It is my pleasure to bring a wonderful documentary to the attention of all work.life supporters. Who Does She Think She Is? is directed by Pamela Tanner Boll, the executive producer of the Academy Award winning film "Born into Brothels." I wrote a blog about it for the Huffington Post a while back (as well as on this blog). Here is a snippet:

Who Does She Think She Is? takes an in-depth look at what it really means to be an artist and a mother. Big deal, right? Wrong. The stigma against mothers that prevails throughout the working world ("they'll take time off," "they'll always have other priorities ...") seems exceptionally strong in the art world, which is notoriously difficult to penetrate to begin with. Yet, the greatest challenge that these women face is much closer to home. It is the expectation that taking care of house and home, and the kids inhabiting that home, are primarily a woman's responsibilities.

(Read the rest of the blog, which discusses the film in relation to a New York Times article by Lisa Belkin about equal parenting, here.)

In short, Who Does She Think She Is? exposes what is at the heart of the conflict that so many women face of how to balance careers and creative pursuits with their role as mothers. The portraits are sensitively drawn, the stories compelling. The topic is, above all, incredibly important.

Since the film's release, the production team has produced some follow-up videos on the artists who were featured in the film which can be found on the film's website. The film is now available to buy on DVD by going to store.emergingpictures.com. In fact, I'm so excited about the film that if you decide to buy it, I'll let you in on a little secret: type the promotional code "Lattice" and you'll get a 10% disount. Pretty sweet deal.

The minds behind the film are even hosting a National Who Does She Think She Is? Day on Nov 8.  On that day, they will be showing the film in theaters around the country all at the same time (more info on their website). The main event will be held at Symphony Space in NYC, so if you're around you can see it on the big screen there. If you buy a DVD and decide to watch it with friends, there will also be an opportunity to call in and discuss the film.

Happy viewing!

- Astri

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