Even as more and more women opt out of having children, the pressure to pursue motherhood remains consistent. Those women who do choose to have kids must grapple with the reality of balancing their careers and families, while in some cases also facing external situations that make motherhood even more difficult. This round of crowdfunding picks focuses on mothers — both good and bad — who must manage the myriad challenges the role requires.
“La Ruta” asks audiences to reflect on the circumstances that migrant mothers face prior and during their journeys to seek safety and stability in another country. “The Fruit of Our Womb” sees a woman’s desperation to become a mother morph her newly-adopted daughter’s life into a nightmare. Finally, “Blocks” tackles the notion of balance in motherhood.
Here are Women and Hollywood’s latest women-created and women-centric crowdfunding picks.
“La Ruta” – Written and Directed by Star Victoria
From the horrific and inhumane separation of migrant families to the manufactured hysteria around the “migrant caravan,” immigration has taken center stage in U.S. politics under Donald Trump. The parents who chose to undertake the perilous journey to the U.S. in order to seek asylum have been harshly criticized for “endangering” their children, with little regard for the situations that prompted their departure in the first place. “La Ruta” directly engages with this issue by depicting the journey of a migrant mother and her child.
The project focuses on Lucia, a Guatemalan woman who attempts to cross Mexico’s Ruta de la Muerte (“Route of Death”) with her daughter in order to apply for asylum in the U.S. Lucia’s love for her daughter and desire for safety force her to make the dangerous journey that thousands of migrants have taken in the real world.
Writer-director Star Victoria writes in the film’s Kickstarter page that she wanted “to peel back the curtain and peek into the window of a family that has made the hard decision to uproot their lives to make the dangerous trek north.” Victoria created the film’s narrative after researching the stories of migrants who took the route, and she hopes that it will push audiences to reflect on the experiences of migrants and the importance of family. Ultimately, “La Ruta” will provide a critical, humanistic perspective on the issue of immigration by exploring the story of a mother forced to take what is, for many people, an unimaginably difficult journey in order to provide a better life for her child.
Support “La Ruta” on Kickstarter.
“The Fruit of Our Womb” – Written and Directed by Marina Shron
For women unable to have biological children, adoption can provide a path to motherhood full of emotional challenges and milestones. Those challenges and milestones can be even more significant when the adoption involves a teenager or child that has experienced sexual abuse. In “The Fruit of Our Womb,” writer-director Marina Shron addresses the issues of child sexual abuse and adoption, highlighting the vulnerability of adoptees who end up with parents who don’t have their best interests at heart.
“The Fruit of Our Womb” follows Lynn and Joe, a wealthy Manhattan couple, who encounter a 13-year-old named Christina living on the streets and decide to adopt her. Though the new family seems set to find happiness initially, Christina’s adopted parents’ darker desires soon emerge, putting her in a dangerous situation once again.
In the project’s Kickstarter campaign, Shron writes that the #MeToo movement inspired “The Fruit of Our Womb,” and that Christina’s story “represents that of not just one, but of countless children, whose experiences remain society’s shameful secret.” Shron hopes that the film will help progress the conversation about the sexual abuse of children, particularly those who end up in the foster system or experience homelessness.
Support “The Fruit of Our Womb” on Kickstarter.
“Blocks” (Short) – Written and Directed by Bridget Moloney
Motherhood can be overwhelming — it’s not a novel or unsurprising proposition, especially as research has shown that women do significantly more unpaid care and domestic work than men. Juggling taking care of young kids, maintaining a home filled with a never-ending amount of stuff, and fulfilling professional and personal obligations is a reality that women around the world face. In her short film “Blocks,” writer-director Bridget Moloney explores this dilemma from a new perspective.
“Blocks” follows a mother’s struggle to balance caring for her young children and caring for herself. Unlike other projects that have addressed that dilemma, however, “Blocks” takes a surreal turn: the film’s protagonist begins vomiting LEGO blocks unexpectedly and can’t stop. In order to find a solution to her new ailment, the mother must consider how she makes time and space for herself in her life.
As a mother to young children herself, Moloney is intimately familiar with the project’s subject matter. In the Seed&Spark campaign for “Blocks,” she writes that her experience of early motherhood was “cozy and miraculous, and also crushing and overwhelming.” “Blocks” is a film intended to capture these relatable feelings with a humorous, surreal spin.
Support “Blocks” on Seed&Spark.
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.
