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
Supported Filmmakers Win Awards at Cinema Eye Honors
We are extremely proud to have three supported films, and three supported filmmakers, take home wins at the 17th edition of the Cinema Eye Honors Awards. The awards ceremony took place on Friday, January 12 at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem. Congratulations!
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 awards for Outstanding Achievement in Direction and in the 2024 Unforgettables Honorees section.
Twice Colonized
dir. Lin Alluna
prods. Emile Hertling Péronard, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, Stacey Aglok, Bob Moore
Twice Colonized is a Project: Hatched 2023 grantee and was named a 2024 Unforgettables Honoree.
Q
dir. & prod. Jude Chehab
Q is a 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab Grantee that won the Spotlight Award.
From the AlumNest
- Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games | Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Short Filmmaking
dirs. & prods. Michèle Stephenson, Joe Brewster
- Confessions of a Good Samaritan | 2024 Unforgettables Honorees
dir. Penny Lane
prod. Gabriel Sedgwick
- Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project | Outstanding Achievement in Visual Design, 2024 Unforgettable Honorees
dirs. & prods. Michèle Stephenson, Joe Brewster
- Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields | Outstanding Achievement in Broadcast Editing
dir. Lana Wilson
prods. Jack Turner, Christine O’Malley
Post written by Communications Assistant Tess Caldwell
Best of the Nest 2023
It’s been an amazing year of remarkable growth here at Chicken & Egg Pictures as we put our 2023–2025 Strategic Plan into action. We are excited to share with you our Best of the Nest, a showcase of the incredible work we were able to accomplish in 2023, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our amazing team, the guidance of our supportive Board Members, and the generous backing from our supporters.
This year’s Best of the Nest features a summary of our year with impressive numbers, a celebration of our filmmakers and the remarkable stories they tell, an update and spotlight on all of our programs, and, of course, a heartfelt thank you to all of those who make our work possible.
Thank you for being a valued member of our community.
31 Oscar-eligible films from our community!
Congratulations to the 14 Chicken & Egg-supported films and 17 from our Alumni community on the list of documentary features and shorts eligible for the 96th Academy Awards®! We encourage you to catch these films in theaters and on streaming platforms. The Oscars® Shortlist will be announced on Thursday, December 21, so stay tuned.
Against the Tide
dir. Sarvnik Kaur
prod. Koval Bhatia, Quentin Laurent
Against the Tide is a 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee.
Find about upcoming screenings here.
Bad Press
dirs. Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, Joe Peeler
prods. Conrad Beilharz, Garrett F. Baker, Tyler Graim
Bad Press is a participant of Project: Hatched 2023.
Find out about upcoming screenings here.
Eat Bitter
dirs. Ningyi Sun, Pascale Appora-Gnekindy
prod. Mathieu Faure
Eat Bitter is a 2022 (Egg)celerator Lab finalist.
Find out about upcoming screenings here.
El eco / The Echo
dir. & prod. Tatiana Huezo
prod. Dalia Reyes
El eco / The Echo was supported through Tatiana Huezo’s 2021 Chicken & Egg Award.
Joonam
dir. Sierra Urich
prod. Keith Wilson
Joonam is a 2022 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee.
Find out about upcoming screenings here.
MnM
dir. Twiggy Pucci Garçon
prods. Colleen Cassingham, Jess Devaney
MnM was supported in partnership with Multitude Films as a part of the QUEER FUTURES (2022) series and is eligible for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film.
PAY OR DIE
dirs. & prods. Rachael Dyer, Scott Alexander Ruderman
prod. Yael Melamede
PAY OR DIE is a participant of Project: Hatched 2023.
Now streaming on Paramount +.
Plan C
dir. & prod. Tracy Droz Tragos
Plan C is a 2022 Critical Issues Fund grantee.
Find out about upcoming screenings here or watch on demand here.
Razing Liberty Square
dir. Katja Esson
prods. Ann Bennett, Corinna Sager, Ronald Baez
Razing Liberty Square is a 2022 Critical Issues Fund grantee.
The film will open theatrically in Miami on January 26 and the Broadcast Premiere will be on Independent Lens on January 29.
Reality Winner
dir. & prod. Sonia Kennebeck
prod. Ines Hofmann Kanna
Reality Winner was supported through Sonia Kennebeck’s 2023 Chicken & Egg Award.
Songs of Earth
dir. & prod. Margreth Olin
prod. Lena Faye-Lund Sandvik
Songs of Earth was supported through Margreth Olin’s 2022 Chicken & Egg Award.
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.
Now streaming on Paramount +.
Total Trust
dir. Jialing Zhang
prod. Knut Jäger
Total Trust was supported through Jialing Zhang’s 2021 Chicken & Egg Award.
Check out their list of upcoming New York screenings here.
Twice Colonized
dir. Lin Alluna
prods. Emile Hertling Péronard, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, Stacey Aglok, Bob Moore
Twice Colonized is a participant of Project: Hatched 2023.
Find out about upcoming screenings here.
Alumni filmmakers eligible for Best Documentary Feature
- AKA Mr. Chow
dir. Nick Hooker
prod. Diane Quon
- Anonymous Sister
dir. & prod. Jamie Boyle
prods. Marilyn Ness, Elizabeth Westrate
- Another Body
dirs. & prods. Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn
prod. Elizabeth Woodward
- Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
dirs. & prods. Michèle Stephenson, Joe Brewster
- King Coal
dir. & prod. Elaine McMillion Sheldon
prods. Shane Boris, Diane Becker, Peggy Drexler
- Mourning In Lod
dir. & prod. Hilla Medalia
- The Lady Bird Diaries
dir. & prod. Dawn Porter
prod. Kim Reynolds
- Victim/Suspect
dir. & prod. Nancy Schwartzman
prods. Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, Alice Henty, Rachel de Leon, Amanda Pike
- Who I Am Not
dir. Tunde Skovran
prods. Andrei Zinca, Danielle Turkov, Paul Cadieux, Patrick Hamm, Amy Shepherd, Edith Weil, Daniel Szandtner, Janos Kovacs
- Your Fat Friend
dir. & prod. Jeanie Finlay
prod. Suzanne Alizart
- You Were My First Boyfriend
dirs. Cecilia Aldarondo, Sarah Enid Hagey
prod. Ines Hofmann Kanna (prod. of Reality Winner)
Alumni filmmakers eligible for Best Documentary Short Film
- A Mouthful of Petrol
dir. & prod. Jess Kohl
exec. prod. Lindsay Poulton
- Bone Black: Midwives vs the South
dir. Rebecca Richman Cohen
prod. Yoruba Richen
- Heart of an Astronaut
dir. Jennifer Rainsford
prods. Costanza Julia Bani
- How We Get Free
dirs. Geeta Gandbhir, Samantha Knowles
prods. Kathleen Lingo, Sweta Vohra, Jess Devaney
- Rest Stop
dir. Crystal Kayiza
prods. Brit Fryer, Jalena Keane-Lee
- The Recall
dir. Imani Dennison (POV Shorts Co-Production Fund Grantee)
prod. Flor Tejada
- The Feeling of Being Close to You
dir. & prod. Ash Goh Hua
Post written by Communications Intern Tess Caldwell
The Nest at Sarajevo Film Festival
We are proud to see Chicken & Egg Award recipient Mila Turajlic’s film Non-Aligned: Scenes From the Labudović Reels and an AlumNest film on the lineup for Sarajevo Film Festival this year!
Our very own Program Manager Iva Dimitrova has also been selected as a part of the three-member jury for the Documentary Competition. The festival will take place from Friday, August 11 to Friday, August 18, 2023, and will be attended by two of our staff members. We hope to see you there!
Non-Aligned: Scenes from the Labudović Reels
dir. & prod. Mila Turajlić
prod. Carine Chichkowsky
Non-Aligned: Scenes From the Labudović Reels was supported through Mila Turajlić’s 2020 Chicken & Egg Award.
Get your tickets here.
From the AlumNest
Meet our Team at Sarajevo Film Festival
Representing Chicken & Egg Pictures, Development Manager Allison Villegas Roman and Program Manager Iva Dimitrova will be in attendance at the festival. Together, they will participate in industry events and network with filmmakers. They will also be briefly attending the Rough Cut Boutique, as well as other industry events offered through the festival’s CineLink Industry Days.
Iva will be a part of the 3-member jury for the Documentary Competition. For her role, she will be watching 20 regional films (21 countries from the Caucasus to the Balkan) that are a mix of short, medium-length, and feature-length, and award the following prizes:
- The Heart of Sarajevo for the best film
- Human Rights award for the best documentary that deals with an H.R. topic
- Special jury Award
- Best short film- Heart of Sarajevo
Post written by Communications Intern Tess Caldwell
Three Nest-supported Films at Blackstar Film Festival
We are proud to see three Nest-supported films and two AlumNest films on the lineup for Blackstar Film Festival this year! The festival will take place from Wednesday, August 2 to Sunday, August 6, 2023, in Philadelphia, and will be attended by three of our staff members. We hope to see you there!
The Script
dir. Brit Fryer, Noah Schamus
prod. Colleen Cassingham, Jess Devaney
The Script was supported in partnership with Multitude Films as part of the QUEER FUTURES (2022) series and is having its Philadelphia Premiere.
Get your tickets here.
Sol in the Garden
dirs. & prods. Emily Cohen Ibañez and Débora Souza Silva
Sol in the Garden is a 2022 Critical Issues Fund grantee having its East Coast Premiere.
Get your tickets here.
MnM
dir. Twiggy Pucci Garçon
prod. Colleen Cassingham, Jess Devaney
MnM was supported in partnership with Multitude Films as part of the QUEER FUTURES (2022) series and is having its Philadelphia Premiere.
Get your tickets here.
From the AlumNest
- Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
dirs. & prods. Michèle Stephenson, Joe Brewster
- Beneath the Surface
dir. Cai Thomas
prod. Lauren Grace Cargo
Meet our Team at Blackstar Film Festival
Representing Chicken & Egg Pictures, our Program Director Kiyoko McCrae, Industry & Artist Development Manager Tobi Phang-Lyn, and Development Assistant Kat Zhao will be in attendance at this year’s Blackstar Film Festival. They’ll be supporting our alumni films, expanding our connections with filmmakers and industry, participating in discussions about field-wide challenges, and more! The team is particularly interested in the conversations generated by the panels that speak to the politics of curation, the aesthetics of BIPOC filmmakers, disability justice, and the experiences of queer filmmakers.
Post written by Communications Intern Tess Caldwell
Our Program Team is Now Complete!
Chicken & Egg Pictures is thrilled to welcome two new Program team members to our Nest: Senior Program Manager Elaisha Stokes and Industry & Artist Development Manager Tobi Phang-Lyn.
Elaisha and Tobi are joining our team at a pivotal moment for our organization. As outlined in our Strategic Plan for 2023-2025, we’re expanding our efforts to support women and non-binary filmmakers. By 2025, our goal is to increase the number of supported filmmakers and the amount of grantmaking by 50%. Learn more about our new team members below.
Elaisha Stokes
As the Senior Program Manager at Chicken & Egg Pictures, Elaisha oversees the Chicken & Egg Award and the Research & Development grants for mid-career filmmakers. She believes that the documentary craft is a means to increase gender diversity and inclusion, both in the arts and in the zeitgeist.
Previously, Elaisha served as a Senior Producer for CBS Original Documentaries, where she oversaw several documentary series for Paramount+ and other streaming platforms. Her documentary work has been featured on National Geographic, CNN, The New York Times, and Vice and her films have screened at BFI London, the Maryland Film Festival, Brooklyn Film Festival, London Shorts and Planet in Focus. She has received awards and grants from the Nation Institute, the Pulitzer Family, the Emmy® Foundation, and the Ontario Arts Council. In 2018, she was a Sundance New Voices fellow and a Cine Qua Non screenwriting fellow. Elaisha holds an MA in Documentary Filmmaking from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.
“Making documentaries is challenging work. Filmmakers must rely on their creative vision and their perseverance to see the film through to completion. Despite assumptions that mid-career filmmakers have the necessary connections and resources to fund their projects, few organizations actually support them. Chicken & Egg Pictures is filling this industry gap by providing mentorship and funding opportunities to mid-career filmmakers, with the aim of elevating diverse voices and narratives in the documentary space. It is an honor to join this team and work to support beautiful, dynamic, and timely films by women and non-binary artists.”
Tobi Phang-Lyn
As the Industry & Artist Development Manager, Tobi Phang-Lyn works closely with the Program Director and Program team to provide filmmakers supported by Chicken & Egg Pictures with career-building opportunities, new networks, resources, and a vibrant community to deepen their craft and further develop their projects. She oversees the AlumNest and DocNest programs and is responsible for strengthening relationships between filmmakers and industry professionals.
Prior to joining Chicken & Egg Pictures, Tobi was the Membership & Marketing Manager at The Gotham Film & Media Institute where she oversaw Gotham Membership and public programming, helping independent filmmakers make valuable industry contacts, find collaborators, and advance their projects. She also led marketing efforts for the organization year-round and for the annual Gotham Week and Gotham Awards.
“I’m so inspired by how the Chicken & Egg Pictures team has imbued every part of their work with a commitment to core values surrounding equity, access, and social impact, and I’m looking forward to continuing to champion and provide filmmakers in our community with the support and resources they need.”