Stephanie Wang-Breal is an award-winning filmmaker and commercial director. Her Emmy-nominated feature documentary “Wo Ai Ni Mommy (I Love You, Mommy)” was awarded Best US Feature at AFI Silverdocs Festival. Her other credits include “Tough Love” and the short film “From Infirmity to Firmness.”
“Blowin’ Up” will premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival on April 20.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
SWB: The film is about a courtroom in Queens, New York run by a group of women who are attempting to change the way women arrested for prostitution are treated by the criminal justice system.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
SWB: It dealt with two populations of women I have explored in my previous works: Asian women and young girls from the foster care system. I became fascinated with the labels: sex work, prostitution, and human trafficking, and grew interested in unraveling what these labels meant for the women inside this space.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
SWB: When people leave the theater, I want them to think about this idea of “agency.” Who has agency inside this courtroom and what does agency mean for these women?
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
SWB: The biggest challenge in making a film about prostitution was getting people — both the court stakeholders and the women defendants — to participate in the filmmaking process. At first, everyone doubted our intentions and did not want us there.
Every time we filmed inside the courtroom, if one to two women agreed to allow us to film their case, that made it a good day. There’s just so much shame and fear surrounding these women, which makes it very risky for them to participate in a project of this scope and form.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
SWB: Eighty percent of the film was funded through grants from foundations and nonprofits, includingFord Foundation, Sundance Institute Documentary Fund, Chicken & Egg Pictures, and Women in Film Fund. The remaining budget was filled through private donations and equity investments from individuals.
W&H: What does it mean for you to have your film play at Tribeca Film Festival?
SWB: We are thrilled that “Blowin’ Up” will have its world premiere on its home turf and to have with us in the audience so many amazing women and organizations from Queens, New York who are the ones out in the field doing this important work.
W&H: What’s the best advice you’ve received?
SWB: Every time you hear “no,” think of it as a creative challenge to come up with another way to approach filming an idea and bringing it to life.
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
SWB: Don’t ever underestimate your value or worth. You should always ask for what you want and then add 10 percent!
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
SWB: I love, love, love “Fish Tank” by Andrea Arnold. It was such a real and unflinching portrait of a young girl and her relationships with her family and community.
W&H: Hollywood and the global film industry are in the midst of undergoing a major transformation. Many women — and some men — in the industry are speaking publicly about their experiences being assaulted and harassed. What are your thoughts on the #TimesUp movement and the push for equality in the film business?
SWB: I think it’s way past the time for us to move forward and make real changes both in the way women are perceived and compensated for their work and contributions in this industry.
