PRODUCER / DIRECTOR

Director’s Statement

In many ways, this film is a love letter to my community. When I first moved to Denver, I became very intentional about the community I wanted to build for myself and for my son. I wasn’t just there to watch, I was there to record a historic moment that I knew the world needed to see. In fact I was so inspired by these women I ran for a delegate seat on my neighborhood board this past January.

Art and social justice are inextricably linked. Social change movements need artists, especially when trying to organize and unite institutionally underserved communities. All politics are local; the impact a political leader can have on a community should not be underestimated. The policies and ordinances of a city should aim to create a place where everyone can thrive, not just the rich.

My art is in the simple, intimate character study of these women. I am fascinated that such wonderful people who are kind and willing to do this seemingly impossible work were willing to let me into their lives. They did it for the same reason I want to share this story- so we can inspire a new generation of leaders who prioritize people over profits. We want to change the world for the better.

Donald Trump’s election revealed that white supremacists still walk amongst us. They were just hiding and waiting for a leader who validated their values. Covid-19 has laid bare every way the U.S. was failing its citizens before the crisis. As bodies pile up, the inequities in our society become even more highly visible -- particularly when we see who is dying.

Historically, the small community battles that people don’t pay attention to have given rise to some of our nation's greatest Civil Rights heroes. I happen to have been born in the right time to be able to film the historic uprising of women in politics, but also in that moment in history juxtaposed against a crumbling dysfunctional system giving rebirth to something new and beautiful.

Throughout the process of creating this film my community has grown. With the world in its current state of affairs, community is what is getting me through. Community made this film. This film wants to give back to the community that made it possible. The more educated and informed local communities are, the better chance we have at creating an engaged electorate.

EDITOR

Lilah (Bankier) Park began her film editing career in New York City and worked on several Sundance Film Festival Premieres including Gus Van Sant’s Gerry, Swimmers, and the documentary feature Control Room. She also edited a variety of documentary content for PBS specials such as Martin Scorsese’s The Blues, In the Life, and Independent Lens. She served as Supervising Editor on the documentary feature Manhattan, Kansas, which premiered at South by Southwest, and was a head instructor at The Edit Center, an NYC-based school responsible for helping many independent films–such as Winter’s Bone and Tadpole–reach their festival submission deadlines. After taking a hiatus to run a small hotel in the Costa Rican jungle, Lilah is thrilled to once again be collaborating with emerging filmmakers.

PRODUCER

Sara McKellogg Lane began making films in middle school, using her parents' VHS video camera and lonely neighborhood kids. After teaching English and running a women in politics program in the Marshall Islands, she moved to New York City, where she worked on commercials for brands including Neutrogena and Victoria’s Secret. A move to Denver led to six years editing for television, including various series for Giada De Laurentiis. In 2016 Sara was awarded a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Single-Camera Editing for the series “Giada in Italy.” She has spent the last four years producing, directing and editing content for nonprofits and progressive causes.