for actors and crew, makeup artists, food, location costs, and insurance. Kaye and Uland are committed to delivering complex, clever, funny, honest, and intricate stories about women and the sociopolitical issues they face.
You can help fund “Chickago” by donating to its Seed&Spark campaign.
“Black Enough” (Web Series) – Written and Directed by Micah Ariel Watson
Writer-director Micah Ariel Watson’s web series “Black Enough” follows the journey of Amaya, a Black dancer at the predominately white Weston College. Grappling with insecurities and self-doubt, Amaya struggles to find her place in the institution’s Black community, in a warm and deeply intimate journey of friendship and self-discovery told through humor, poetry, music, and dance.
The second season of “Black Enough” will delve further into themes of love, sexuality, and faith, emphasizing the diverse and complex nature of Blackness and the experiences of Amaya and other key characters, and focusing on growth.
The series is written, directed, and executive produced by a Black woman, and features a diverse cast and crew passionate about creating content about women and people of color. “‘Black Enough’ is about creating space for people who often go unseen; putting voices of color at the forefront is in our DNA,” Watson explains on the project’s Seed&Spark campaign page. Crowdfunding will ensure the production of a second season, with more episodes and higher production value.
Help make the second season of “Black Enough” a reality by donating via Seed&Spark.
To be considered for Women and Hollywood’s biweekly crowdfunding feature, please write to waheditorialfellows@gmail.com. All formats (features, shorts, web series, etc.) are welcome. Projects must be by and/or about women.
