119. LIVE! From the Chagrin Documentary Film Festival
Five female filmmakers from the Chagrin Documentary Film Festival joined us for a panel discussion about a common thread in each of their films: agency. We talk about the control the people in their stories had over their lives and their bodies -- and the consequences when that control falls into someone else's hands. We also dug deep into how this manifests itself in the film industry and what these women are doing to change it "so that documentary filmmakers can tell the stories that need to be told. They don't have to only get the stories made that somebody else sees value in. Or that a corporation sees value in. Or that the person with enough money to fund it sees value in. There are other ways than just how the machine works right now." (00:32) Meet the panel! (02:29) Recapping the stories told by each film and how they show contrasting levels of agency (07:43) Advocating for the value of our time and what we’re worth (15:44) Stephanie talks about why she started her business to fund documentary filmmakers, which got the wheels turning for an incredible discussion about filmmaker empowerment Thank you to these amazing women for being a part of the panel! Kelley Wolf Griffith, Director: Junk Genius. Damon Drummond takes the ”junk” from scrap yards and transforms them into art. Also mentioned on this episode: Producer: Let's Talk About Death (podcast). Twin brothers -- one is a funeral director, one is a grieving psychologist. They fearlessly tackle a subject often considered taboo: Death. Producer: Yooper Wisdom (podcast). An inspiring wellness podcast about a resident of the remote Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where locals are commonly referred to as "Yoopers," as she explores inner healing and self-love. Companion to the film of the same name showing at the Fresh Coast Film Festival Meg Vogel, Director: Taken: An American Hostage Story. Mark McAlister and John Hamen III had just landed in Yemen. They'd both been hired to renovate a hotel for the U.S. State Department in the Middle East. Amid a brutal civil war, they soon became bargaining chips. This is a story of what happens when one's worst nightmare becomes national news – after the spotlight fades, but the suffering doesn't. This is a story about the hidden cost of war. Stephanie Dattilo, Executive Producer for Williams & Mansell: Red 5. Nigel Mansell is recognized as one of the greatest race car drivers of all time, but how did he get there? He struggled through race after race, coming just short of winning, but he didn’t let that stop him. WILLIAMS & MANSELL: RED 5 tells the story of how he made it to the World Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship, using not only his driving skills, but his engineering background and the help of the Williams Engineering F1 team. Also mentioned in this episode: BetaCandy: Stephanie is the founder and CEO of this creative studio that partners with forward-thinking companies to develop engaging experiences that resonate with audiences and real people, not just algorithms. Endora Media: Stephanie is also the founder and CEO of this advisory firm that connects capital with creative opportunities. They source purpose-driven content that specializes in content-producing ventures that seek to harness the power of the female voice. A’magine Nation, Director/Producer and Renee Bergan, Co-Producer/Editor: At Your Cervix. We are taught to trust medical experts to provide the best care and to honor our right to consent. But what if you discovered that medical students had used your body to practice a pelvic exam without consent? It has only been recently discovered that this practice has been going on for years. This eye-opening film takes us into hospitals and classrooms with the experiences of both victims and students and highlights the need for accountability within the medical community. The on-demand catalog of films featured at the festival is available through October 16, 2023.