Oftentimes, women in the film industry wear more than one hat — especially if a project is very close to their own identities and lives. The women behind this month’s VOD and web series picks have multitasked, serving as some combination of director, writer, actor, or creator. Using their multiple talents, they’ve brought their deeply personal works to life.
Lisanne Skyler wrote and directed “Brillo Box (3¢ Off),” a documentary that follows the journey of an Andy Warhol sculpture that her parents purchased in 1969 for just $1,000 — and later broke records at the auction house. In doing so, she creates an insightful look at her own family while also chronicling the rise of the Pop Art movement.
Molly Gandour, who wrote and directed the doc “Peanut Gallery,” gathers her family to talk about and process the death of her sister, who became sick and died as a child. She and her parents hadn’t spoken about Aimee’s passing for years, but the film sees them ruminate on grief, loss, and family together.
In musical comedy web series “Wisco Queens,” creator, writer, and director Katie Goffman stars as Lucy, a young woman from Wisconsin who moves to New York City with her brother Walter to find adventure, excitement, and perhaps even love. Our other web series pick, “Everything Is Okay,” is a surrealist spin on urban millennial living, starring creator Cirocco Dunlap as a young New Yorker who deals with everyday drama like living with a roommate and using the fridge as a portal.
Here are Women and Hollywood’s VOD and web series selections for August.
VOD
“Brillo Box (3¢ Off)” (Documentary) — Written and Directed by Lisanne Skyler
Lisanne Skyler’s “Brillo Box (3¢ Off)” intertwines humorous family history with the rise of Pop Art. In the late 1960s, Skyler’s family purchased an Andy Warhol sculpture — a replica of a box of Brillo soap pads — for $1,000; over four decades later, it sold at auction for $3 million. Skyler’s film follows the piece’s journey from a family home to the global art scene, and in doing so examines the Pop Art world and creates a compelling portrait of her own family.
Check out “Brillo Box (3¢ Off)” on HBO.
“Peanut Gallery” (Documentary) — Written and Directed by Molly Gandour
In “Peanut Gallery,” filmmaker Molly Gandour brings her family together to open up about the death of her sister Aimee, whose sickness and death was incredibly difficult for Gandour to come to terms with. She and her parents hadn’t spoken about their loss for decades, and by using her camera as a catalyst for tough conversations, Gandour creates a profoundly moving documentary about love, loss, and family bonds.
You can purchase “Peanut Gallery” on iTunes.
Web Series
“Wisco Queens” — Created, Written, and Directed by Katie Goffman
Wisconsin native Katie Goffman is the creative force behind “Wisco Queens.” Both the writer and the director, she also stars as Lucy, a young Wisconsinite whose younger brother convinces her to move with him to New York City. They reconnect with two of their friends from high school, who now live in the city but don’t have much love left for each other. Full of fresh comedy and musical moments, “Wisco Queens” explores what it’s like to make the jump from a small town to the Big Apple.
Check out new episodes of “Wisco Queens” on the series’ website or on YouTube.
“Everything Is Okay” — Created by Cirocco Dunlap
From the mind of “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” writer Cirocco Dunlap comes an absurdist dark comedy about millennial city living. “Everything Is Okay” takes on staples of urban comedy like awful public transit and roommate drama with unique, sci-fi twists — using tasking apps to outsource your social responsibilities, for example, or having a refrigerator that’s also a portal. Dunlap, who also stars in the series, stands out as a relatable character in a sensationally heightened version of New York.
You can watch “Everything Is Okay” on digital storytelling site Topic.
