The Woman who Made ‘Player Hating: A Love Story’ – A Prelude #indiefilm

In an upcoming interview that’s long overdue, I will be introducing you to Maggie Hadleigh-West, a film director who took several leaps of faith to capture the kind of stories that are not seen on your local morning (or evening) TV news shows.

Embarking on the documentary “Player Hating: A Love Story,” about a young hip-hop artist who has a record deal and plans to use his debut album as his ticket out of the projects, she risked her safety – and that of her interview subjects – to highlight the grim realities that some of us are privileged to not having ever experienced in our lifetimes.

On Maggie’s first day of production at the Brownsville Housing Projects, some neighborhood teenagers robbed her film crew – stealing their equipment and almost blowing her cameraman’s brains out with a 9mm pistol. When the rapper she was working with dropped out for safety reasons, her search for a new main character of the film led to the Albany Projects in the Crown Heights neighborhood, where lyricist Half-a-Mill (who was managed by a former NYPD detective) became the subject of this movie. Half’s protection by Brooklyn Bloods also extended to Maggie but she eventually obtained her own security while filming the rest of “Player Hating: A Love Story.”

Blood Sport, one of the founding members of the Crown Heights Chapter of the Brooklyn Bloods, was among Half’s many associates that Maggie came to know while making her movie. He lost his mother to homicide after she was raped and then thrown off of a building.

While many of us do not know what it’s like to lose a friend or loved one to such violent deaths, we all share the common grief and possibly even anger that accompanies the loss of anyone closest to us. We also know what it’s like to feel abandoned or less important to the entities that are supposed to serve and protect our communities. Yet, there is very little concern for the fires, gas leaks, missing persons and homicides that go unnoticed in the media headlines nationwide – probably due to a mentality of people not having to “deal” with the troubles that are present in what has become a melting pot for fear and hopelessness.

I have no idea how one would go about exploring, and even attempt to address, all of the issues that plague the poverty stricken areas of our nation but I’ve wondered -- how does a filmmaker -- any filmmaker -- literally put herself or himself in harm’s way for a labor of love that focuses on day-to-day realities that a lot of people prefer to avoid and/or even refuse to acknowledge? Maggie’s experiences in making “Player Hating: A Love Story” is just one example of the lengths that many filmmakers are willing to go to bring their work to fruition.  

As I try to scream and throw my hands up to rid the stress of finishing my own movie, I hope – for the sake of every filmmakers’ sanity and health, no matter where they are in the world -- it’s all worth the hassles in the end. Maggie is one of the filmmakers whose work is a reminder that some of the challenges that we face are not as bad as they seem to us at the moment. I mean, if you aren’t in a workplace or situation where it’s likely you will be shot at any given time (as Maggie and her associates were while making this movie), then chances are you’re doing just fine.

Stay tuned for an interview with one of the most daring women directors of our time!

*Also, tomorrow’s Monday Movie Meme will be posted in the evening.

My Top Ten Movie Countdown - Girl Power Edition!

Alex J. Cavanaugh’s Top Ten Movie Countdown Blogfest highjacks this week’s Monday Movie Meme. In honor of Women’s History Month, I’m remixing the Ninja Captain’s blog fest instructions for a spotlight on lady directors – in a countdown of my Top Ten Movies Directed by Women – at least, the ones that I can remember.

Some of the films on this list do not make up a comprehensive representation of my ultimate favorite movies.

What they do have in common, however, is the fact that they meet both of the following criteria: I would watch them again and I would recommend that they be watched at least once. So, the theme for this week’s Monday Movie Meme is inspired by my fellow A to Z Co-Host’s blogfest as well as Women’s History Month: Top Ten Movie Countdown - Girl Power Edition!

Share on your blog or in the comments section, your top ten favorite movies directed by women that you can think of at this moment. Also link back to this post and visit the blogs of fellow Monday Movie Meme and/or Top Ten Movie Blogfest participants.

Here are my selections – in no particular order -- for this week’s Top Ten Movie Countdown – Girl Power Edition! theme.

10. Born into Brothels

The children of Kolkata’s (or Calcutta) prostitutes learn how to use cameras and tell stories about their surroundings through art in this Oscar-winning documentary, directed by Zana Briski.

9. My Tehran for Sale

An aspiring actress is forced to lead a double life due to her country’s ban on the arts in this Australian-Iranian film directed by Granaz Moussavi. Actress Marzieh Vafamehr was arrested and sentenced to one year and 90 lashes in Iran, for appearing in “My Tehran for Sale” without a hijab.

Although she was eventually released – not without appeals from Amnesty International and the movie’s producers, there is something to be said about a person who literally risked her life to make art and aid in the freedom of expression.

8. Middle of Nowhere

A young woman’s life is turned upside down when her husband’s prison sentence creates a rough future that she didn’t ask for in this Sundance Film Festival-winning drama, directed by Ava DuVernay.

7. Player Hating: A Love Story

As he prepares for the launch of his album, Brooklyn-based rapper Half-A-Mill introduces viewers to an environment that many people would like to deny even exists in this documentary directed by Maggie Hadleigh-West. Maggie went through a heck of a time to make this movie. Hats off to her! Expect my long overdue interview with this director to be posted here soon.

6. Humpday

Two heterosexual male friends embark on making a gay porno in this comedy, directed by Lynn Shelton. What started as a drunken dare at one late night party gets serious enough to almost ruin one guy’s marriage. It also motivates both friends to question their state of overall happiness and where they fall on the quality-of-life scale. I wanted to see this movie so bad when it was showing at Rooftop Films Summer Series a few years ago – particularly because the film’s star Mark Duplass was in attendance. He is also a filmmaker and has made some funny movies himself.

Duplass aside, can you guess what’s so inappropriately awesome about “Humpday?” I especially like how at first glance, you’d have the impression that a man directed this movie. If I showed the poster and movie trailer to five random people on the street and asked them to guess the director’s gender, I’d be willing to bet my $5 IndieGoGo perk that most, if not all of them go the testosterone route.

5. Our Rhineland

Two sisters are faced with making the toughest choices of their lives in this short film, directed by Faren Humes. It is a beautifully shot and well-crafted story about an ugly part of history – the sterilization of mixed-race women. WATCH IT.

4. Just Another Girl on the I.R.T.

An around-the-way girl dates an older guy (I think…haven’t watched it since grade school) and all hell breaks loose in this movie, about teenage pregnancy, directed by Leslie Harris.

3. August Rush

A runaway orphan follows music wherever he can find it, hoping that doing so will lead him to his parents, in this drama directed by Kristen Sheridan. Despite this movie being as cliché as they come, I think it’s cute and have a soft spot for Kerri Russell, ever since “Felicity” graced the tube. I can still recall the day I went to see “August Rush” at The Roxy, a small movie theater that was independently owned until one of the local arts organizations bought it in 2012 – my bad to digress…

2.Too Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar

Who knew that Patrick Swayze could parlay a wardrobe of dresses and high heels into a Golden Globe nomination?! If you don’t know, now you know – this road trip comedy about drag queens, directed by Beeban Kidron, is one of my all-time favorite movies…I mean, ever!!! I could not only watch this flick multiple times but would definitely recommend it to anyone in need of some afternoon laughs.

1. The Leesburg 33

This documentary, directed by Shari Thompson, is about the 33 teenage girls who were locked in an abandoned military stockade in Georgia, for protesting during the Civil Rights Movement. Adding “The Leesburg 33” film to this week’s Monday Movie Meme/ Top Ten Countdown list almost has me in tears – frankly because it seems like it was just yesterday – well, more like five minutes ago that I watched this movie.

I only saw it once, yet, experience the same thoughts and emotions when the movie comes to mind – not because of the subject that it touches on, which includes racism and the illegal incarceration and abuse of minors.

To this day, I may not remember most of the details of what the girls endured during those six weeks that they were held – but I do remember something that one of them said in a scene when asked if she was angry when looking back, now as an adult, on what happened: “No human gain is every made without somebody sacrificing!” For many reasons, some that I might not even be able to explain, “The Leesburg 33” is one of the films that sticks to me – one that I will likely hold dear for the rest of my days on this earth.

What are YOUR Top Ten Movies directed by Women?

The Secret Life of Movie Characters #monday #meme #womeninfilm #amnesty

Last Monday was a big ol' fraud, as Dale at Smurfin the Web had us all trekking through fake, phony and fraudulent territory. If you think living your life is hard to keep up with this week though, imagine having to manage two lives! That’s what this week’s Monday Movie Meme is all about -- one person being different people in different places. Not necessarily like Nicolas Cage and John Travolta in “Face Off” nor like some kind of Bipolar disorder, but, more-so like Robin Williams in “Mrs. Doubtfire” -- maybe. So, this week's topic is: Double Trouble.

Share on your blog or in the comments section, movies featuring people who lead secret lives. Also, make sure to visit the blogs of fellow Monday Movie Meme participants. Here is my selection for this week’s Double Trouble theme.

Marzieh, played by Marzieh Vafamehr in “My Tehran for Sale,” is an actress banned from performing in theater, so she rehearses secret performances with an underground acting troupe. As the story progresses in this film, Marzieh seeks to find creative freedom by moving to Australia with her boyfriend, Saman. Political, financial and personal challenges, however, cause this woman to wonder why the cost of spiritual or professional fulfillment is so high, as she fights in a quest to pursue her artistic goals.

I chose this one movie for my list because although the film is set in Iran, it was made by an Australian based filmmaker named Granaz Moussavi, who was, however born in Tehran. She and actress Marzieh Vafamehr have more in common than being from Iran -- both of them are women directors who made short films before embarking on a feature length film -- one that brought them a lot of trouble back home. “My Tehran for Sale” was banned from being shown in Iran but locals still managed to watch it, by way of illegal distribution. I guess you could call that justified movie piracy for a cause if you want to look at it that way.

In October 2011, Marzieh Vafamehr was sentenced to one year in prison and 90 lashes for appearing in “My Tehran for Sale” with a shaved head and without a hijab. These charges from Iranian officials are due to Vafamehr being in an Australian film that is critical of the Islamic regime, with her head uncovered. Vafamehr’s sentence has since been reduced to three months and the lashes were overturned by an appeals court.

However controversial some people may view “My Tehran for Sale” to be, the film has still managed to gain support at film festivals and from arts and non-profit organizations including the South Australian Film Corporation and Amnesty International. I watched this movie at a one-time screening in Philadelphia and while wasn’t too keen on the atmosphere where it was presented, for a few different reasons, I am glad that I convinced myself to go check it out on one cold and rainy evening.

For those who still prefer a list of films for this week’s Monday Movie Meme, however, here is an honorable mention for the Double Trouble theme:
Disclaimer: I still have yet to watch this movie, but it is sitting in my rental queue, so it should be coming around the mountain one of these days.

The Driver, played by Ryan Gosling in “Drive,” works as a mechanic and movie stuntman while also moonlighting as a getaway driver for people pulling heists. This man is a jack-of-all-trades but interestingly enough, all of his jobs kinda compliment each other. I mean, he can using the skills from his day job to transport criminals and if a car breaks down, he can fix it no matter if this is on the set of a film studio or on the street following a robbery. The Driver seems to be able to compartmentalize his separate lives very well, until he gets tangled up with a married woman who lives in his apartment building.

Which double-life-managing movie characters come to YOUR mind?

Technorati Tags: monday+movie+meme, monday+meme, my+tehran+for+sale, smurfin+the+web, movie+meme, double+life+movies, secret+life+movies, movie+blog+meme, blog+movie+meme