Weekly Portrait: Every Body In Theaters Tomorrow
Plus: A WGA Strike Milestone, Doc Club Sign Ups, Expert Craft Talks + Workshops, And So Many Screenings
Happy Thursday, friends! Welcome to our 171 new Portrait members since last week.
Thank you to everyone who came to our party with Blue Table Post. Our launch events have wrapped… but we are just getting started on the app.
If you haven’t activated your account, don’t forget to check your inbox for an email from “Portrait Onboarding” (that goes for our founding members from the beta site as well! Our new authentication system means you have to hit that button too). Check out your new, custom-built mobile portfolio — and tell us what you’d like to see us build next.
Now let’s dive into everything you’ve built this week!
— Jean Ellen & Kasia
Co-Founders, Portrait
Roll of Honor
Premieres, Press, Awards, and Standout Member Work This Week
Premieres as Pride Month Wraps
“Every Body,” a film about the lives and experiences of intersex individuals, premieres in theaters tomorrow, June 30th. Check out this great WaPo review and shoot a note to cinematographer Amy Bench.
While you’re on the app, watch Jeremiah Glazer’s new sizzle for the ACLU’s Pride 2023 events with Janelle Monae.
Also new this week: Singeli Agnew’s jarring Fault Lines piece “The Box: 27 years in solitary confinement.”
Accolades Round Up: Shorts, Scripts, & Stand Up
Jonathan Hsu’s short “Closing Dynasty” won Best U.S. Short at the Palm Springs International Shortfest.
Quincy Cho was named a finalist in the 2023 Yes, And….Laughter Lab.
“Three Texas Women” won Best Actress and received nominations for Best Play and Best Director at the New York Theater Festival. Matthew Mills, Writer, Director, Producer.
In the News: Talking Craft, Talking Strike
New York Women In Film & Television (NYWIFT) sat down with Heather Courtney, Princess A. Hairston, Chelsea Hernandez, and Diane Quon, to discuss the making of “Breaking the News.” Read the full article here.
Check out this interview with director Monica Sorelle about the origins of her feature debut “Mountains,” exploring gentrification in Miami’s Little Haiti.
And… it’s official: All major film and TV productions in LA hav shut down due to the writers’ strike.
Screenings: Online and Around the World
Online: Sign up now for July’s Doc Club with Optimist — and receive a screener in advance. This month: A Q&A with Daniel Lombroso on his heartwarming short film, “Nina & Irena.” Thanks to Chris Temple, Zach Ingrasci, and all our friends at Optimist for hosting.
In Tennessee: Abigail Horton and Ryan Dickie’s comedy thriller “Blow Up My Life” screens at the Chattanooga Film Festival today at 4pm.
In Munich: “Queendom,” directed by Agniia Galdanova and produced by Igor Myakotin, is at FilmFest. If you’re in town, don’t miss the talk with Agniia and activist Gena Marvin.
In New York:
Producer Jennifer Plotzke and Screenwriter Eva Kantor’s film “Making Room” will screen at the Long Island Film Expo on July 22.
DominiRican Productions’ New Works Premiere and Fundraiser is this Sunday with screenings and special performances throughout the evening. Check out Cedric Leiba Jr’s post on Portrait for details.
Window of Opportunity
Weekly Jobs, Grants, Labs, Intensives, Programming, Industry Tidbits, and More
Coming Soon: Workshops and Wine. All the Wine.
DOC NYC Workshop: Gray Areas: Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Documentary Filmmaking (Event on 7/12 at the IFC Center)
Sundance Collab: How to Craft a Suspenseful Horror Screenplay (7/5 deadline)
And for those in New York without July 4th week plans… may we suggest a visit to the North Fork for some excellent wine? A huge thank you to the sponsors of our launch party, winemaker RGNY! Our garden party would not have been the same without them.
Closing Soon: June/July Deadlines
Roy W Dean Summer Grant (6/30 deadline + waivers)
Chopard x BTTL Action Grant (6/30 early bird deadline, 7/31 final deadline)
Half Initiative Shadowing Program (6/30 deadline)
IDA Documentary Awards (6/30 non-member early deadline, 7/7 regular deadline, 7/20 late deadline, 8/8 final deadline)
SFFILM Doc Film Fund (6/30 late deadline + $45 application fee)
Sustainability Labs (7/1 deadline)
DGE Directing Program (7/3 deadline)
Film Independent Fast Track (7/10 deadline)
Catapult Film Fund (7/10 deadline)
Jewish Story Partners (7/14 deadline)
Film Independent Project Involve (7/24 deadline)
AXS Film Fund (7/31 deadline)
Jobs/Gigs Roundup
Executive Producer, WCVB NewsCenter 5, Hearst Television.
Photo & Video Producer, Home, Ralph Lauren.
Open Rank Directing/Narrative Filmmaking (Posting), Northwestern University.
Segment Producer, News NOW Daily, NBCUniversal.
SENIOR PRODUCER, Radio Boston, WBUR News and Programming, Boston University.
Member Services Manager, Writers Guild of America East - WGAE.
Creative Producer, Topgolf.
Content Producer - NBC Boston/NECN, NBCUniversal.
Digital Content Producer, Content Strategy, New York Life Insurance Company.
Producer/Editor, Univision.
Trailer Editor (Union), The Walt Disney Company.
Digital Video Editor, NBCUniversal.
End Credits: Posts of the Week
Congratulations to Andrea Blake, Megan Masur, Cecilia Chien, and Aubrey Smyth, the winners of our Portrait People Scavenger Hunt at the launch party!
New connections: Andrea and Megan met for the first time and connected over their passion for documentary work and Megan’s first feature, coming soon.
Old connections: Cecilia and Aubrey first worked together when Aubrey was producing her first feature. Cecilia made introductions that were invaluable. Check out Aubrey’s film, “The Need to Know,” executive produced by 23andMe and Tribeca Studios.
Have your own story or update? Share it on Portrait and we’ll spread the word.
Until next week, friends. See you on Portrait.