Chicken & Egg Pictures at Cannes Marché Du Film
We are excited to announce that we will be attending the Marché du Film at Cannes for the first time to participate in Cannes Docs’ Doc Talks, joined by Chicken & Egg Award recipients filmmakers Ilinca Calugareanu (2023), Alisa Kovalenko (2024), and 2024 (Egg)celerator Lab recipient Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest director Viv Li. Viv will also premier her short film Across the Waters in the Competition section.
2022 (Egg)celerator Lab recipient The Wife Of director Volia Chajkouskaya and 2022 Critical Issues Fund recipient Intercepted are also part of the Cannes Docs programming.
The event will take place from Thursday, May 16 through Wednesday, May 22. More details below.
Saturday, May 18
Doc Talk > Filmmakers Collectives Rising up in Eastern Europe
2:00 PM GMT+2
Volia Chajkouskaya, Irina Gelashvili, Lyuba Knorozok, Marta Krzeptowska
Moderated by Selin Murat
East and Central European countries have experienced severe upheavals in the last 10 years, from right-wing governments and active aggressive wars to external political meddling. However, documentary cinema is bursting with creativity and captivating audiences across the world. Filmmakers in the region however find themselves in double-roles, both as artists pushing boundaries of documentary filmmaking and activists on the picket lines fighting for what is theirs or in the case of Ukraine, on the frontlines of war. A conversation with these ambitious and courageous filmmakers about how their filmmakers’ collectives support their everyday struggles and successes.
Sunday, May 19
Doc Talk > Redefining Success on Our Own Terms
2:00 PM GMT+2
Ilinca Calugareanu, Alisa Kovalenko
Moderated by Jenni Wolfson
The Chicken & Egg Award provides unrestricted funding and mentorship to help women and gender-expansive filmmakers advance their creative and business goals at a critical juncture in their careers. Filmmakers Ilinca Calugareanu and Alisa Kovalenko, in conversation with Chicken & Egg Pictures CEO Jenni Wolfson, reflect on their award year and share their values, their breakthroughs, and what is at stake as they redefine success for themselves.
Monday, May 20
Special Screening: Intercepted
9:30 AM GMT+2
dir. Oksana Karpovych
prods. Giacomo Nudi, Rocío B. Fuentes
Doc Talk > Towards a Universal Values System in Documentary: Dismantling Borders for Greater Equity
2:00 PM GMT+2
Viv Li, Kiyoko McCrae, Alemberg Ang, Opal H. Bennett, Adam Piron
Moderated by Devika Girish
The Golden Age of Documentary, as the last 5 years have been labeled, may not have stabilized finances for the industry at large, but it has undeniably garnered more press and audience attention to documentaries. Our films play and win awards in the main competitions of A-List Festivals including Cannes, and are featured on the front page of major news outlets all over the world, making us more interconnected internationally than ever before. Under such scrutiny and when real life is involved, how can we work together to create a set of ethical or values-based guidelines to ensure equity, fairness, and safety? As our world currently feels turned upside down, let’s explore how our values are changing and if common ones can be agreed upon.
We Celebrate Seven Supported Filmmakers Joining the Academy
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited seven C&E-supported filmmakers to their esteemed Documentary branch. We’re delighted to uplift this wonderful acknowledgment of their talent and significant impact on the filmmaking community.
Jeanie Finaly, Rachel Lears, Elaine McMillion Sheldon, Mila Aung-Thwin, Keith Wilson, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, and Hemal Trivedi will become voting members able to participate in the Oscar nomination process and nominate new filmmakers to join the branch.
At Chicken & Egg Pictures, our mission is to shape a more equitable and just world with the catalytic power of documentary films by providing funding, mentorship and industry access to a global community of women and gender-expansive filmmakers.
As a result, let’s take a closer look at the diversity of the Oscars’ newest members. Of the entire 2024 class across all 17 branches, 44% identify as women, 41% belong to underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 56% represent 56 countries and territories outside the United States. According to IndieWire, 20% of the voting members will now be international. The Documentary branch is one of the most diverse of the 17 Academy branches, representing 52 countries. We applaud AMPAS’s ongoing evolution to better reflect and represent the world we live in.
We can’t wait to see how our supported filmmakers, and indeed the whole class of 2024, will wield this extraordinary privilege and honor. Knowing their commitment to stories and perspectives that make our world a better place, we can bet it will be powerful.
Chicken & Egg Pictures founders Judith Helfand, Julie Parker Benello, Wendy Ettinger, and CEO Jenni Wolfson are also AMPAS members.
Welcome to the Nest, Mia Dooley!
Chicken & Egg Pictures is delighted to welcome Mia Dooley to our team as Development Assistant. Mia will provide key logistical and creative support to the Development department, aiding to nurture relationships with our community of supporters. She will also have a hand in supporting all other fundraising activities, events, and processes. Previously, Mia served as an Office Production Assistant at Motto Pictures, collaborating with Oscar-nominated and award-winning producers on documentary films in all stages of production. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where her passion for impact-driven, diverse storytelling drove her to develop a major of her own creation titled Bridging Documentary and Fiction in Film and TV.
She shares, “I’m thrilled to join the Chicken & Egg Pictures team at such a critical time in the organization’s history. As we expand our programs and support, I am excited to be a part of their groundbreaking efforts to usher in a new era of filmmaking. C&E holds an essential place in the documentary industry.”
Please join us in welcoming Mia Dooley to the Chicken & Egg Pictures team. We are so happy to have her on board and look forward to growing our Development Team.
Welcoming Communications Director, Hannah Thomas
Chicken & Egg Pictures is thrilled to welcome Hannah Thomas as our first-ever Communications Director. She will lead the organization’s storytelling efforts, strategizing the narratives that amplify our work, uplift our community, and contribute to making the film ecosystem a more equitable one.
“Today marks a pivotal moment as we warmly welcome Hannah Thomas to our team as our inaugural Communications Director,” said Jenni Wolfson, CEO of Chicken & Egg Pictures. “With her strong film roots and unique communications expertise, Hannah will shepherd an exciting new chapter in our journey. We have always been ardent champions of storytellers, and now we’re poised to step into our power as a storyteller in our own right. We look forward to seeing how Hannah guides us to new heights through the power of narrative.”
Previously, Hannah served in strategy leadership roles at social impact branding consultancies BBMG and Big Duck, helping businesses, nonprofits, and philanthropies navigate complex, high-stakes challenges in order to make the world a better place. She’s worked with organizations across spheres of social justice, arts and culture, education, philanthropy, environmentalism, and beyond. Hannah got her start learning the ropes of PR and marketing in the heart of NYC’s film community at BAM and Lincoln Center. She studied Film and Comparative Ethnic Studies at Columbia University.
“My professional experiences have taken me everywhere from well-worn, squeaky seats in beloved movie theaters to plush executive chairs in boardrooms and beyond. Across it all, I remain awed by the transformative power of a story well told. I’m fiercely committed to using my career, skillset, and leadership in service of the narratives that will steer us into a whole, just, and healed future. I believe my strategy and communications know-how, as well as my passion for the mission, make this opportunity a one of a kind fit for both Chicken & Egg Pictures and myself. I couldn’t be more excited to contribute to this emergent, urgent chapter in C&E’s extraordinary history.”
Welcome to the Nest, Cristina Colón Feliciano!
Meet the newest member of our team: Executive Assistant Cristina Colón Feliciano
As Executive Assistant, Cristina manages the day-to-day activities of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). She also plays a critical role in providing support to the rest of the team toward achieving goals of the strategic plan. Prior to joining Chicken & Egg Pictures, Cristina began her career in book publishing working at Penguin Random House and with #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. She also has experience in the humanitarian non-profit sector. Originally from Puerto Rico, Cristina earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English and Creative Writing from Syracuse University. In her spare time, Cristina can be found working on her first novel and collecting miniature figurines.
“I’m beyond thrilled to join Chicken & Egg Pictures! The chance to be part of an organization that champions creativity, supports storytellers, and cultivates groundbreaking films fills me with excitement. I’m grateful for the chance to become part of such a dynamic community, where I can seamlessly blend my lifelong love for films and filmmaking”
Chicken & Egg Pictures at the Hot Docs Forum
Congratulations to Farming the Revolution for taking home the Best International Documentary Feature award at the 31st edition of Hot Docs in Toronto. The film was supported through Nishtha Jain’s 2020 Chicken & Egg Award. The festival also featured six supported films and five films from supported filmmakers in the lineup, multiple of which were premieres, and a spotlight on 2022 Chicken & Egg Award recipient Brett Story.
Our Senior Program Manager Elaisha Stokes and Program Assistant Will Tamura were in attendance at the festival and the Hot Docs Forum. This year’s Forum had “20 projects—represented by 22 filmmakers, 11 of whom are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) and 16 of whom are women—representing 18 countries” (Business Doc Europe) presenting to key funders, decisionmakers, filmmakers, producers, and observers. There were a total of 58 projects being pitched across the industry events. Among the projects were 2024 (Egg)celerator Lab grantees Anatomy of a Life, Jaripeo, War on Women, Holder of the Sky, and Matininó. There were also films from the following supported filmmakers: Leah Galant, Kelly Duane de la Vega, Mila Turajlić, Chelsi Bullard, Geeta Gandbhir, Mars Veronne, Yvonne Welbon, Carine Chichkowsky, Ina Fichman, Valérie Montmartin, Lorena Luciano, Filippo Piscopo, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller, Kenya Jade Pinto, Brit Fryer, and Sona Jo.
We are extremely proud of 2024 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee Anatomy of a Life on being awarded the Cuban Hat Award. This award, given to the best pitch as decided by Forum attendees, offers funding for powerful and unique projects. The award also includes numerous other gifts, including a feedback call with our very own Elaisha Stokes.
Learn more about the selected projects here.
Chicken & Egg Pictures at Cannes Marché Du Film
We are excited to announce that we will be attending the Marché du Film at Cannes for the first time to participate in Cannes Docs’ Doc Talks, joined by Chicken & Egg Award recipients filmmakers Ilinca Calugareanu (2023), Alisa Kovalenko (2024), and 2024 (Egg)celerator Lab recipient Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest director Viv Li. Viv will also premier her short film Across the Waters in the Competition section.
2022 (Egg)celerator Lab recipient The Wife Of director Volia Chajkouskaya and 2022 Critical Issues Fund recipient Intercepted are also part of the Cannes Docs programming.
The event will take place from Thursday, May 16 through Wednesday, May 22. More details below.
Saturday, May 18
Doc Talk > Filmmakers Collectives Rising up in Eastern Europe
2:00 PM GMT+2
Volia Chajkouskaya, Irina Gelashvili, Lyuba Knorozok, Marta Krzeptowska
Moderated by Selin Murat
East and Central European countries have experienced severe upheavals in the last 10 years, from right-wing governments and active aggressive wars to external political meddling. However, documentary cinema is bursting with creativity and captivating audiences across the world. Filmmakers in the region however find themselves in double-roles, both as artists pushing boundaries of documentary filmmaking and activists on the picket lines fighting for what is theirs or in the case of Ukraine, on the frontlines of war. A conversation with these ambitious and courageous filmmakers about how their filmmakers’ collectives support their everyday struggles and successes.
Sunday, May 19
Doc Talk > Redefining Success on Our Own Terms
2:00 PM GMT+2
Ilinca Calugareanu, Alisa Kovalenko
Moderated by Jenni Wolfson
The Chicken & Egg Award provides unrestricted funding and mentorship to help women and gender-expansive filmmakers advance their creative and business goals at a critical juncture in their careers. Filmmakers Ilinca Calugareanu and Alisa Kovalenko, in conversation with Chicken & Egg Pictures CEO Jenni Wolfson, reflect on their award year and share their values, their breakthroughs, and what is at stake as they redefine success for themselves.
Monday, May 20
Special Screening: Intercepted
9:30 AM GMT+2
dir. Oksana Karpovych
prods. Giacomo Nudi, Rocío B. Fuentes
Doc Talk > Towards a Universal Values System in Documentary: Dismantling Borders for Greater Equity
2:00 PM GMT+2
Viv Li, Kiyoko McCrae, Alemberg Ang, Opal H. Bennett, Adam Piron
Moderated by Devika Girish
The Golden Age of Documentary, as the last 5 years have been labeled, may not have stabilized finances for the industry at large, but it has undeniably garnered more press and audience attention to documentaries. Our films play and win awards in the main competitions of A-List Festivals including Cannes, and are featured on the front page of major news outlets all over the world, making us more interconnected internationally than ever before. Under such scrutiny and when real life is involved, how can we work together to create a set of ethical or values-based guidelines to ensure equity, fairness, and safety? As our world currently feels turned upside down, let’s explore how our values are changing and if common ones can be agreed upon.
Lourdes Portillo (1944-2024)
We mourn the loss of our cherished Nest-supported and Eggspert filmmaker, Lourdes Portillo, who passed away this weekend in San Francisco at the age of 80.
Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, and raised in Los Angeles, Lourdes was a passionate and pioneering filmmaker. Known for her unique hybrid style as a visual artist, investigative journalist, and activist, she created award-winning films about Latin American, Mexican, and Chicano/a experiences and social justice for over 30 years.
Since her first film in 1979, After the Earthquake/Despues del Terremoto, she produced and directed over a dozen works. These include the Academy®️ Award and Emmy®️ Award-nominated Las Madres: The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, La Ofrenda: The Days of the Dead, Columbus on Trial, The Devil Never Sleeps, Corpus: A Home Movie for Selena, My McQueen, Al Más Allá, Señorita Extraviada, and State of Grace.
Throughout her career, Lourdes tirelessly advocated for equity, diversity, and inclusion in the film industry. Her legacy will continue to thrive through her extensive work, the many individuals she mentored and supported, and those who will follow the path she paved.
Rest in power.
Three Guggenheim Fellows
We are sending a heartfelt congratulatory message to the Chicken & Egg-supported filmmakers selected for the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship. In its 99th year, The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation selected 188 Artists, Scholars, Photographers, Novelists, Essayists, Poets, Historians, Choreographers, Environmentalists, and Data Scientists. In the Film-Video field, 2021 (Egg)celerator grantee Jude Chehab, 2021 Chicken & Egg Award Recipient Loira Limbal, and 2018 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee Jennifer Redfearn have been awarded this honor.
Congratulations all!
Supported Filmmakers at CPH:DOX 2024!
The 21st edition of CPH:DOX took place from Wednesday, March 13 to Sunday, March 24 in Copenhagen, Denmark. We are proud to see that 3 supported films and 13 supported filmmakers were part of the lineup and that many of our supported filmmakers also participated in the CPH:CONFERENCE and CPH: FORUM. Some of our team was also there to participate in person to support our filmmakers. See below for more details.
- 2022 Chicken & Egg Award Recipient Brett Story’s Union | International Premiere | F:act Award & Nine to Five sections | dirs. Brett Story, Stephen Maing | prods. Samantha Curley, Mars Verrone
- 2019 Chicken & Egg Award Recipient Lana Wilson’s Look Into My Eyes | International Premiere | Special Premieres & Stranger Than Fiction sections | dir. Lana Wilson | prod. Kyle Martin
- 2022 Critical Issues Fund Grantee Intercepted | Urgent Matters & Battlefields sections | dir. Oksana Karpovych | prods. Rocío B. Fuentes, Giacomo Nudi
From the AlumNest
- And So It Begins
dir. & prod. Ramona Diaz - Bottlemen
dir. & prod. Nemanja Vojinovic
prod. Marija Stojnic - La Base | International Premiere
dir. Vadim Dumesh
prod. Quentin Laurent
- Night of Nights | World Premiere
dir. Truman
prod. Violet Feng - Marching in the Dark | World Premiere
dir. Kinshuk Surjan
prods. Evelien De Graef, Hanne Phlypo, Digna Sinke, Arya Rothe - Phantoms of the Sierra Madre | World Premiere
dir. & prod. Håvard Bustnes
prod. Christian Aune Falch, Bird Runningwater - Power | International Premiere
dir. & prod. Yance Ford
prods. Netsanet Negussie, Sweta Vohra, Jess Devaney - Silent Trees | World Premiere
dir. & prod. Agnieszka Zwiefka
prods. Heino Deckert, Sigrid Dyekjaer, Zofia Kujawska - Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story | European Premiere
dirs. Peter Ettedgui & Ian Bonhôte
prods. Lizzie Gillett, Ian Bonhôte, Robert Ford - The Black Garden | World Premiere
dir. Alexis Pazoumian
prod. Clara Vuillermoz - The Bones | World Premiere
dir. Jeremy Xido
prod. Ina Fichman - The Stimming Pool | World Premiere
dirs. The Neurocultures Collective, Benjamin Brown, Georgia Bradburn, Sam Chown-Ahern, Robin Elliott-Knowles, Lucy Walker, Steven Eastwood
prod. Chloe White, Steven Eastwood - Your Fat Friend
dir. & prod. Jeanie Finlay
prod. Suzanne Alizart
CPH: FORUM
At CPH:FORUM, top producers and highly acknowledged directors from all over the world take the stage to pitch 30 carefully selected projects of documentary features and series in the intersection of nonfiction, fiction, visual art, journalism, and science. Six films from our community of filmmakers were presented.
2023 Research & Development Grant recipient Cinderella Unbound, UK/RO
dir. & prod Ilinca Calugareanu | prod. Anamaria Antoci
Freedom (WT), DK
dir. Camilla Nielsson | prod. Signe Byrge Sørensen
In Praise of Invasive Species, CA
dir. Mila Aung-Thwin | prod. Bob Moore
The Dirty Dream, IN
dirs. & prods. Rintu Thomas, Sushmit Ghosh
The Listeners, UK/US/FR
dir. & prod. Lindsey Dryden | prod. Samantha Steele
Victor, US
dir. Stephani Victor | prods. Diane Becker, Melanie Miller, Matt Radecki
CPH: CONFERENCE
A 4-day industry event offering a range of inspiring talks with visionary thinkers, investigating current themes in documentary filmmaking, and creating an interactive and hands-on platform for exchange with other professionals of our documentary community. The theme this year was Re:Building Narratives – Accessibility And Equity In Documentary. Our filmmakers were well represented across the different activities from Tuesday, March 19 to Friday, March 22.
SOCIETY: STORIES OF OUR LIFETIMES
Tuesday, March 19
With Lizzie Gillett and Sigrid Dyekjær, producers of supported film Merkel, as keynote speakers for the Viva Independent Feature Docs section. Clara Vuillermoz, producer of 2020 (Egg)celerator Lab Grantee Polaris was a speaker in the A Conflict of Interest or an Interest in Conflict? section. Lindsey Dryden, supported through the QUEER FUTURES program, also participated in the LGBTQIA panel. Curated by 2023 Development grant recipient Derren Lawford.
FILM:MAKERS IN DIALOGUE
Wednesday, March 20
With 2022 Chicken & Egg Award Recipient Brett Story, Stephen Maing, producer of supported film Union, and Yance Ford, director of supported film Strong Island.
SCIENCE: WAYS OF KNOWING AND SEEING
Thursday, March 21
With 2023 Chicken & Egg Award recipient Lisa Jackson as a keynote speaker in the Stars: Indigenous Ways of Knowing section, and Mila Aung-Thwin, producer of 2020 (Egg)celerator Lab participant Midwives, as a speaker in the Action: Legacies of science, cinematic justice section.
2022 Chicken & Egg Award Recipient Margreth Olin is also considered an expert at the conference.
Meet our Team at CPH:DOX
Our Senior Program Manager Elaisha Stokes and Program Director Kiyoko McCrae attended and took 1:1 meetings with filmmakers.
We are proud to congratulate a longtime collaborator and advisor in our labs, Carla Gutierrez, for the international premiere of her new documentary, Frida.
Post written by Communications Assistant Tess Caldwell