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!
Jeanie Finlay’s Retrospective and Q at Big Sky Documentary Festival
We were extremely proud to see 2023 Chicken & Egg Award recipient Jeanie Finlay’s retrospective at this year’s Big Sky Documentary Festival. She was alongside (Egg)celerator Lab grantee Q, 10 supported filmmakers, and Board member Félix Endara displaying their films. Of those films, five had world premieres, and two won awards. Outstanding work all! The festival occurred from February 16 to 25, 2024, in Missoula, Montana.
Q
dir. & prod. Jude Chehab
Q is a 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee.
Retrospective: Jeanie Finlay
We were proud to watch one of our 2023 Chicken & Egg Award recipients Jeanie Finlay, a prominent documentary filmmaker hailing from Northern England, getting recognized with a retrospective at this year’s Big Sky Film Festival. Jeanie’s films tell intimate stories that resonate with audiences globally, and this retrospective featured 12 selections from her repertoire, including her most recent feature Your Fat Friend. Explore the full program here.
From the AlumNest
- Troll Storm – World Premiere
dir. & prod. Eunice Lau
prods. Brooke Pepion Swaney, Zachary Kerschberg
- American Grail: A Quest for the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker – World Premiere
dir. Andy Sarjahani
prod. Jolene Pinder
- Bring Them Home / Aiskótáhkapiyaaya – World Premiere & Winner of the Big Sky Award
dirs. Ivan MacDonald, Ivy MacDonald, Daniel Glick
prods. Daniel Glick, Ivan MacDonald, Sarah Clarke
- Confessions of a Good Samaritan
dir. Penny Lane
prod. Gabriel Sedgwick
- Dark Money
dir. & prod. Kimberly Reed
prod. Katy Chevigny
- Eat Flowers
dir. River Finlay
prods. Alison Klayman, Cig Harvey, River Finlay, Sashka Rothchild
- Montana Indigenous Voting Rights – World Premiere
dir. Ivan MacDonald
prods. ACLU of Montana, Western Native Vote, Jessica Jane Hart
- Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr – World Premiere & Winner of the Mini-doc Award
dir. & prod. Kimberly Reed
- Unseen
dir. & prod. Set Hernande
prods. Félix Endara, Diane Quon, Day Al-Mohamed
Four Supported Films at Full Frame Documentary Festival
We were proud to see Light of the Setting Sun have its world premiere at Full Frame Documentary Festival. There were also three supported films and three alumni filmmakers in this years’ lineup. This edition marked the festival’s return to in-person activities and took place in Durham, North Carolina from April 3 to 6.
We would like to highlight the world premiere of Julia’s Stepping Stones, directed by our beloved Julia Reichert and her partner and longtime co-director Steven Bognar during the final months of Julia’s life.
Light of the Setting Sun
dir. & prod. Vicky Du
prod. Danielle Varga
Light of the Setting Sun was a 2022 (Egg)celerator Lab Finalist and had its World Premiere.
A Photographic Memory
dir. & prod. Rachel Elizabeth Seed
prods. Sigrid Dyekjær, Beth Levison, Matt Perniciaro, Michael Sherman, Danielle Varga
A Photographic Memory was a 2020 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee.
Look Into My Eyes
dir. & prod. Lana Wilson
prod. Kyle Martin
Look Into My Eyes was supported through Lana Wilson’s 2019 Chicken & Egg Award.
Union
dir. & prods. Brett Story, Stephen Maing
prod. Samantha Curley, Mars Verrone, Martin Dicicco
Still from Union
Union was supported through Brett Story’s 2023 Chicken & Egg Award.
From the AlumNest
- Growing Up Female
dirs. & prods. Julia Reichert, Jim Klein
- Julia’s Stepping Stones
dirs. Julia Reichert, Steve Bognar
prod. Steve Bognar
- Luther: Never Too Much
dir. Dawn Porter
prods. Trish D. Chetty, Ged Doherty, Jamie Foxx, Datari Turner, Leah Smith
- Power
dir. & prod. Yance Ford
prods. Netsanet Negussie, Sweta Vohra, Jess Devaney
Three Chicken & Egg Pictures Supported Films at FIFDH!
Chicken & Egg Pictures was proud to see three supported films and two alumni films at the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights Geneva (FIFDH) held from March 11 and March 15. The annual festival runs parallel to the main session of the UN Human Rights Council, utilizing cinema’s power to highlight struggles and denounce violations wherever they occur.
Members of our community also participated in the forum and pro sessions. 2019 (Egg)celerator Lab Grantee Ella Glendining participated in the panel For an inclusive and antivalidist sexuality, and our Senior Program Manager Elaisha Stokes in the keynote Measuring and Reporting Impact.
Our Land, Our Freedom
dirs. & prods. Meena Nanji, Zippy Kimundu
prod. Eliane Ferreira
Our Land, Our Freedom is a 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee.
The Mind Game
dirs. Eefje Blankevoort , Els van Driel, Sajid “SK” Khan Nasiri
prod. Laura Verduijn
The Mind Game is a Project: Hatched 2023 grantee.
Total Trust
dir. Jialing Zhang
prod. Knut Jäger
Total Trust was supported through Jialing Zhang’s 2021 Chicken & Egg Award.
From the AlumNest
- Another Body
dirs. & prods. Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn
prod. Elizabeth Woodward - We Will Not Fade Away
dir. Alisa Kovalenko
prods. Valery Kalmykov, Oleksiy Kobelev
10 Community SIMA Award Wins & Mentions
Last month, SIMA, the nonprofit impact media agency that celebrates, curates, and distributes documentaries and creative media projects that advance positive social change, announced the winners of the 12th annual Social Impact Media Awards. Of the 2024 winners, we were proud to have five supported films and two filmmakers win awards, and three alumni films and filmmakers receive special mentions. Congratulations to all those strong social impact leaders recognized in this year’s awards.
Eat Bitter
dirs. Ningyi Sun, Pascale Appora-Gnekindy
prod. Mathieu Faure
Eat Bitter is a 2022 (Egg)celerator Lab finalist who won the award for Best Cinematography.
PAY OR DIE
dirs. & prods. Rachael Dyer, Scott Alexander Ruderman
prod. Yael Melamede
PAY OR DIE is a Project: Hatched 2023 grantee and won the Systemic Change Award (Sponsored by the Foundation for Systemic Change (FSC)).
The Eternal Memory
dir. & prod. Maite Alberdi
prod. Juan de Dios Larraín, Pablo Larraín, Rocío Jadue
The Eternal Memory was supported through Maite Alberdi’s 2020 Chicken & Egg Award and won the award for Best Director.
The Script
dir. Brit Fryer, Noah Schamus
prod. Colleen Cassingham, Jess Devaney
The Script was supported in partnership with Multitude Films as a part of the QUEER FUTURES series and won the Creative Activism Award.
Twice Colonized
dir. Lin Alluna
prods. Emile Hertling Péronard, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, Stacey Aglok, Bob Moore
Twice Colonized is a Project: Hatched 2023 grantee who won the Transparency Jury Prize.
Special Mentions
How to Carry Water
dir. Sasha Wortzel
prod. Jess Devaney, Anya Rous, Colleen Cassingham
How to Carry Water was supported in partnership with Multitude Films as a part of the QUEER FUTURES (2022) series.
Suddenly TV
dir. & prod. Roopa Gogineni
prods. Reem Haddad, Trevor Snapp, Fiona Lawson-Baker
Suddenly TV is a Project: Hatched 2023 grantee.
From the AlumNest
- Mourning in lod – Ethos Jury Prize
dir. Hilla Medalia
prod. Sheila Nevins - This Is Where I Learned Not To Sleep – Humanitas Award
dirs. & prods. Kirsten Kelly & Anne de Mare
prod. Andrew Schwertfeger - Who I Am Not – Special Mention
dir. Tunde Skovran
prods. Andrei Zinca, Danielle Turkov, Paul Cadieux, Patrick Hamm, Amy Shepherd, Edith Weil, Daniel Szandtner, Janos Kovacs
Post written by Communications Assistant Tess Caldwell
Supported films at the SXSW Film Festival
We are extremely grateful to have three (Egg)celerator Lab grantees premieres and an Alumni film at this year’s South By Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival! The festival will take place between March 8-16, 2024. Congratulations all!
7 Beats Per Minute
dir. Yuqi Kang
prods. Ina Fichman, Anita Lee
7 Beats Per Minute is a participant of the 2022 (Egg)celerator Lab and will have its World Premiere in the Documentary Spotlight.
The In Between
dir. Robie Flores
prod. Alejandro J. Flores, Kellen Quinn
The In Between is a participant of the 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab, took part in the 2018 Diversity Fellows Initiative (past program), and will have its premiere in the Documentary Competition.
Songs from the Hole
dir. & prod. Contessa Gayles
prods. Richie Reseda, David Felix Sutcliffe
Songs from the Hole is a participant of the 2022 (Egg)celerator Lab and will premiere in the Visions Program.
From the AlumNest
- She Looks Like Me
dir. & prod. Torquil Jones
prods. Lindsey Dryden, Ian Davies
Post written by Communications Assistant Tess Caldwell