We are sending a heartfelt congratulatory message to the Chicken & Egg-supported filmmakers selected for the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship. In its 99th year, The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation selected 188 Artists, Scholars, Photographers, Novelists, Essayists, Poets, Historians, Choreographers, Environmentalists, and Data Scientists. In the Film-Video field, 2021 (Egg)celerator grantee Jude Chehab, 2021 Chicken & Egg Award Recipient Loira Limbal, and 2018 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee Jennifer Redfearn have been awarded this honor. 

Congratulations all!

Q

dir. & prod. Jude Chehab

Q is a 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee. 

Retrospective: Jeanie Finlay

We were proud to watch one of our 2023 Chicken & Egg Award recipients Jeanie Finlay, a prominent documentary filmmaker hailing from Northern England, getting recognized with a retrospective at this year’s Big Sky Film Festival. Jeanie’s films tell intimate stories that resonate with audiences globally, and this retrospective featured 12 selections from her repertoire, including her most recent feature Your Fat Friend. Explore the full program here.

From the AlumNest

• Troll Storm – World Premiere
  dir. & prod. Eunice Lau
  prods. Brooke Pepion Swaney, Zachary Kerschberg

• American Grail: A Quest for the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker  – World Premiere
  dir. Andy Sarjahani
  prod. Jolene Pinder

• Bring Them Home / Aiskótáhkapiyaaya – World Premiere & Winner of the Big Sky Award
  dirs. Ivan MacDonald, Ivy MacDonald, Daniel Glick
  prods. Daniel Glick, Ivan MacDonald, Sarah Clarke

• Confessions of a Good Samaritan 
  dir. Penny Lane
  prod. Gabriel Sedgwick

• Dark Money
  dir. & prod. Kimberly Reed 
  prod. Katy Chevigny

• Eat Flowers
  dir. River Finlay
  prods. Alison Klayman, Cig Harvey, River Finlay, Sashka Rothchild

• Montana Indigenous Voting Rights – World Premiere
  dir. Ivan MacDonald
  prods. ACLU of Montana, Western Native Vote, Jessica Jane Hart

• Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr – World Premiere & Winner of the Mini-doc Award
  dir. & prod. Kimberly Reed 

• Unseen
  dir. & prod. Set Hernande
  prods. Félix Endara, Diane Quon, Day Al-Mohamed

The Eternal Memory

dir. & prod. Maite Alberdi

prod. Juan de Dios Larraín, Pablo Larraín, Rocío Jadue

The Eternal Memory was supported through Maite Alberdi’s 2020 Chicken & Egg Award and won awards for Outstanding Achievement in Direction and in the 2024 Unforgettables Honorees section.

Twice Colonized

dir. Lin Alluna

prods. Emile Hertling Péronard, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, Stacey Aglok, Bob Moore

Twice Colonized is a Project: Hatched 2023 grantee and was named a 2024 Unforgettables Honoree.

Q

dir. & prod. Jude Chehab

Q is a 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab Grantee that won the Spotlight Award. 

From the AlumNest

• Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games | Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Short Filmmaking
  dirs. & prods. Michèle Stephenson, Joe Brewster 

• Confessions of a Good Samaritan | 2024 Unforgettables Honorees
  dir. Penny Lane
  prod. Gabriel Sedgwick

• Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project  | Outstanding Achievement in Visual Design, 2024 Unforgettable Honorees
  dirs. & prods. Michèle Stephenson, Joe Brewster

• Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields | Outstanding Achievement in Broadcast Editing 
  dir. Lana Wilson
  prods. Jack Turner, Christine O’Malley

Post written by Communications Assistant Tess Caldwell

• 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee Against the Tide | dir. & prod. Sarvnik Kaur | prods. Koval Bhatia, Quentin Laurent | Nominated for Best Feature Documentary and Best Director

• QUEER FUTURES project How to Carry Water | dir. Sasha Wortzel | prods. Colleen Cassingham, Jess Devaney, Anya Rous | Nominated for Best Short Documentary

• 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee Milisuthando | dir. Milisuthando Bongela | prod. Marion Isaacs | Nominated for Best Feature Documentary, Best Director, and Best Writing

• 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee Q | dir. & prod. Jude Chehab | Nominated for Best Feature Documentary and Best Editing

• 2022 Chicken & Egg Award Recipient Margreth Olin’s Songs of Earth | dir. & prod. Margreth Olin | Nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Original Music Score

• Project: Hatched 2023 participant Suddenly TV | dir. & prod. Roopa Gogineni | prods. Reem Haddad, Trevor Snapp, Fiona Lawson-Baker | Nominated for Best Short Documentary

• 2020 Chicken & Egg Award Recipient Maite Alberdi’s The Eternal Memory | dir. & prod. Maite Alberdi | prods. Juan de Dios Larraín, Pablo Larraín, Rocío Jadue | Nominated for Best Editing

• QUEER FUTURES | dirs. Brit Fryer, Lindsey Dryden, Noah Schamus, Sasha Wortzel, Twiggy Pucci Garçon | prods. Jess Devaney, Anya Rous, J Wortham, Colleen Cassingham | Nominated for Best Short-Form Series

From the AlumNest

• Deadlocked: How America Shaped the Supreme Court | Nominated for Best Multi-Part Documentary
  dir. & prod. Dawn Porter
  prods. Vinnie Malhotra, Aaron Saidman, Eli Holzman

• Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project | Nominated for Best Feature Documentary and Best Original Music Score
  dirs. & prods. Michèle Stephenson, Joe Brewster

• King Coal  | Nominated for Best Cinematography
  dir. & prod. Elaine McMillion Sheldon
  prods. Shane Boris, Diane Becker, Peggy Drexler

• The U.S. and the Holocaust  | Nominated for Best TV Feature or Mini-Series
  dir. Lynn Novick, Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein

Shortlist Shoutouts

• QUEER FUTURES project The Script | dirs. Brit Fryer, Noah Schamus | prods. Jessica Devaney, Colleen Cassingham  | Shortlisted for Best Short Documentary

• Project: Hatched 2023 participant Twice Colonized | dir. Lin Alluna | prods. Emile Hertling Péronard, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, Stacey Aglok, Bob Moore | Shortlisted for Best Feature Documentary

• AlumNest project How We Get Free | dirs. Geeta Gandbhir, Samantha Knowles | prods. Kathleen Lingo, Sweta Vohra, Jess Devaney | Shortlisted for Best Short Documentary

Post written by Communications Intern Tess Caldwell

• Project: Hatched 2023 participant Bad Press | dirs. Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, Joe Peeler | prods. Conrad Beilharz, Garrett F. Baker, Tyler Graim | Nominated in the Spotlight section

• 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee Against the Tide | dir. & prod. Sarvnik Kaur | prods. Koval Bhatia, Quentin Laurent | Nominated in the Spotlight section

• 2022 Chicken & Egg Award Recipient Margreth Olin’s Songs of Earth | dir. & prod. Margreth Olin | Nominated for Outstanding Original Score, Outstanding Cinematography, and Outstanding Production

• 2021 Chicken & Egg Award Recipient Tatiana Huezo’s The Echo | dir. & prod. Tatiana Huezo | prod. Dalia Reyes | Nominated in the Heterodox section

• 2020 Chicken & Egg Award Recipient Maite Alberdi’s The Eternal Memory | dir. & prod. Maite Alberdi | prods. Juan de Dios Larraín, Pablo Larraín, Rocío Jadue | Nominated for Outstanding Editing, Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Nonfiction Feature, The Unforgettables Honorees, and Audience Choice Prize – Sharp

• 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee The Tuba Thieves | dir. & prod. Alison O’Daniel | Nominated for Outstanding Debut and Outstanding Sound Design

• Project: Hatched 2023 participant Twice Colonized | dir. Lin Alluna | prods. Emile Hertling Péronard, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, Stacey Aglok, Bob Moore | Nominated for The Unforgettables Honorees

• 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee Q | dir. & prod. Jude Chehab | Nominated in the Spotlight section

From the AlumNest

• Black Girls Play: The Story Of Hand Games | Nominated for Outstanding Nonfiction Short and Shorts List Semifinalists
  dirs. & prods. Michéle Stephenson, Joe Brewster

• Confessions of a Good Samaritan | Nominated for The Unforgettables Honorees and Audience Choice Prize
  dir. Penny Lane
  prod. Gabriel Sedgwick

• Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project | Nominated for Outstanding Visual Design, Outstanding Original Score, Outstanding Nonfiction Feature, and The Unforgettables Honorees
  dirs. & prods. Michéle Stephenson, Joe Brewster

• King Coal | Nominated for Outstanding Cinematography
  dir. & prod. Elaine McMillion Sheldon
  prods. Shane Boris, Diane Becker, Peggy Drexler

• Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power  | Nominated in the Broadcast Film Nominees section
  dir. Geeta Gandbhir
  prod. Jess Devaney

• Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields | Nominated in the Broadcast Film Nominees and Broadcast Editing Nominees sections
  dir. Lana Wilson
  prods. Jack Turner, Christine O’Malley

Post written by Communications Intern Tess Caldwell

DOCUMENTARY NEW LEADERS

DOC NYC’s 2023 Documentary New Leaders program honors figures in the American documentary industry whose work to date and potential for leadership brings greater inclusion and equity to the field. We are deeply proud to see our Program Director Kiyoko McCrae receive this honor. Kiyoko works closely with the CEO and Program staff to strategize, plan, and oversee the implementation of all Chicken & Egg programs.

Kiyoko is among 14 honorees selected for their broad range of experiences, including roles in distribution, education, community engagement, funding, social impact, organizing, and journalism. On the list is also our former staff member and friend Jaad Asante. 

Over the next year, the Documentary New Leaders will meet periodically to embark on discussions that address the issues most pivotal to their roles in the field. 

40 UNDER 40 

We are delighted to see six Chicken & Egg supported filmmakers selected in the 40 Under 40 list: Sierra Urich, Jillian Schlesinger, Joe Peeler, Jonna McKone, Rachael Dyer, and Jude Chehab. This initiative celebrates emerging talent in the documentary world, including directors, producers, cinematographers, and editors. Honorees will be celebrated at the 2023 DOC NYC festival on the festival’s website and social media channels, and feted in an exclusive cocktail reception. 

Huge congratulations to the class of 2023!

2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee Sierra Urich (Joonam):

Project: Hatched 2022 finalist Jillian Schlesinger (Hummingbirds):

Project: Hatched 2023 participant Joe Peeler (Bad Press):

Project: Hatched 2023 participant Rachael Dyer (PAY OR DIE):

Jonna McKone, producer of 2022 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee Our Daughters:

2020 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee Jude Chehab (Q):

Joonam

dir. Sierra Urich

prod. Keith Wilson

Joonam is a 2022 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee.

Get your tickets here.

Machtat

dir. Sonia Ben Slama

prods. Tania El Khoury, Cécile Lestrade, Elise Hug

Machtat is a 2020 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee.

Get your tickets here.

Milisuthando

dir. Milisuthando Bongela

prod. Marion Isaacs

Milisuthando is a 2019 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee.

Get your tickets here.

Non-Aligned: Scenes From the Labudović Reels

dir. & prod. Mila Turajlić

prod. Carine Chichkowsky

Non-Aligned: Scenes From the Labudović Reels was supported through Mila Turajlić’s 2020 Chicken & Egg Award.

Get your tickets here.

Q

dir. & prod. Jude Chehab

Q is a 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab Grantee.

Get your tickets here.

Suddenly TV

dir. & prod. Roopa Gogineni

prods. Reem Haddad, Trevor Snapp, Fiona Lawson-Baker

Suddenly TV is a participant of Project: Hatched 2023.

Get your tickets here.

Chicken & Egg Pictures | POV Shorts Co-Production Fund

POV Shorts and Chicken & Egg Pictures announced today via DEADLINE the five recipients of the inaugural Chicken & Egg Pictures | POV Shorts Co-Production Fund, which granted $120,000 for development and production funding to three short documentary projects helmed by women and non-binary filmmakers. The initiative marks the two organizations’ first joint content development project, and all films are co-productions of POV Shorts and Chicken & Egg Pictures. In partnership with Points North, the institute will welcome the grantees as an official fellowship cohort at the 2023 Camden International Film Festival (CIFF2023). 

Chicken & Egg Pictures and POV Shorts each contributed $60,000 to finance the fund which awarded three non-recoupable $40,000 grants to new nonfiction short-form works in progress or already in production. In addition to financial support, each project will receive creative, strategic, and editorial advice from the Chicken & Egg Pictures and POV Shorts teams. The completed shorts will be considered for launch on PBS via national linear broadcast and PBS Digital, which reaches an audience of 44.7 million people monthly.

Chicken & Egg Pictures | POV Shorts Co-Production Fund Grantees

En Travesti

dirs. Brit Fryer, Lydia Cornett

En Travesti explores the entangled relationship between voice, gender, and opera through those who contend with these connections daily––a trans opera singer switching voice types, a musicologist delving into the legacy of Castrati singers, a cisgender vocalist challenging conventional voice categorizations, and an otolaryngologist specializing in vocal procedures for performers. From the history of trouser roles to breakthroughs in vocal feminization surgery, the film weaves together a tapestry of present-day stories while recognizing a long history of gender nonconformity in an art form bound by the binary. 

Hold Me Close

dirs. Aurora Brachman, LaTajh Weaver

As winter gives way to spring, and spring to summer, two Queer Black women in love experience rituals of care, joy, and unavoidable pain, and a season of life together.  

The Roost (working title)

dir. Imani Dennison 

The Roost (working title) is an experimental documentary exploring the rich history of a roller skate community in Louisville, KY. Through an intimate video lens, we delve into key community members’ personal recollections of the sport and its role in navigating life amidst the challenges of a gun-violence-affected city.

En Travesti explores the entangled relationship between voice, gender, and opera through those who contend with these connections daily––a trans opera singer switching voice types, a musicologist delving into the legacy of Castrati singers, a cisgender vocalist challenging conventional voice categorizations, and an otolaryngologist specializing in vocal procedures for performers. From the history of trouser roles to breakthroughs in vocal feminization surgery, the film weaves together a tapestry of present-day stories while recognizing a long history of gender nonconformity in an art form bound by the binary. 

From the AlumNest

• Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa
  dir. Lucy Walker
  prods. Charlie Corwin, Michael D. Ratner, Miranda Sherman, Dalia Burde, Christopher Newman

• The Lady Bird Diaries
  dir. & prod. Dawn Porter
  prod. Kim Reynolds

Meet Our Program Team at Camden International Film Festival

Representing Chicken & Egg Pictures, our Program Director Kiyoko McCrae, Senior Program Manager Elaisha Stokes and Industry & Artist Development Manager Tobi Phang-Lyn will be in attendance at this year’s Camden International Film Festival. They will be bringing the Chicken & Egg Pictures | POV Shorts Co-Production Fund grantees to the festival, supporting our alumni and hosting a gathering, meeting with new filmmakers during 1-on-1 meetings, and watching as many docs as they can!

Post written by Communications Intern Tess Caldwell

Against the Tide

dir. Sarvnik Kaur 

prod. Koval Bhatia, Quentin Laurent

Against the Tide is a 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee having its UK Premiere in the Journeys section.

Get your tickets here.

Hummingbirds

dirs. Silvia Del Carmen Castaños, Estefanía “Beba” Contreras

co-dirs. & prods. Jillian Schlesinger, Miguel Drake-McLaughlin, Diane Ng, Ana Rodriguez-Falco

prods. Leslie Benavides, Rivkah Beth Medow

Hummingbirds is a 2022 (Egg)celerator Lab finalist having its UK Premiere in the People & Community section.

Get your tickets here.

Is there Anybody Out There?

dir. Ella Glendining

prod. Janine Marmot

2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee Is There Anybody Out There? is having its UK Premiere in the Journeys section. Director Ella Glendining will also be attending and participating in a conversation about the film.

Get your tickets here.

Milisuthando

dir. Milisuthando Bongela

prod. Marion Isaacs  

Milisuthando is a 2019 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee having its UK Premiere in the Memories section.

Get your tickets here.

Razing Liberty Square

dir. Katja Esson

prod. Ann Bennett, Corinna Sager, Ronald Baez

Razing Liberty Square is a 2022 Critical Issues Fund grantee having its European Premiere in the Debates section.

Get your tickets here.

Praying for Armageddon

dir. Tonje Hessen Schei

co-dir. Michael Rowley

prods. Torstein Parelius, Ingrid G. Aune Falch, Christian Aune Falch

Praying for Armageddon was supported through Tonje Hessen Shei’s 2020 Chicken & Egg Award and is having its UK Premiere in the Debates section.
Get your tickets here.

Total Trust

dir. Jialing Zhang

prod. Knut Jäger

Total Trust is supported through Jialing Zhang’s 2021 Chicken & Egg Award and is having its UK Premiere in the Rebellions section. It was nominated for the Tim Hetherington Award at the festival. 

Get your tickets here.

Q

dir. & prod. Jude Chehab

Q is a 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab Grantee having its International Premiere in the International First Feature Competition.
Get your tickets here

From the AlumNest

• Confessions of a Good Samaritan

dir. Penny Lane
prod. Gabriel Sedgwick

• Your Fat Friend

dir. & prod. Jeanie Finlay
prod. Suzanne Alizart

BAFTA-Winning and Nest-supported filmmaker Kim Longinotto is a 2023 festival edition Jury Member.

MeetMarket Projects

The 18th edition of Sheffield DocFest’s flagship pitching forum, the MeetMarket, will take place on Thursday 15, and Friday 16 of June 2023. The slate includes 48 documentary projects, in development or at production stage, to be pitched in one-to-one meetings to international and UK industry representatives and experts.

Please take a look at the Nest-supported and AlumNest projects below.

• Untitled Teesside Project
  dir. & prod. Jeanie Finlay
  prod. Charlie Phillips
  Supported through Jeanie Finlay’s 2023 Chicken & Egg Award
  
  
• #WhileBlack
  dir. Sidney Fussell, Samantha Knowles, Geeta Gandbhir
  prod. Ann Shin, Geeta Gandbhir, David Otelowo

Meet Our Team at Sheffield DocFest

Representing Chicken & Egg Pictures, our Communications Manager Mariana Sanson and Program Assistant Will Tamura will be in attendance at this year’s Sheffield DocFest. They will both be participating in the MeetMarket and watching as many docs as they can!

We are thrilled that for the first time, more than half of feature films in competition (68%) are directed by women, while 41% of all feature films are directed by women.

We are also egg-static that two of the three Nest-supported films on the lineup, Breaking the News and Q are having their world premieres! We hope to see you there.  

It’s Only Life After All

dir. & prod. Alexandria Bombach

prods. Kathlyn Horan, Jess Devaney, Anya Rous

It’s Only Life After All was supported through Alexandria Bombach’s 2019 Chicken & Egg Award and is having its New York premiere in the Spotlight+ section.

Get your tickets here.

Breaking the News

dirs. Chelsea Hernandez, Heather Courtney, Princess A. Hairston

prod. Diane Quon

Breaking the News is a 2022 Critical Issues Fund Grantee having its World Premiere in the Documentary Competition.

Get your tickets here.

Q

dir. & prod. Jude Chehab

Q is a 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab Grantee having its World Premiere in the Documentary Competition.

Get your tickets here.

From the AlumNest

• Kim’s Video – New York Premiere
  dirs. & prods. David Redmon, Ashley Sabin
  prods. Deborah Smith, Dale Smith, Francesco Galavotti, Rebecca Tabasky
  
  
• Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food – World Premiere
  dir. & prod. Stephanie Soechtig
  prods. Ross Girard, Ross Dinerstein, Kristin Lazure, Rebecca Evans
  
  
• Uncharted – World Premiere
  dir. & prod. Beth Aala
  prods. Everywoman Studios, Abby Greensfelder
  
  
• Your Fat Friend – World Premiere
  dir. & prod. Jeanie Finlay
  prod. Suzanne Alizart

Written by Spring Intern Tess Caldwell

Their programming will feature the work of a number of filmmakers from the AlumNest: Amber Fares, Jessica Devaney, Nanfu Wang, and Beth Levison; plus 2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantees Jude Chehab and 2019 Chicken & Egg Award Recipient Kimberly Reed are participating in theGotham Week (Virtual) Project Market.

Collaboration in convergence

Sunday, September 19 

4:00 –⁠ 5:00 pm EDT 

A conversation with the filmmaking team behind Netflix’s Convergence: Courage In A Crisis,  where they will discuss the tools and tactics they used to create a globally collaborative film. Featuring Nest-supported filmmaker Amber Fares (Speed Sisters)

Women Owned Production Companies — Creating Your Path to Career Sustainability

Monday, September 20

10:00 am –⁠ 11:00 am EDT  

A conversation between the leaders of women owned production companies discussing the difficulties they face to produce the work they want to make and build a strategic and long-lasting career. Featuring Nest-supported filmmaker and friend Jessica Devaney (Love the Sinner)

Exploring In the Same Breath

Dir. Nanfu Wang, prods. Nanfu Wang, Christopher Clements, Carolyn Hepburn, Sara Rodriguez, and Jialing Zhang

Thursday, September 23 

1:00 pm –⁠ 2:00 pm EDT  

A conversation with the production team of In the Same Breath, directed by 2017 Chicken & Egg Award Recipient Nanfu Wang and produced by current Chicken & Egg Award Recipient Jialing Zhang.

More than money: How film commissioners and other partnerships can help nurture your next project sponsored

Friday, September 24 

12:00 pm –⁠ 1:00 pm EDT 

Panel: learn how a film commissioner can become a meaningful partner to help build the collaborations that give a more authentic dimension to film projects. Featuring Beth Levison (producer of Made in Boise) 

Free access through IGTV

Gotham Week (Virtual) Project Market

Q  (2021 (Egg)celerator Lab grantee)

dir & prod. Jude Chehab

The Gender Project 

dir. Kimberly Reed (2020 Chicken & Egg Award Recipient) 

prods. Louise Rosen & Robin Honan

AlumNest Films

• Boycott, directed by 2019 Chicken & Egg Award recipient Julia Bacha, prods. Suhad Babaa & Danel Chalfen
• HER, directed by 2017 Chicken & Egg Award recipient Geeta Gandbhir, prods. Sonita Gale & Austyn Biggers
• JFK8 (working title), directed by AlumNest filmmaker Brett Story, prods. Marianne Verrone & Samantha Curley
• Coexistence, My Ass!, directed by Nest-supported filmmaker Amber Fares, prods. Rachel Leah Jones & Rabab Haj Yahya 

Meet Our Team at CIFF

Representing Chicken & Egg Pictures, our Program Coordinator Iva Dimitrova and Filmmaker Engagement Manager Jaad Asante will be participating in the Gotham Week (Virtual) Project Market and taking meetings with women and gender nonconforming filmmakers and producers with projects in all stages of production.

Check the 2021 Gotham Week Conference here and get your tickets here.

Post by 2021 Summer Communications Intern Mariana Sanson.