Works-In-Progress Full Program

Join us for a moderated conversation with film professionals and advisors as they review clips of three works-in-progress and help the filmmakers push their films to the next level.

Works-in-Progress Films

Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
The story of acclaimed poet, Nikki Giovanni and the revolutionary historical periods through which she lived—from the Civil Rights and Black Arts Movement, to present–day Black Lives Matter. Combining visually innovative treatments of her poetry, along with intimate vérité, rich archival footage, and Giovanni’s own captivating contemporary performances, Going to Mars reveals the enduring influence of one of America’s greatest living artists and social

Represent
Represent is an intimate look at first-time, female candidates running for state and local office across the Midwest. The film follows three parallel stories over two years: Myya Jones, a 22-year-old recent graduate running for Mayor of Detroit, Bryn Bird, a produce farmer in rural Ohio fighting for progressive values as township trustee, and Julie Cho, a conservative Korean immigrant running for State Representative in Illinois. With behind-the-scenes verité and thought-provoking archival, Represent takes a tender, nuanced approach to politics and sets these three deeply personal stories against the backdrop of women’s representation in our democracy.

Surge
SURGE is about this extraordinary moment, when an unprecedented number of first-time female candidates ran, won and upended conventional politics in 2018. SURGE follows three candidates – Lauren Underwood in Illinois, Jana Lynne Sanchez in Texas, and Liz Watson in Indiana – on their exhaustive and exhilarating journeys to election day. Each woman looked to flip their red districts blue in campaigns founded on seeking justice, pushing back on hate and protecting the vulnerable.