An Amazing New Film Project in Ethiopia

On March 8th (which is appropriate since it's International Women's Day), I will be landing in Ethiopia to shoot a film on another women's health issue that doesn't get much attention....unsafe abortion. Although nearly 70,000 women die from complications of self-induced abortions and millions are debilitated each year, it is yet to be seen as a serious public health and human rights issue. Because of the controversy surrounding the a-word, women are being shunned from receiving life-saving care, others are too ashamed to come forward for help, which all creates an environment where women are dieing unnecessarily. Despite anyone's belief about abortion, should a woman really die from it?

I'm working with the leading agency on this issue in the U.S. - Ipas (www.ipas.org) - to develop an advocacy film and campaign to bring awareness to the plight of these women through a film told by Ethiopian women, families and communities that have been affected. I'll be shooting in Ethiopia for two weeks, in two locations. One in the main capital of Addis Ababa and the other in a more remote area. The intent is to really illustrate the complexities and challenges facing women who have decided to end a pregnancy.

Please check back here for more information. I'll be posting photos and where possible video clips during the shoot.

Peace

PS This photo is from my shoot in Burkina Faso last year but I think its perfect for International Women's Day!

Bi-Racial Hair in Production

Yesterday, Zora and I spent the day shooting re-enactments of her poem, "Bi-Racial Hair" and managed to drag in her parents for cameos. We still have to shoot two more scenes but you can view the rough cut by clicking on the image below.





And a few shots from production...


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WGBH Production Grant for "Bi-Racial Hair"

Over the next month, I'll be working on another short film through a production grant I won from WGBH - Boston's PBS station. The film will be comprised of reenactments and interviews based on 13-year old Zora Howard's poem of the same name. It will air on the WGBH Lab and if selected, on WGBH as part of its Black History Month programming.

You can view the pitch here and the poem below.