Film Catalog     About       For Filmmakers      Resources      News & Events
WOMEN MAKE MOVIES | E-NEWS JANUARY 2017






The film industry has been enjoying the start of a great year in cinema at the  2017 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL , where we couldn't be prouder of the  WMM supported projects and filmmaker alum that are lighting up the big screen in Utah. From world premieres, to opening day features and everything in between, we're excited for the following films and filmmakers:  WHOSE STREETS? (dir. Sabaah Folayan, Damon Davis, prod. Jennifer MacArthur),  UNREST  (dir. Jennifer Brea, exec. prod. Deborah Hoffmann, prod. Lindsey Dryden, Alysa Nahmias),  MOTHERLAND  (dir. Ramona Diaz), STRONG ISLAND (dir. Yance Ford),   TOKYO IDOLS (dir. Kyoko Miyake) and MUDBOUND (dir. Dee Rees).

In other festival news, WMM has been invited to participate in CMS Vatavaran, an International Environment and Wildlife Film Festival & Forum in New Delhi, India. The theme of this year's festival is "Conversation 4 Water." Invited films and speaking forums at the festival are designed to raise awareness on environmental issues that focus on the intersectionality of climate change and water, water struggles in a world dealing with global warming, climate variability, food and health insecurity, biodiversity loss, and environmental damage. 
 

For nearly a decade, films from the WMM programs have been nominated for or have won an OscarThe 2016/17 awards season has been phenomenal for WMM supported films - from recognition by the Cinema Eye Honors, to the Oscar shortlist, we've been incredibly excited for all of the talented winners and nominees this month!

Four out of five of the 2017 Breakthrough Filmmaker Awardees from Chicken & Egg Pictures include PA supported: Grace Lee (AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY: THE EVOLUTION OF GRACE LEE BOGGS), Geeta Gandbhir (A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES: PEACEKEEPERS), Dawn Porter (TRAPPED), and Kirsten Johnson (CAMERAPERSON). Each filmmaker will receive an unrestricted grant of $50,000, mentorship, and creative support for one year!

WEINER (dir. Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman, exec. prod. Julie Goldman) is among the honorees nominated for the BAFTA Best Documentary award! Also, Steinberg and Kriegman have been nominated  for a  Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for 2016.

National Board of Review Awards  awarded THE FITS (dir. Anna Rose Holmer, prod. Lisa Kjerulff) - WINNER, Breakthrough Performance (Female), Royalty Hightower, and  CAMERAPERSON (dir. Kirsten Johnson, prod. Marilyn Ness) - WINNER, NBR Freedom of Expression Award. 

The upcoming  Film Independent Spirit Awards features several stand-out nominations including:  SONITA (dir. Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami) nominated for Best Documentary,   CAMERAPERSON (dir. Kirsten Johnson, prod. Marilyn Ness),  nominated for Best Documentary,  THE FITS  (dir. Anna Rose Holmer, prod. Lisa Kjerulff), nominated for Best First Feature.

Congratulations to all of the winners, and good luck to all of the nominees!
NEWACQUISITIONHEATHERBOOTH NEW ACQUISITION - "HEATHER BOOTH CHANGING THE WORLD"
 

HEATHER BOOTH: 
CHANGING THE WORLD

Heather Booth with Civil Rights 
activist Fannie Lou Hammer

Our latest acquisition,  HEATHER BOOTH: CHANGING THE WORLD  (Lilly Rivlin) couldn't be more timely and appropriate for our nation's new political era. Communities nationwide are looking for ways to preserve their civil rights, protect civil liberties, and affect change for the future. This new documentary provides the groundwork for paving a pathway forward for all communities that are interested in progress. The film chronicles the little known story of one of America's biggest change makers - whose name you probably have never heard of... Heather Booth. For nearly 50 years she has led some of the most impactful social change movements from civil rights, to labor reform, reproductive rights, environmental justice, and the list goes on. As a popular go-to organizer, Booth's skill, dedication, and ability to create real change has been sought out by key civic and political leaders like Senator Elizabeth Warren. Booth's inspirational story provides both insight and resourceful tools for anyone interested learning about their own empowerment and ability to organize and create change. We're incredibly excited about this new acquisition that will be available soon!
 
Women Make Movies accepts submissions to the distribution program on a rolling basis. 
Click  here for more information.
INAUGURATIONWKTTOL

VOICES OF MUSLIM WOMEN IN THE US SOUTH

Thank you to everyone who participated in WMM's Inauguration Week "Screen In" and Teaching Tolerance initiative in which curated titles were available via online streaming for free. The program was designed to help heal deep societal divisions, and move our nation forward towards a more equal, just, and inclusive society.  Also, in honor of the communities, educators, and civic leaders who marched and rallied during the Women's March last weekend, we wanted to remind you again about this curated collection of new releases that are relevant and timely teaching tools which amplify important topics surrounding  race relations , Islamophobia , transgender equality , violence against women , health care inequity , immigration , climate justice , and more. The titles include:  PROFILED WILHEMINA'S WAR , DEEP RUN: TRANS & CHRISTIAN IN THE SOUTH DON'T TELL ANYONE , BRAVE MISS WORLD , FEED THE GREEN: FEMINIST VOICES FOR THE EARTH , and  VOICES OF MUSLIM WOMEN IN THE US SOUTH. Our limited special offer ends January 31st.  For informationow.ly/1dlU308hrRS
FEBRUARYEVENTS
   PROGRAMS  SUPPORTING WOMEN BEHIND THE CAMERA

Do you need legal advice for your film? Has figuring out a smart film festival strategy been daunting? Are you a New York-based filmmaker who could use extra funding for your project? If so, we've got you covered! WMM started off the 2017 workshop/webinar season with a bang, featuring stellar programs with the Ford Foundation and ITVS!  Now we continue with industry experts who will skillfully share insights about legal issues, project funding, and how to successfully navigate the film festival terrain.  See below for more information and reserve your seat now!  
 
WORKSHOP
*Meet the Industry: Indie Film Clinic  with Michelle Greenberg-Kobrin, Director of The Indie Film Clinic
 
INFORMATION SESSION (FREE!):
*NYSCA (New York State Council on the Arts), Meet NYSCA Program Director Arian Blanco

WEBINAR
*Creating Your Festival Strategy with Women Make Moves' Executive Director, Debra Zimmerman
**A link to the webinar will be available to all participants for 3 months following.
FILMMAKERNEWSJAN17
FILMMAKER NEWS
 




 
Laura Poitras' new short film PROJECT X  is screening at Sundance, and was named among the top 10 must-see shorts at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

DIEGO & FRIDA IN DETROIT (Grace Raso) was awarded funding by the Latino Public Broadcasting Media Content Fund: bit.ly/2iCdn7Q

The directors of WEINER (Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman, exec. prod. Julie Goldman) and the directors of THE WAR ROOM (Chris Hegedus, D.A. Pennebaker), gathered together with IndieWire to compare their films, discuss unique subject access, and the challenges they faced while making such relevant political documentaries. ow.ly/5GSA307Psq3

UK distributor, Dogwoof has acquired MOTHERLAND (Ramona Diaz), and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. 

THE FITS director Anna Rose Holmer recently shared about treating film as a collaborative art form. Holmer's interview is part of the Film School Rejects' "Next Wave" series, celebrating independent cinema, diversity, and talent within the industry.  

Director/Cinematographer, Kirsten Johnson (CAMERAPERSON) was recently featured in Variety Q&A on "...Bending Strereotypes, Depicting Violence, and Immortalizing Loved Ones."

Women Make Movies accepts applications to the Production Assistance Program on a rolling basis. 
Click here for more information.
WMMCONFERENCERMFORRENT WMM CONFERENCE ROOM AVAILABLE FOR RENT!
 

 
Our beautiful, fully equipped conference/screening room is centrally located on 29th Street and 6th Avenue in NYC. The room is available hourly, 24/7, and seats between 25-30 people depending on desired setup.
  • Room includes: 60" plasma monitor, PC/Mac/iPad hookups, and DVD player. It offers a separate private entrance, as well as access to full kitchen. 
  • Rates:  Prices vary from $35-$50 an hour, depending on use needs and day/time. Please contact [email protected] for more information on rates and booking.
 
  FILM FESTIVAL DEADLINES

 
Frameline: San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival
Deadline: January 25, 2017
 
Newport Beach Film Festival
Deadline: January 27, 2017
 
Boston LGBT Film Festival
Late Deadline: February 1, 2017
 
Seattle International Film Festival
Deadline: February 3, 2017
 
AFI Documentary Festival
Deadline: February 3, 2017
 
Sheffield Doc Fest
Deadline for Film Festival: February 7, 2017
 
Brooklyn Film Festival
Deadline: February 15, 2017
 
Melbourne International Film Festival
Deadline: February 16, 2017
 
New Orleans Film Festival
Deadline: February 20, 2017
 
Southern Circuit- Tour of Independent Filmmakers
Regular Deadline:  February 28, 2017
 
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles
 
Savannah Film Festival
Deadline: March 15, 2017
 
Austin Film Festival
Deadline: March 31, 2017


FUNDING DEADLINES
 
Derek Freese Documentary Fund
Deadline: June 12, 2017
 
The Bertha BRITDOC Documentary Journalism Fund
Deadline: Applications open Mid-January 2017
 
LEF Moving Image Fund (MIF)
Production & Post Production LOI Deadline: January 27, 2017
 
The Sidney Hilman Foundation - Hillman Prize
Deadline: January 30, 2017
 
The New IDFA Bertha Fund
Deadlines: February 1, 2017
 
Garrett Scott Documentary Development Grant
Deadline: February 3, 2017
 
Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund
Deadline: February 5, 2017
 
Sundance Feature Film Creative Producing Lab & Fellowship
Deadline: February 7, 2017
 
Sundance Documentary Creative Production Lab & Fellowship
Deadline: February 10, 2017
 
ITVS Open Call
Deadline: February 10, 2017
 
San Francisco Film Society Filmmaking Grant
Deadline: February 14, 2017
 
Open Meadows Foundation
Deadline: February 15, 2017
 
SORFOND: Norwegian South Film Fund
Deadline: March 2017
 
Vision Maker Media: Public Media Content Fund
Deadline: March 1, 2017
 
The Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation
Deadline: March 31, 2017
 
Catapult Film Fund
Deadline:  Rolling
 
Sundance Documentary Fund
Deadline: Rolling
 
Ford Foundation: JustFilms Initiative
Deadline: Rolling
 
NPBC - AFROPOP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange Submissions (U.S. Public Media)
Deadline: Rolling

About WMM:

Since our beginnings in 1972, WMM has grown from a feminist filmmakers' collective into an industry-leading nonprofit media arts organization and distributor. For over 40 years, WMM has transformed the landscape of filmmaking for women directors and producers, bringing the issues facing women around the world to screens everywhere. Now, with more than 550 films in our catalog, including Academy®, Emmy®, Peabody and Sundance nominees and award winners, WMM is the largest distributor of films by and about women in the world. Women Make Movies. By Women. About Women. For Everyone. 

Women Make Movies gratefully acknowledges the support of our funders: The National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. The Andy Warhol Foundation, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and the Nathan Cummings Foundation with the encouragement of Rebecca Gregg.

    DCA
       
Copyright © 2016. All Rights Reserved.