No Woman, No Cry tomorrow at Tribeca

In one of the all-time great gigs of my doc "career", I was recently hired as story consultant by perhaps the world's most beautiful woman, Christy Turlington Burns, for her film No Woman, No Cry.  It turns out Christy is one of the world's nicest people, too, and when it comes to the subject of public health, one of the smartest.

For those who think super-models are all airheads, No Woman, No Cry is going to be a whopping surprise.  It's a very strong and urgent documentary on the subject of worldwide maternal mortality, shot in four countries by the hugely talented Kirsten Johnson and produced by Dallas Brennan Rexer.  It's having its world premiere tomorrow at the Tribeca Film Festival and they just added another screening since all the others have sold out.

On the eve of her first public showing, I'm really excited for Christy and Dallas and the entire team.  And now, after all that effort, I hope they can enjoy themselves this week and bask in the glory.  Because, as we all know, now that the film is finished, their work is only half done.

Comments

[ivan de monbrison]

Hello (i've just sent you the same not on the 51th birch street website but i dunno if you'll read it so i am trying this blog too, sorry i don't want to seem harrassing you)
i've just seen your movie 51st birch street about the story of your mother's death.
first i loved it, it is the second time i see it on tv and i enjoyed it as much as the first time
which questions also what is fiction and what is documentary in this art form which is film.
i am myself a painter and have lost my father and am 42 right now.
just wanted to give you some feedback from my point of view.
in many ways there is something sweedish in an ingmar bergman 's way about your movie.
in europe it could only have been sweedish, the aloofness of the characters presented, intelligence taking the upper and on feelings, not that your movie or characters are lacking of it but analysis is everywhere in your mother's mind and in yours..what i mean is that if the same movie were to be made by a brazilian or african filmaker it would have been much more emotional and not so intellectual.
so in many way it looks like intelligence was your mother's tool to face life and the lack of warmth she encountered and that the movie uses the same pattern. The other thing i saw was weath, i mean in some way a form of corruption a subtle one in the fact that material facility came over direct feelings. I am writting that but on the other hand it struck me how much your father seems to be gentle and kind, so it is puzzling for the spectator. Maybe it could also adress then the very foundations of a modern family, you have material security so you should sacrify your inner world to it.
i am sorry this seems to be messy but english is not my langage and i am not sure why i am writing this.
best
ivan de monbrison

ps:So my guess is that this film is a meta-film about what is it to be an artist if not to tell one’s story behind a curtain. Here there is no veil, the roots and the fruits are seen at once, the roots: family disorder and the fruits that is the result, the film itself. Why will other people relate to it is clearly exposed here while it is often veiled with other art forms or means of expressions. I think that this movie is more about why you are a filmaker that about your family’s story, i guess it makes sense..could the answer be that you, and most artists, make a piece of art to adress before anyone your one parents..my guess is yes...so you have closed the perfect circle by filming them to adress them in the form that you chose unconsciously to speak to them at an earlier stage of your life…