Shonda Rhimes, Natalie Portman and more dive into #MeToo, equal pay fights in 'incredibly inspiring' new documentary
As the meaning of feminism continues to be stretched, politicized and largely misunderstood, a new documentary aims to bring a big dose of enlightenment and inspiration: NOT DONE, a clear-eyed look at the modern-day women’s movement that encapsulates the incredible momentum of the past seven years, complete with star power and impactful footage, is set to air on PBS to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
“We are inspired by a new generation of truth-speaking, politically active women that are changing norms and fighting with an intersectional perspective,” said Dyllan McGee, NOT DONE executive producer and founder of the film’s presenter MAKERS — a brand that aims to accelerate the women’s movement — just ahead of announcing the film from the MAKERS Conference stage in Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon. (You can watch the entire Feb. 10-12 conference, also called NOT DONE, via livestream here.)
The documentary, airing on June 30, will feature a slew of celebrity activists — Shonda Rhimes, Natalie Portman, Alicia Garza, Gloria Steinem, Kara Swisher, America Ferrera and more — and examine the head-spinning series of powerful moments and events, from the Women’s March to the still-going-strong #MeToo movement, that have occurred just since 2013.
That was the endpoint of the last MAKERS television event, a three-part documentary series about the full history of the women’s movement, called MAKERS: Women Who Make America. And McGee, through her production company McGee Media, thought it was high time for an update on all that feminist movers and shakers have been up to since then.
“Our vision throughout this process was to look to today’s most impactful trailblazers, and showcase the incredible progress that they have made in just over five years as we continue working toward longer-term change,” McGee tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “We are so thrilled, not only tell these stories, but to do our part in advancing women behind the camera. The NOT DONE team that we worked with — including everyone from the producers to the gaffer — was comprised primarily of talented women and non-binary craftspeople (with a few male allies for good measure), and we are so proud to have Sara Wolitzky make her directorial debut as the leader of this initiative.”
Among the film’s highlights: New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey giving the play-by-play of how they helped bring down Harvey Weinstein; America Ferrera, Shonda Rhimes, Natalie Portman, Jill Soloway and Tina Tchen sharing the never-before-told inside story behind Time’s Up; Olympic runners Alysia Montaño and Allyson Felix on how they held Nike accountable for its discriminatory policies against pregnant athletes; Black Lives Matter co-founders Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors on the launching of a movement; and male allies, including Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian, addressing how to be part of the solution instead of the source of the problem.
“We are hopeful NOT DONE will galvanize others to join them in this reignited women’s movement,” says McGee, “and continue to move the needle toward equality, as MAKERS has done since its inception.”
The new film is presented by MAKERS and its parent company, Verizon (also the parent company of Yahoo), and is supported by P&G — a natural fit, according to chief brand officer Marc Pritchard, who has been instrumental in the brand championing diversity and equality through its advertising.
“I am personally committed to do anything in my power to help achieve that equality…and that conviction is deeply personal,” Pritchard tells Yahoo Lifestyle, speaking about his “moment of clarity.” It came at an early point in his career, when it was pointed out to him what a huge difference he could make in how he chose to market products to women — something that struck him deeply, especially as the father of three daughters, he says.
“We are committed to equal representation in the creative supply chain – in our company, at our agencies, and with directors behind the camera,” he says. ”Among P&G brand builders, we are now 50/50 gender-equal. At our major agencies, we’re now 50/50 gender-equal. And behind the camera, more than half our ads are directed by women in North America and Latin America…but only 25 percent worldwide. Progress — but not done —and we won’t stop until we achieve full intersectional equality.”
Diego Scotti, Verizon chief marketing officer, is on the same page. “As a major marketer, it's Verizon's responsibility to not only talk about the importance of diverse voices, but to put action behind the words,” he tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “That is why we created the Future Fund, a $5 million fund that will support new and emerging female talent in entertainment and technology. Not Done will be the first project supported by the fund, which we are really proud of.”
Further, Scotti says, championing projects like this documentary is a way for him to enact the ideals that he’s long embraced. “I've been surrounded by strong women my whole life — my grandmother owned her own business; my mother worked, not because she needed the money, but because she wanted her independence; and my wife has made an extraordinary name for herself in the corporate world,” he explains. “Watching these women has made me personally recognize the importance of a strong female voice. I have been an ally since before I knew what it meant to be one. Now that I understand the significance, I want to do everything I can to make sure I'm being an active an ally as possible to make a real impact.”
It’s hands-off support from men like Pritchard and Scotti that’s so vital to the success of the documentary, says McGee, not to mention the brand MAKERS and the entirety of the modern-day women’s movement.
“In a time when the voices of so many talented creatives, including women and people of color, are being overlooked, I find it incredibly inspiring to see what has been a real shift in our industry,” she says. “With more institutions and companies willing to take a strong stance in subverting the status quo and championing deserving work from diverse creators, the most important step in any movement is to have the right allies. It’s truly an honor to have our film be supported by these progressive companies thanks to Diego and Marc's leadership.”
As for male allies in general, McGee welcomes them with open arms.
“History has shown us over and over again that movements and real societal change do not take place without the help of true allies. We welcome supporters that are willing to both ‘walk the walk’ and ‘talk the talk’ –– from John Legend to Leland Melvin, we’ve seen their commitment to amplifying our causes and our voices,” she says. “In fact, our MAKERS Men initiative was created in celebration of the men rising up and helping to push the women's movement forward in the work that lies ahead.”
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
Gloria Steinem says President Trump has ‘made us woke’: ‘That’s his onnly good purpose
How Jazz Jennings, Chaz Bono and Caitlyn Jenner: How the last decade changed the way we see gender
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