In September 2020, public radio journalist Josie Huang was tackled by police and arrested while covering a protest. The police subsequently lied about her and her actions, lies that were ultimately refuted by video from other observers.
This incident was the impetus for @shirley_moyers and I to start making Escalation, our new short film that we were honored to learn will have its World Premiere at this year’s @truefalsefilmfest
Over the course of four years, we’ve been lucky to work with an amazing team and to have garnered the trust of a dozen journalists who tell their own stories of being targeted by law enforcement in the course of covering protests.
This film would not be possible without the crucial work being done daily by the @uspresstracker@freedomofthepressfoundation and we are grateful for their work and counsel.
We have been gutted to see that the issues in our film and the importance of independent observers have renewed resonance in the current political state. And we are continually inspired by the journalists in our film, many of whom are on the ground right now in Minneapolis bearing witness.
Thank you so much, True/False.
Thanks to this great team!
Producer @shirley_moyers
Editor @jackmliv
Director of Photography @benntwons
Sound @singlemaltpapi
Researcher @yung_grammer
Executive Producers @thenirajbhatia@danimal_burks
At a time when confidence in democracy is at historic lows, #MajorityRules2025 shows how voters can reclaim power. Washington D.C. is part of the movement across this country where citizens are demanding more choices in our elections.
Watch now on your favorite streaming platform! Details at link in bio.
In honor of #NationalVoterRegistrationDay you can watch a new cut of the #MajorityRules featuring never-before-seen footage from the 2024 primary election reform ballot initiatives.
At a time when confidence in democracy is at historic lows, this film demonstrates how voters can reclaim power through proven reforms. Alaska's groundbreaking 2020 election changes offer a clear roadmap for fairer, more representative elections.
Stream the film on your favorite platform now! For more, head to the link in bio.
#majorityrules #documentary #vote #election2024 #democracy #CountryOverParty
@uniteamerica@ajschnack@nicktroiano
This has been an incredible year of baseball in Los Angeles and I’m so excited to watch the @dodgers in the World Series. I grew up a loyal Cardinals fan and even though I rooted for the Dodgers when I’d go to games after I moved to LA, my heart was with my St. Louis childhood team. I was so lucky to get to put an exclamation point on that baseball love with my ESPN @30for30 Long Gone Summer.
When baseball returned in 2021, I realized that after a couple decades living close enough to walk to Dodger Stadium, my loyalties were now with the boys in blue. Watching this talented and often-hobbled team come together this year to make individual history and achieve the best record in baseball, to defeat the Padres and Mets, and to keep fans on edge with way too many bullpen games for comfort, has been incredible.
From Opening Day to a Game 6 NLCS championship, it’s been great to be at the most beautiful ballpark in baseball. Glad to have shared it with the folks in these photos.
Let’s go Dodgers!
We made a movie! Thanks to @dcdoxfest for a wonderful premiere for @majorityrulesfilm . Was great to gather with so many members of our team, to celebrate with a fun party and to get a chance to talk about the film with @marypeltola and @lisa4alaska , and moderator @karentumulty .
New York City theatrical opening on June 28 at @villageeastbyangelika
🗳️ What if Americans could more easily elect leaders that a majority of voters support? A new bipartisan effort to improve elections is taking root in many U.S. communities — and the results are promising.
📽️ Check out new documentary @majorityrulesfilm , which explores whether we can strengthen our democracy by changing the way we vote. From director @ajschnack . 🎞️ Coming to select theaters from @abramorama .
Learn more ➡️ majorityrulesfilm.com
#majorityrules #documentary #vote #election2024 #democracy #countryoverparty
With Sean Baker winning the Palme d’Or yesterday, I wandered back into the archives of my old blog, when I regularly took and posted photos of friends at various film events, like these from the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards.
Surprised to see so many who are no longer with us. Lynn. Morgan. Doug. Hard to believe just 15 years later.
And lots of people who would go on to do big things and make incredible films. And the baby faces of many I am still lucky to know and call friends.
It takes a big team to make @cinema.eye.honors happen each year and I’m so grateful to everyone who has ever adopted it as their own and created something special for the teams that make nonfiction.
This year, we celebrated the 10th year that @wrgarrett has been on our team, coming aboard to save us after our infamous 4 hour show in 2014. (Was an honor to present her with our equivalent of a gold watch.)
Thrilled to have @lady_3jenn join the core team this year and make everything so much better. And oh, @zoerein , who scouted venues with me last fall until we found the perfect spot to do what we wanted. Plus @rhymeswithcat , who led our editorial and was key for our @vidiots screenings this summer.
Glad our core could salute our Doug. We miss him.
Thanks to all who make this thing run, especially the creative leads and band members @fabulousfurniture@martha.frankel@avecvousphoto@danlacey@sidsalamander@madeleineschnack@treyshields@themidnightstallion@jaysonwynkoop@ben_arred@jessicahunt08@jmpacetti and to every committee member, sponsor and supporter.
No longer a teenager!
Happiest 20th birthday to @madeleineschnack who has enriched our lives for two decades with her adventurous, inquisitive and indefatigable spirit.
It was a thrill to see them step into their first @cinema.eye.honors show this year with such aplomb, working with the production team and GUIDES as Assistant Stage Manager. That’s the first picture here.
The others are snapshots from my view of Madeleine’s year - roller coasters and hikes and vacations and zip lines and baseball games with me & @shirley_moyers . There were also concerts and movies and her first department show at UCSD.
The last picture is her and most frequent collaborator @oliver.j.brake following their brilliant duets at this year’s @transchorusla holiday show. Can’t wait for what they cook up next.
Excited for everything this year can bring and for the wonderful person they are and are becoming!
I love you, Madeleine!!
