Unapologetic + #GivingTuesday

This Giving Tuesday, Unapologetic film is seeking to raise money to close the $40,000 gap for our editing team. Please join us at this critical juncture in and make a tax-deductible contribution to help us reach our goal.

Photo by Bob Simpson

Unapologetic is a feature-length documentary that serves as an intimate peek into the Movement for Black Lives in Chicago through the experiences of two young, Black queer women. Three years ago, in the wake of the police killings of Rekia Boyd and Laquan McDonald, young Black people throughout the city began to organize around their grief and righteous rage. As a young Black woman present in this pivotal moment, I began to document two rising feminist voices: Janaé, a 24-year-old organizer pursuing her PhD in social work while also rising the ranks of a national activist organization; and Bella, a 22-year-old raptivist from the Westside of Chicago whose artistry and activism seeks to heal women harmed by intergenerational effects of incarceration - women like herself. Over the course of two and a half years, we watch as these women grapple not only with what it means to lead a mass movement, but also to enter early adulthood as their full selves.

Photo by Tom Callahan

We have received significant support from the broader film community. Most notably, we’ve entered into an official partnership with Kartemquin Films (Hoops Dreams, The Interrupters). This allows us to access a number of in-kind services throughout post-production. As a fellow with both Firelight Media and Film Independent, I’ve attended intensive workshops in directorial vision, producing, and distribution. Believe it or not, this is still not enough. Individual donors help fill in the gap for emerging women filmmakers of color when larger institutions aren’t quite ready to invest in us. Your support to our project will aid us in this critical moment to reach a rough cut by February 2019.

No contribution is too small and every cent will go towards making a film that will impact Chicago and beyond. Every contributor over $500 will receive a “thank you” in the film credits. Make your tax-deductible donation today!

Thank you for joining us in our journey to complete Unapologetic this Giving Tuesday!

-Ashley O’Shay