Some Special Moments in May

Screening event highlights from May

Screening event highlights from May

ConnectHer

Ontario, Canada

May 2, 2025: ConnectHER Conference Building Bridges for Working Women

We are SO excited to have been part of a powerful event where women came together for connection, learning, and inspiration.

Hosted by The Gender Equality Coalition of Ontario and held in Canada every year, this conference celebrated and uplifted women in the workforce—especially in non-traditional industries—through keynote speakers, panels, and breakout sessions that were all about real talk, bold moves, and building each other up!

We proudly screened Pioneers in Skirts Friday evening — followed by meaningful conversations about ambition, equity, and change.

“The film made me think about how I hope I can make my daughters aware that they can reach their goals by teaching them to speak up.” 

“I should have brought my kids to watch it!” 

“It was a real look at gender bias. I loved hearing all the experiences in the women’s interview circles!” 

Los Angeles, California

May 25, 2025: Los Angeles International Children’s Film Festival!

Screening at The Yard Theater — a 65-seat black box-style theater and 501(c)3 non-profit located in East Hollywood, Los Angeles.

We’re excited to have had Super Human Anxiety be part of this fun-filled event showcasing the best short films for kids from around the world!

SHA
theater
LOVE
Ashley attended and had a blast speaking with the audience about the movie!
at the Yard

Watch Pioneers in Skirts In March!

Watch Pioneers in Skirts for International Women's Day!

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender equality.

IWD 2025’s campaign theme is ‘Accelerate Action’ worldwide. Why accelerate? The 2024 World Economic Forum** (WEF) report has shown that it will take 134 years (2158), or 5 five generations, to close the global gender gap, up from 131 years in 2023.

We’re moving in the wrong direction.

We must take swift and decisive steps to address the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres. As an official International Women’s Day Speaker and Supplier, we’re honored to play a role in Accelerating Action towards closing the gender gap worldwide.

International Women's Day
3 OPTIONS FOR INCLUDING PIONEERS IN SKIRTS IN YOUR MARCH INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY EVENT:

ONE: Host an impact screening of the Emmy-nominated film, Pioneers in Skirts — an inspiring feature documentary about pioneering ambition and the obstructions that hold many girls & women back from achieving their aspirations. You’re invited to join the many schools, nonprofits, government organizations, and companies who have used the power of film to foster engagement, meaningful dialogue, and positive impact!

TWO: Watch Pioneers in Skirts at home with your family & friends and discuss the content as it plays, creating a shared viewing experience. The content: recognizing and addressing perceptions and behaviors that can chip away at a girl or woman and make her feel like she must re-think her dreams.

THREE: Invite the daughter/mother filmmaker team to speak on topics of overcoming unfair obstacles, learning to be better allies, empowering the next generation, and how to make people feel included in the culture we live-work-learn in.

Pioneers in Skirts is an inspiring feature documentary about pioneering ambition. Through characters and stories, the film addresses what it is that can chip away at a girl or woman and make her feel like she must re-think her dreams.

she's a Pioneer
#AccelerateAction is a worldwide call to:
  • Build and share strategies, resources, and activity that positively impact women’s advancement.
  • Support and elevate their implementation.

 

Bring Pioneers in Skirts into your community and experience the positive progress that can be made for women everywhere!

** WEF’s Global Gender Gap Report, now approaching its 19th year, is an annual index designed to measure gender equality. It benchmarks gender-based gaps in four areas: economic participation and opportunity; educational attainment; health and survival; and political empowerment.

Featured by SXSW EDU

post screening discussion
SXSW EDU

SXSW EDU 2025 Features Pioneers in Skirts For Tackling Issues Within Education

Excerpt from SXSW EDU call for entries article —

Calling all education-focused narrative or documentary filmmakers! Don’t miss the chance to have your film shared on the big screen at SXSW EDU 2025. Submit your film by 11:59pm PT on Friday, November 15.

The film program is a vital component of the SXSW EDU program, as films carry the potential to shed light on crucial matters and shape student’s perceptions. We take pride in spotlighting powerful films that delve into various issues impacting education around the world.

Since its inception in 2013, the SXSW EDU Film Program has helped tackle issues within education ranging from hazing and sexism to promoting student advocacy and supporting neurodiverse students including ADHD, and more. Past films screened at SXSW EDU include Pioneers in Skirts, Hidden Figures, Eighth Grade and many more that have left a lasting impression and prompted thoughtful reflection.

Following the screening, filmmakers will have the unique opportunity to participate in an audience Q&A session, forging a connection between the community and the film.

Share your powerful film with a large and diverse community of innovators and educators. Apply now through November 15 to showcase your film at SXSW EDU 2025!

See You at SXSW EDU 2025

Registration is open for SXSW EDU 2025! Take advantage early for the best rate and hotel options March 3-6, 2025 in downtown Austin.

Host a Screening of Pioneers in Skirts

“Pioneers in Skirts” is a social impact film about the issues that affect a woman’s pioneering ambition. Real-life stories and frank commentary leave viewers seeing their role in the solution, feeling hopeful, and motivated to act.

Watch Pioneers in Skirts online or host a group screening at your company or community!

Originally published at https://www.sxswedu.com/news/2024/submit-your-film-to-be-shared-on-the-big-screen-at-sxsw-edu/

Universities Assign PiS as Homework :)

Watch on TV

Film can be a powerful instructional and motivational tool in the university classroom.

Pioneers in Skirts can be an effective tool in teaching complex concepts and a powerful catalyst for meaningful in-class discussions. When students watch the film, many experience the perspectives of people who are outside of their current world view and, as they process what they have seen, they are encouraged to think critically and self-reflect.

Since the launch of the film, Pioneers in Skirts has been screening in schools either in-person or streaming online, and now — we’re excited to see that professors have begun assigning Pioneers in Skirts to their students as movie-watching homework.

Assign At-Home Streaming Via The Channel List
Book An Educational Screening Event
Northern Arizona University

A facilitated post-screening discussion provides students with an opportunity to:

  • develop their communication skills
  • understand and empathize with alternative viewpoints 
  • learn to evaluate and reflect upon their own views.

Treyarch Presents: Pioneers in Skirts Conversation with Ashley Maria

Treyarch

TREYARCH NEWS// In March, we celebrated Women’s History Month, a time dedicated to recognizing the diverse experiences of women and honoring their enduring strength, wisdom, and beauty throughout personal and professional growth. As part of our commemoration, Treyarch and the Ladies Who Launch group had the privilege of hosting Ashley Maria, the creator of the impactful documentary film, Pioneers in Skirts, for a Fireside Chat. 

Pioneers in Skirts, narrated by Ashley Maria, is a thought-provoking 60-minute documentary that has been nominated for a regional Emmy Award. The film delves into the challenges that hinder ambitious women, shedding light on the stereotypes and sexism that can impede their progress, limit their potential, and force them to reconsider their aspirations. 

During the event, Ashley Maria shared insights into the film’s themes and discussed the motivation behind its creation alongside her mother, the film’s producer. The conversation was both empowering and enlightening, sparking a meaningful dialogue among attendees and prompting reflections on their individual roles in addressing gender-related challenges. 

Treyarch
Carolyn Wang with Ashley Maria

In Ashley Maria’s own words, “Treyarch has fostered an environment of welcomed & open discussion, and I’m honored our film Pioneers in Skirts could play a small part in that. I left the event saying to myself ‘THIS is why we made Pioneers in Skirts!’ The conversations we had afterwards are what keep us motivated on this journey to reaching gender equity. Thank you for having us!” 

It was truly inspiring to witness the impact of Pioneers in Skirts and to see firsthand the power of collective dialogue in driving positive change. Let’s continue to champion inclusivity and empowerment in our workplaces and communities. #WomenEmpowerment #GenderEquality #PioneersInSkirts #Treyarch #LadiesWhoLaunch #WomensHistoryMonth 

Original post: https://www.treyarch.com/studio-culture/2024/04/Treyarch-Presents-Pioneers-In-Skirts-Conversation-With-Ashley-Maria

Pioneers Awarded U.S. Department of the Air Force Contract

DAF

Press Release 

Pioneers in Skirts awarded U.S. Department of the Air Force contract for Diversity & Inclusion Training program under $40 million program

LOS ANGELES (February 20, 2024) — Ashley Maria Productions, an independent production company specializing in short and feature length professional video projects, today announced that it has been selected by the U.S. Department of the Air Force, in support of both the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, to provide a one-year movie screening package for the documentary Pioneers in Skirts.

Department of the Air Force

The Department of the Air Force officially established a Diversity and Inclusion office in 2021, with the goal of cultivating an equitable environment for all DAF personnel, by finding and fixing policies and procedures that might have adverse impacts on underrepresented troops and eliminating barriers and other practices that might impede their careers in the Air and Space Forces. 

DAF, and the broader the Department of Defense community, now have access to the film as a catalyst for meaningful conversations and planning efforts for building a culture of inclusion where every member of the Air and Space Forces is respected and valued for their identity, culture and background. 

About Pioneers in Skirts
Pioneers in Skirts is an entertaining, socially conscious impact documentary that addresses the obstacles ambitious women and girls experience. In an inspiring portrait of perseverance and determination, we see how we ALL can address the stereotyping and sexism that can chip away at a woman, limit her potential, and make her feel like she must re-think her dreams. Learn more at PioneersinSkirts.com.

About Ashley Maria Productions
Founded in 2018, Ashley Maria Productions (AMP) is an independent production services company specializing in developing and producing premium original and client-based content: film & digital platform, and production sound.

AMP has a particular focus on short and feature length professional video projects for digital or theatrical release, broadcast or cable networks in North America. Because of its commitment to telling impactful stories from diverse perspectives, AMP recently received a 2023 Emmy Award nomination in the Documentary Film — Topical category for the film Pioneers in Skirts.

See how AMP delivers what others can only imagine at Ashley-Maria.com and @AshleyMariaProductions.