It seems like every day brings more cancellations, closings, and upsetting news. The coronavirus is affecting the whole world, not least of all the artists and creators who are trying to bring their projects to fruition — and to an audience.
As such, Women and Hollywood is highlighting women-driven and women-made projects that have been impacted by COVID-19 and are now looking for outside help. Some of these projects were set to premiere at now-cancelled festivals, others have had theatrical premieres postponed. Money and opportunities have been lost, and these projects and their filmmakers need some extra financial backing and word-of-mouth.
Each week, we’ll be updating our readers about projects by and about women that have been rocked by COVID-19 and are currently crowdfunding or asking for additional support — including project info, why they need help, and how you can help them. Check out the latest round of titles below.
“My So-Called Selfish Life” (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Therese Shechter
What it’s about: “My So-Called Selfish Life” examines what it means to say no to motherhood in a society that assumes all women want children, and exposes what’s at stake when women are denied the right to control their own reproductive lives. Writer-director Therese Shechter draws on interviews with women from diverse backgrounds, a vivid tour through pop culture’s obsession with motherhood, the current anti-choice political climate, and her own reckoning with her choice to remain childfree. “My So-Called Selfish Life” questions a cultural narrative so ingrained in the fabric of society that we’re no longer aware of how it shapes our lives and identities.
How it has been affected by COVID-19: The project team is now finishing up a first rough cut. They had planned to launch a Kickstarter campaign in late spring in order to finish the film by fall, but this plan is no longer feasible.
How to help: Make a donation via the project’s website.
“Hear My Voice” – Written and Directed by Pinny Grylls
What it’s about: “Hear My Voice” is the story of TJ, a Congolese boy from London who dreams of being an opera singer. This film is about a voice struggling to be heard. Furthermore his voice is unique, does not fit the mold, and will break your heart with its beauty. Bursting with hope, this is “Billy Elliot” remixed for opera. It seeks to turn on its head what you thought you knew about opera and most importantly, who it belongs to — bringing it to new audiences like never before.
Director Pinny Grylls is developing and writing this project in collaboration with Intermission Youth, which has been doing a series of Opera Education Workshops with musician Aga Serugo Lugo.
How it has been affected by COVID-19: The “Hear My Voice” campaign was launched just before the outbreak, and needs extra attention in order to meet its crowdfunding goal. The campaign is all or nothing, and the team doesn’t want to lose the money it has raised so far, as it is work and income for financially vulnerable creatives.
How to help: Contribute to the project’s Kickstarter campaign.
“Fosterage” (Short) – Written and Created by Shan Moreno
What it’s about: Raegan Moore returns home from college, and discovers “Missing Persons” newspaper clippings with her photo hidden in her parents’ bedroom. “Fosterage” is a psychological-drama with a big message on mental health, and parental control. The film follows an exposed, controversial family secret that ultimately leads to tragedy. It poses this question: What defines a parent?
How it has been affected by COVID-19: The news and stay-home order have economically impacted the project, and caused feelings of financial uncertainty among the team and its contributors. This has caused a dip in “Fosterage’s” fundraising.
How to help: The team is looking for additional outreach to boost its crowdfunding efforts. Amplify the project over social media, or go to its Kickstarter campaign to donate or contact the filmmakers.
“Hear, Eat, Home” (Documentary) – Directed by Hsuan-Yu Pan
What it’s about: Famed Syrian clarinetist and longtime New York resident Kinan Azmeh, member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silkroad Ensemble, connects to his homeland through music, friendship, and food, the great elements of the ultimate bridge between cultures.
How it has been affected by COVID-19: The doc had planned to shoot a major, symbolic scene in June. Without it, it will be hard to move forward on “Hear, Eat, Home” — the overall production schedule and funding will be impacted. The project is also prescient, as it addresses racism and xenophobia at a time when Asian communities across the country, and in other non-Asian countries, are experiencing racist violence and hate crimes as a result of the outbreak.
How to help: Make a donation via Women Make Movies.
“The Burden” (Short) – Written by Tish Arana
What it’s about: In 2064, immediately following the election of another racist president, a group of wealthy Black people pool their money together to take all Black people of Earth to a new colony in the Andromeda Galaxy they’ve built called New World Sankofa. In order for non-Black people to gain citizenship they must go through a series of citizenship steps; concluding with a formal hearing in front of a tribunal. We open on one tribunal hearing featuring a Korean American man named Shawn Park. He’s proven he’s well versed in Black culture, but they learn he’s a perpetual n-word user. The tribunal judges attempt to reason with Shawn to no avail, realizing he’s more appropriator than appreciator — a classic culture vulture, wanting everything but the burden. The judges have technology up their robe sleeves, though.
How it has been affected by COVID-19: Everyone is justifiably pre-occupied with the virus right now and “The Burden” focuses on systemic racism. The filmmakers are asking people to care about that and the story they are telling, but people’s focus is elsewhere. Crowdfunding takes a lot of pushing and it’s hard to push a project sensitively when people are ill and losing friends and family. There’s also the financial uncertainty many are facing. There’s a cognitive dissonance when it comes to valuing art at this time. People are turning to TV and film to get them through this, but are reluctant to put their support behind film projects because there are more “important” things to worry about. Even after considering all of these factors, the “Burden” team still believes their story matters and has mattered and will matter after this virus is done — and they need to be able to tell it.
How to help: Contribute to the project’s Seed&Spark campaign.
To be considered for inclusion in this feature, please send an email to Laura Berger (berger.laurae@gmail.com) and Rachel Montpelier (raemontpelier@gmail.com) with Women and Hollywood – Special Crowdfunding Support Feature in the subject line. Please send us the following information:
- Project title and synopsis:
- The project’s writer/director/creator credits:
- A link to the crowdfunding page or other campaign, or details on how to support the project:
- A link to the project’s festival information, if applicable (i.e. something like this):
Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis. All formats (features, shorts, web series, etc.) are welcome. Projects must be by and/or about women.
