The Works-in-Progress Lab (WiP) is a partnership between Cucalorus and Working Films that supports the audience engagement and impact strategies of social issue documentaries being made by Black filmmakers. The week-long virtual residency is a key program of the annual Cucalorus. Five filmmakers receive extensive community feedback during a series of public and private screenings, workshops, and one-on-one consultations with expert mentors. We’re thrilled to announce that the following documentary films have been selected for the 2020 WiP lab: 17 Days directed by and about Christine Varisse, is a dissection…
Are you looking to engage in more conversations about racial justice? Or maybe there are people you know who are looking to expand their analysis and understanding of systemic inequities? We invite you to join us for our upcoming online screening events this week and next, which will tackle environmental racism, immigrant justice, and equity during disasters. Please spread the word to your networks! Mossville: When Great Trees Fall June 16 @ 7pm ET RSVP here for streaming link Presented with Partnership For Southern Equity What does environmental racism mean?…
Rural Cinema is a training institute and community engagement program aimed at supporting rural leaders across the United States in using films as a resource in their work. The program supports participants in holding live community events that engage their communities and advance their goals over the course of one year. This year’s program has a special focus on serving individuals and organizations working for environmental justice and protection in areas directly impacted by polluting industries or transitioning from being economically fueled by natural resource extraction to adopting other more…
Working Films has decided to postpone our 20th Anniversary celebration. As an organization, we deeply value and strive to practice accountability in all of the work that we do. In the wake of the COVID-19 virus outbreak, we have been reflecting on what accountability looks like now, in regard to bringing large groups of people together at events. We have weighed our choices, being mindful not to fan the flames of fear while responding appropriately and responsibly. The bottom line is that we are committed to creating events that are…
Working Films launched the Docs In Action Film Fund in 2018 to support the production of short documentaries that address critical issues of social and environmental justice. This year’s call for proposals sought nonfiction films that tell a fuller story of immigration. We looked for films that reveal the harms perpetuated by immigration enforcement practices that extend beyond the crisis at the border, as well as films that expand popular understanding of immigrants and their varied experiences. We are excited to announce that we have awarded a total of $60,000…
We are excited to announce the 2019 Cucalorus Works in Progress Lab, a week long residency that supports the audience engagement and distribution strategies of social issue documentaries being made by Black filmmakers. This year’s featured films include: Black Barbie: A Documentary, directed by Lagueria Davis charts the rise of the most iconic girl toy brand of all time through the eyes of the filmmaker’s aunt, Beulah Mae Mitchell who spent 45 years working at Mattel. Commuted, directed by Nailah Jefferson tells the story of Danielle Metz, after being sentenced…
SEE PICTURES FROM THE TOUR! We’re partnering with Appalachian Voices and Sunshine Cinema and hitting the road for the Tennessee Valley Energy Democracy Listening Tour! Events across the state are providing opportunities for community members to discuss the history and impacts of the TVA energy system, evaluate decision making, and inviting attendees to vision how our public power could better serve communities in the Valley. The events include solar powered screenings of the film The Electric Valley and will highlight stories of local energy reform efforts. By powering film events…
Four new documentaries are getting an IMPACT KICKSTART from Working Films! Congratulations to the film teams selected for the second round of in-kind impact campaign support. They include: EATING UP EASTER Directed by Sergio Mata’u Rapu The iconic statues and sensationalized “mysteries” of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) have drawn the interest of the world for centuries, attracting curious visitors to its shores. Today, this tiny, barren island is experiencing an economic boon as tourism skyrockets. Yet the indigenous culture and the island’s fragile environment are suffering. Eating Up Easter, directed by…
We are excited to announce the 8 organizations selected to participate in Putting Films to Work, a year-long training institute for Georgia-based nonprofits that will leverage the power of documentary media to advance their organizing, educational, and advocacy goals. The program is designed to help organizations embrace nonfiction film as a critical resource and a natural component of what they do; resource the organizations and individual leaders with specific films and the skills to put them to work; and increase the strategic use of documentary films in community settings, creating…
For a documentary film to make a difference, a solid strategy for audience engagement and strong partnerships are key. Filmmakers often lack time to do this work themselves or the expertise and the funds to pay for it. Emerging artists, creators of color, and other underrepresented artists can face the biggest hurdles, despite the potential of their projects. Impact Kickstart is a program offering in-kind strategy development to underrepresented documentary makers with feature films in progress that hold great promise to catalyze action to address critical issues of our time.…
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