Janet Goldwater and Barbara Attie
Janet and Barbara have been a creative team for over 20 years, making hard-hitting documentaries that advocate around important issues concerning women and girls. Together they have made six award-winning films for national and international broadcast, as well as a half dozen videos for educational and advocacy use. They are deeply committed to reaching the widest possible audience to create social change through the documentary medium. From the start, Janet and Barbara’s work focused on women and girls and the complex health and social justice issues that face them. Their first film, Motherless: A Legacy of Loss from Illegal Abortion, highlighted the dangers of pre-Roe v. Wade abortions and has become a fixture of many law, medical and nursing schools curricula. In the past five years their work has focused on violence against women, resulting in a series of short documentaries, What Harm Is It To Be A Woman?, that explored the aspects of violence against women in Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. In 2011, Mrs. Goundo's Daughter, an hourlong documentary about the complex issues of female genital cutting/mutilation and political asylum, was broadcast nationally on PBS. Currently, Janet and Barbara are working on a documentary about the iconic African American poet and activist Sonia Sanchez (LTA ’05).
Awarded Grants
2011
Leeway Transformation Award (LTA)
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Overview
Janet and Barbara have been a creative team for over 20 years, making hard-hitting documentaries that advocate around important issues concerning women and girls. Together they have made six award-winning films for national and international broadcast, as well as a half dozen videos for educational and advocacy use. They are deeply committed to reaching the widest possible audience to create social change through the documentary medium. From the start, Janet and Barbara’s work focused on women and girls and the complex health and social justice issues that face them. Their first film, Motherless: A Legacy of Loss from Illegal Abortion, highlighted the dangers of pre-Roe v. Wade abortions and has become a fixture of many law, medical and nursing schools curricula. In the past five years their work has focused on violence against women, resulting in a series of short documentaries, What Harm Is It To Be A Woman?, that explored the aspects of violence against women in Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. In 2011, Mrs. Goundo's Daughter, an hourlong documentary about the complex issues of female genital cutting/mutilation and political asylum, was broadcast nationally on PBS. Currently, Janet and Barbara are working on a documentary about the iconic African American poet and activist Sonia Sanchez (LTA ’05).
2009
Art and Change Grant (ACG)
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Overview
Janet and Barbara will produce a documentary video about the remarkable life and art of internationally recognized poet and activist, Sonia Sanchez. Documenting Sonia as an artist, teacher, loving family member, and committed community activist will preserve her legacy and teachings for future generations. Through crucial interviews, live readings of Sonia’s poetry, historical footage and an evocative original soundtrack, the finished piece will both chronicle and inspire artistic achievement and social change.
