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Category: Impact

Stories for how our films act as profound catalysts for positive societal change, empathy, and personal growth.

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Why we’re screening at home, for now

It certainly is tough for an impact film to postpone its impact.

Dear stay-at-home Pioneers,

No matter where you are in the world, COVID-19 has most likely caused your life to change. You’re sheltering at home, probably feeling much more isolated than you’d like, and adjusting to a new normal.

Since Pioneers in Skirts is a social impact film that must be seen in front of a live audience in order to do its job, this change has really affected us too. We’re sad to say that we spent the first week postponing bookings — and mourning the positive momentum we had built with the film.

That was tough. But now, we’re focused on finding new ways of using the film to impact our culture.

After a week of research and negotiations, Lea-Ann and I are proud to announce Pioneer at Home!! It’s a way for families to watch the theatrical version of Pioneers in Skirts in the comfort of their home — and an opportunity for parents to talk with their kids about stereotyping and the realities of others.

↑UPDATE ↑ since making this video we’ve broadened our online screening capabilities. Click on Watch the Film to find out how you can screen the movie online!

We all need to take care of each other, our loved ones, and our communities. As we like to say, we’re all in this TOGETHER.

Stay safe, stay healthy, stay inside!

Ashley and Lea-Ann

National Federation BPW Clubs endorse Pioneers in Skirts

Originally appearing on the NFBPWC website: here.

While screening Pioneers in Skirts at at a recent international BPW conference, I was excited to hear the message of “it’s time for us ALL to take action!” The story shows the inequities and setbacks women have experienced in the workplace, even after decades of advocacy, still perpetuate today.

It certainly is time to take action…for ALL of us to work towards an equitable culture.

The National Federation of Business and Professional Women Clubs, Inc. (BPW) have been advocating for women for 100 years, starting with an ambitious goal of achieving equality for women in the workplace. Over the years we’ve fought and won many battles, but after a century of lobbying for policy changes within governments and companies, and developing the leadership potential of women – the numbers of women in leadership positions are still dismal.

Although they hold almost 52 percent of all management and professional-level jobs, American women lag substantially behind men in terms of their representation in upper-management positions. Less than 30% are executives, and, of the companies that make up the 2019 Fortune 500 list, 33 have female CEOs.

And, American women’s representation in politics is just as paltry!

The filmmakers also dig into what can happen when ambitious girls experience bias as they grow up, how negative consequences of that bias can be prevented, and, how it’s never too late for a girl to find her ambition again.

Pioneers in Skirts is a film that makes you think and feel like you must, as an individual, take action. Reaching across aisles and instigating conversation, this film is a truly enjoyable documentary that, in my opinion, will change minds and move hearts.

Sandra Thompson, President

National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc.

About:
One of the oldest working women’s advocacy group in the world, The National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs (NFBPWC) develops the business, professional and leadership potential of women on all levels through education, advocacy, networking, mentoring, skill-building and economic empowerment programs and projects.

SAS Screening of Pioneers in Skirts

[guest blog post]

Michelle Proctor, Principal Business Operations Manager, Risk Research & Quantitative Solutions | SAS Institute, Inc.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, the Women’s Initiative Network at SAS world headquarters in Cary, NC hosted a public screening of the Pioneers in Skirts documentary. We opened the doors virtually to allow groups all over the globe to pull together audiences to participate in the festivities. There was participation from Bloomington (MN), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Marlow (UK), Toronto (Canada), Mexico City (Mexico) and Munich (Germany).

With a local audience of approximately 200 employees and members of the extended community, the goal was to bring together women and men from all over the local area to view the documentary and then have an interactive audience Q&A with Ashley and Lea-Ann.

I serve as the chair of the Women’s Initiative Network, earned my degree as an Electrical Engineer in the late 90’s and know firsthand the unconscious bias that women in technical roles face.

I prepared for the event by watching the documentary (twice) and found myself doing a standing ovation (and slow clap) at the end of the movie both times – right there in the middle of my living room!

What I love about this film is the fact that it takes a topic that is seemingly provocative and typically off limits for discussion and completely makes it safe to talk about.

This is going to be the start of a catalyst that opens the eyes of individuals everywhere to acknowledge behaviors and make changes that are going to have lasting impacts. The conversation that the filmmakers have so boldly started is like a stone being thrown into the water of a still pond — the ripple effect that it is going to make will impact generations to come.

What I am most inspired by is the hope that I now have for my ten-year-old daughter. The hope that she can be whatever she wants to be, without going through the challenges that I have been through. I honestly thought that it was normal for me to have to continually work harder than my male counterparts, from college to career.

After the movie screening, Ashley, Lea-Ann, and Snigdha Kotta, a Cloud Computing Product Manager and rising leader at SAS participated in a panel discussion that was facilitated by Jenn Mann, EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer of SAS (who was interviewed in the film).

The audience was not shy about participating in the conversation. Men and women engaged in the discussion and stayed long after the cameras stopped rolling to interact with Ashley and Lea-Ann!

Many audience members wanted to know how they can bring this film & much-needed conversation to local schools and their own children.

I am delighted to see that there is now an online viewing option that allows parents and small groups the opportunity to view the film in the privacy of their own homes.

I strongly encourage parents to view the documentary with their children and become a part of the ripple in the water as it continues to spread across the globe.

After all, an equal world is an enabled world and raising awareness against bias will help us take action to forge this equality. Become a part of the change by booking a screening today!

Michelle Proctor
Chair, SAS Women’s Initiative Network

The Women’s Initiative Network (WIN) is a community of SAS employees who empower, encourage and inspire women to pursue excellence in their careers and fulfillment in their personal lives. Members act as ambassadors for the organization and STEM careers, sharing time and expertise to develop leadership skills, expand professional networks, showcase thought leaders and attract women to careers in science and technology.

Pioneers in Skirts featured by Women and Hollywood

Women and Hollywood

Educates, Advocates, and Agitates for Gender Diversity and Inclusion in Hollywood and the Global Film Industry

It seems like every day brings more cancellations, closings, and upsetting news. The coronavirus is affecting the whole world, not least of all the artists and creators who are trying to bring their projects to fruition — and to an audience.

As such, Women and Hollywood is highlighting women-driven and women-made projects that have been impacted by COVID-19 and are now looking for outside help. Some of these projects were set to premiere at now-cancelled festivals, others have had theatrical premieres postponed. Money and opportunities have been lost, and these projects and their filmmakers need some extra financial backing if they will be able to move forward.

Each week, we’ll be updating our readers about projects by and about women that have been rocked by COVID-19 and are currently crowdfunding — including project info, why they need help, and how you can help them. Check out the first round of titles below.

“Pioneers in Skirts” (Documentary) – Directed by Ashley Maria; Written by Ashley Maria and Lea-Ann W. Berst

What it’s about: “Pioneers in Skirts” is an engaging examination of gender parity in the workplace from the perspective of a female filmmaker who was frustrated with her own problems in the film industry. Not finding many answers within her profession, she decides to expand her search to include other industries and society in general. Director Ashley Maria not only shares her own story, but she follows the journey of three robotic girls and their fathers as well as a young mother — all while traveling the U.S. to investigate solutions, speaking to fellow pioneering women, and interviewing topic experts.

How it has been affected by COVID-19: The doc had its festival premiere on October 26, 2019, and had planned hundreds of screenings throughout March and April. The filmmaking team has been dealing with a tidal wave of cancellations and postponements, and had to change their April 5 IMAX premiere to May 30 — a date that may also be pushed back.

How to help: The filmmakers have been working with festival organizers and screening hosts to bring “Pioneers in Skirts” temporarily online. You can participate in the Pioneer at Home campaign, and watch the doc from your home.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

Halifax Screening of Pioneers in Skirts

[guest blog post] Eva Martinez, Vice-President of WIA-Canada

As part of International Women’s Day, Women in Aerospace Canada and Women in Science and Engineering Atlantic co-hosted a screening of the film Pioneers in Skirts.  We were compelled to share this movie with our community after watching it with our own teenage daughters; in large part because of the quality of the conversations that the film triggered between us and our daughters.

The film and the story that it tells established a safe platform for us moms to share our own career experiences and in turn, for our daughters to speak about their own ambition and the lens through which they see their futures.

We wanted more people to have those same powerful conversations.

The turnout at our screening – before COVID-19 paralyzed our communities – was a diverse mix of students, educators, parents, and career men and women.  Their attendance a testament acknowledging the role they play in closing the gender gap in the workplace; everyone plays a part.  This incredible movie about ambition was the perfect way to initiate reflection and discussion about the erosion of women’s career ambitions and what can be done to combat the biases that threaten a woman’s potential.

From the opening sequence, a montage of news stories about the gender-based challenges women face in the workplace, to the parting scenes as the credits roll, the movie grabs and holds everyone’s attention.  After the film, we asked the participants to reflect and discuss the scenes or moment that had the biggest impact on them; what they felt the main message of the film was; and what everyone can do to help young women as they transition from school to the workplace.

  • We saw fathers connect with the message about the role they play in empowering their daughters.
  • We heard stories of women successfully navigating the barriers.
  • We celebrated the successes that come when boys and girls, men and women work together.
  • We acknowledged the importance of strong leadership to lead organizations through these much-needed changes.
  • We realized that coming together only strengthens our voices and our confidence to call out gender biases.

The takeaways were “we are not alone,” “we’re all in this together,” and “we all have the power to drive change.”

I strongly encourage families to come together, watch the film, and talk about it afterwards – especially as you practice social distancing around COVID-19.  Parents should talk about their own experiences and the skills they’ve developed to combat gender biases in the workplace.  Students should be encouraged to let their ambition fuel their goals and to see that there is immeasurable power in tackling these biases together instead of trying to confront these alone.

Through these conversations, we see that gender parity is an achievable goal and that the more we talk about it, the stronger we become.

Eva Martinez, Vice President, Women in Aerospace Canada