Dear WIFSFBA Community,

October is a month filled with opportunities to reflect on the stories, voices, and communities that shape our world. It is LGBTQ+ History Month, National Women’s Small Business Month, and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Hispanic Heritage Month continues through October 15, and of course, Halloween reminds us of the power of imagination, transformation, fantasy, fear, and storytelling.

LGBTQ+ History Month honors the people whose courage and creativity have expanded representation and helped generations see themselves differently on screen. National Women’s Small Business Month recognizes women entrepreneurs, including the producers, production company owners, executives, artists, and independent creators who build businesses while building culture. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the enormous contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities whose stories, traditions, and artistry have profoundly shaped American culture and cinema. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is particularly on my mind this year. Within the last six weeks, two of my friends were diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent double mastectomies. I have been on the phone with them almost daily throughout their journeys, and I have been incredibly touched by their grace, strength, and resilience. Gosh, women are incredible.

But it is our stories that get us through. It is the story of how another person did it, how another woman faced the diagnosis, endured the treatment, found her strength, and made it through. These are the incredible stories we pass down from generation to generation. They give us courage when we need it most. They remind us that we are not alone. This is why I believe film is so important: stories can help us survive, heal, and find our way forward.

September is behind us, and I always feel like October is the month when we really get going. September still carries that back-to-school feeling. Summer ends, everyone returns to their routines, and it takes a minute to warm up. Then October arrives and suddenly, here we are.

And wow, what a complicated beginning to this season it has been.

The conversations happening around artificial intelligence, including some of the recent warnings coming from people inside the technology industry itself, have been mind-bending, to say the least. I have found myself talking about it at dinner parties, with friends, filmmakers, and some incredibly strong women CEOs I have been fortunate enough to collaborate with.

I keep coming back to the feeling that we are at a crossroads.

Sometimes thinking about the scale of what is happening can feel incredibly isolating. I can sit there and think, what can I possibly do? I am not going to convince everyone to throw away their computers and phones, nor would I want to. Technology is here. AI is here. So what do we do with it? How do we remain human? How do we make sure humanity is represented in what comes next? And have we lost the reins completely? Is it really the end?

Those are hero-sized questions, and I am not a hero. This I know for sure. But I am a filmmaker.

And I am the president of an organization filled with extraordinarily talented women and allies who create media, and media remains one of the most powerful forms of communication on the planet. That means we do have power.

We have the ability to tell stories that make people feel something. We can create films that challenge, stimulate, comfort, provoke, heal, and connect us. We can remind people of their humanity and of the humanity of someone whose life may look nothing like their own.

As the president of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, I understand the importance of remaining nonpartisan. But simply being called Women in Film acknowledges a history. Women fought for generations to have a voice, to vote, to control their own lives, to tell their own stories, and to have a seat at tables where decisions were being made.

And now there is another table where I believe women absolutely must be sitting: the table where artificial intelligence is being created, educated, shaped, questioned, and ultimately integrated into our lives.

We cannot simply walk away from it. We need thoughtful, intelligent, people at that table. We need artists. We need ethicists. We need diverse voices. And we absolutely need women.

Because our voices, our experiences, our histories, and our stories need to be part of what AI learns about humanity.

All of these enormous conversations have also made me ask myself some very simple questions. Why are we here? What do we want to leave behind? What kind of stories do we want to tell with the time we have?

Maybe those questions have always been there. Maybe we are just being forced to look at them a little more closely right now.

For me, the answer keeps coming back to storytelling, friendship, family, love, and trying to leave something positive behind. I want to make films that empower women. I want to tell stories that create understanding and perhaps, in some small way, help move the world toward something better. I want to be a good mother, a good wife, a good friend, a good filmmaker, and a good human being, whatever each of those things means to me and I want to be alive. And I keep wondering something else. What if we are not as divided as we are being told we are?

What if humanity, our communities, our neighbors, actually care about one another  far more than we think?

Most of us want remarkably similar things. Clean water. Clean food. Safety. Connection. Friendship. Purpose. The freedom to be ourselves. The ability to love and be loved. Our films have the power to remind people of that.

I would never presume to tell another artist what story to make. Our creations are deeply personal and, for many of us, almost a spiritual calling. But I do believe that wherever possible, we can leave little pieces of hope inside the work. We can tell stories about healing, connection, courage, dignity, equality, and love. We can remember the women who fought before us for rights we sometimes take for granted, and we can make sure the next generation knows their stories.

I have said it before, freedom of expression is the lifeblood of filmmaking. Without the freedom to ask difficult questions, explore uncomfortable subjects, challenge assumptions, imagine different worlds, and tell stories from perspectives that have historically been overlooked, our art cannot thrive.

Whatever our individual beliefs may be, our creative community depends upon the ability to tell stories and to hear stories that may not always mirror our own.

So as we move into October, I am choosing not to be afraid of this moment. I am choosing to be curious about it. I am choosing to stay at the table and see if I can do anything about it.

And I hope all of us continue asking ourselves what we can contribute through our work, our voices, our friendships, and the stories we choose to tell.

We may not be able to solve every enormous question facing humanity. But we can make something. We can tell a story. We can lift another woman up. We can listen to someone we do not understand. We can create something beautiful. We can put a little more hope, compassion, humor, truth, and love into the world.

And maybe that is not such a small thing after all.

Here’s to October, to the stories still waiting to be told, and to all of us continuing to tell them.

With love and gratitude,

Julie Rubio

President

Women in Film San Francisco Bay Area

In the documentary, “Harvest,” co-directors Natalie Baszile and her daughter, Hyacinth Parker, let the four Nelson brothers tell and show the story of family farm life in rural Louisiana, revealing all the complexities, struggles, tragedy, resilience and togetherness.

From a stunning view, high above the acres of corn, soy and cotton, the uniformed lines of growth look harmonious. At ground level, the reality isn’t so pristine. “Harvest” opens with the four brothers, who are devoted to farming and to each other, hindered by outdated, faulty machinery. 

As the documentary unfolds, it becomes apparent that the Nelsons, fourth generation family farmers, don’t get discouraged by mechanical woes, unpredictable and extreme weather, political machinations or financial setbacks. “They are battling the elements all the time,” Baszile said, who also co-produced the doc with her daughter. “It’s a climate change film, but it’s more than that. When we started filming in June 2023, they were facing the worst drought they had ever faced. In 2024, it was the exact opposite. They had to contend with biblical flooding. We tried to convey that these farmers are at the mercy of the weather all the time. They’re always having to adapt.”

“Harvest,” being screened during the Green Film Festival of San Francisco on October 20, at the 4-Star Theater, became a visual extension of Baszile’s 2021 non-fiction anthology book, “We Are Each Other’s Harvest: Celebrating African American Farmers, Land & Legacy,” which dove into the current landscape of Black farmers in America, through a kaleidoscope of mediums, such as essays, first-person interviews, photography and poems.

Baszile, who lives in the Richmond District of San Francisco, quickly took to the Nelson brothers when she first interviewed them for her book. She stayed in touch with them. “They were so delightful, charismatic and ambitious. Their brotherly dynamic was really endearing,” she said.

In November 2022 (after that season’s harvest), Baszile invited the brothers (Willie “Bo,” Willis “Shun,” Courtney “Chops,” and Adrain “A-Earl”), who range in age from mid-30s to mid-40s, to visit in San Francisco. They had never been to California. For five days, Baszile, her husband, Warrington Parker, Hyacinth and younger daughter, Chloe (currently a chef at Chez Panisse) took the Nelsons on a tour of the Bay Area, including walking across the Golden Gate Bridge. “We walked their socks off all over the city,” Baszile said. “We wanted to spend time with them and show them another slice of life.” 

On the last evening, they came to Baszile’s home for dinner. They talked about their hopes and dreams for their commodities farm in Sondheimer, Louisiana, population 200.

Baszile was inspired by their vision and perseverance. Even though she hadn’t ever directed a documentary, she asked the Nelson brothers if they would be willing to be at the core of “Harvest,” a realistic portrayal of the brothers and their families. They were up for it.

“I really appreciated they are the next generation of farmers,” she said. “When people think about Black farmers, they tend to picture old Black men in overalls, worn down by life’s difficulties. The Nelsons are the opposite of that. They are lively. They are on a mission to be some of the largest Black farmers in the U.S. I want them to succeed.” 

The Nelsons are a huge family: seven siblings with 31 children between them. The gatherings, anchored by their mother, Mary, are joyful, prayerful and feature an abundance of food prepared with love. They celebrate holidays, milestones (like high school graduations) and honor those they have lost. In particular, Zyron, teenage son of Willis “Shun,” who died in a freak accident in the fields a few years before. His interest in farming had led the family to regard Zyron as the one who would usher the Nelson farm into the next generation. The family gathers on Zyron’s birthday every year.

Baszile dreaded asking about Zyron and waited until almost the end of the shoot to address the subject. “It’s a big part of the story. It’s a big part of what drives them,” she said. “We’re not trying to make them relive that. It’s still painful for every member of that family.”

With a small film crew of seven, “Harvest” began shooting on location in the summer of 2023. 

The plan was to create a story arc from the fall harvest of 2023 to the harvest of 2024. Baszile lost count of how many location trips were made. “I don’t think any of us knew what we were really getting into. I don’t think any of us expected it would be almost two years of filming with them,” she said “We were down there every couple of months, following them around, asking questions, probing, filming whatever they were doing in their lives. We certainly didn’t know. We had never made a documentary before. We were learning.”

Aside from Hyacinth, who got her start in the documentary sphere on the FX series, “Welcome to Wrexham,” what helped the new filmmakers is that they surrounded themselves with artistic, seasoned professionals, including cinematographer Keith Walker (who has a number of credits associated with Oprah Winfrey projects) and composer Gil Talmi, who created an evocative, uplifting score. 

Guidance from Executive Producer Dawn Porter, a prolific documentary filmmaker behind 2020’s “John Lewis: Good Trouble” and 2024’s “Luther: Never Too Much,” proved to be the expertise “Harvest” needed. 

Hyacinth and Baszile wanted “Harvest” to be contemporary and have a narrative feel. “We wanted there to be suspense. Are they going to make it?” Baszile said. “The Nelsons know they must stick together if they hope to survive.” 

The film concludes at the end of the Joe Biden presidency. “People were feeling optimistic. All of that changed overnight. A lot of grants for sustainability and for regenerative agriculture that the Nelsons had been counting on for 2025 and 2026 – those were canceled. They’re suffering like all farmers are suffering” Baszile said. “They don’t complain. They’re very pragmatic.” 

“Harvest,” which had its world premiere on June 6 at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival, might not have happened if not for the success of Baszile’s 2017 novel, “Queen Sugar,” which was adapted into a drama series on OWN, executive produced by Winfrey with Ava DuVernay (“13th,” “Selma”) as show runner. Set in rural Louisiana, the series, which ran for seven seasons, centers on the lives of three siblings, who must deal with the aftermath of their father’s sudden death and decide the fate of his 800-acre sugarcane farm. “The book and the show captured people’s imaginations,” Baszile said. “The questions I was asking myself in ‘Queen Sugar’ were questions that resonated with viewers.”

Baszile, who grew up in Palos Verdes, went to UC Berkeley for undergrad, earned a master’s degree at UCLA and completed the MFA Program for Writers from the Warren Wilson College, spent 11 years working for her father in his aluminum business. “I was miserable for 10 and a half of those years,” she said. 

In 2003, she, her husband and young daughters moved to San Francisco. “This is really home. It feels like me. The vibe is me. Politically, it feels like me. Culturally, I like that it’s a little more understated. It’s not as flamboyant and conspicuous as L.A. can be. Architecturally, it’s more interesting up here. The proximity to nature is better,” Baszile said. “My soul is here.”

While promoting “Harvest” on the festival circuit, Baszile’s latest work of fiction, “Friends and Family,” was released on October 6. “It has nothing to do with farming,” she said.

Set in San Francisco, the story examines a sudden and growing conflict between two longtime close friends, Babs and Nora, following a traumatic incident involving Nora’s teenage son. Among the themes explored are race, loyalty, privilege and allyship. 

Baszile was thrilled about the collaborative aspect of filmmaking, but she still embraces the solitude of writing. “It’s me and the page and what’s in my mind. I love that process,” she said. “When it’s hard, I have no one to turn to. But I love being in that dream state, when I’m thinking about the characters and creating that world when the characters become real.”

"Harvest" will screen at the Green Film Festival of San Francisco, October 20 at 6 p.m., at the 4-Star Theater, 2200 Clement St. Director/Producer Natalie Baszile will be a special guest. The film will also stream online from October 15-22.

Greenfest Film Festival

Litquake will host a conversation between “Friends and Family” author Natalie Baszile and the East Bay’s Cheryl Dunye, trailblazing director/producer of 1996’s “The Watermelon Woman,” at the San Francisco Main Library, October 11, at 3 p.m. Litquake "Friends and Family" with Natalie Baszile

We’re thrilled to Community Partner with the 49th annual Mill Valley Film Festival!  Discover unforgettable films, bold new voices, and inspiring conversations that will stay with you long after the credits roll. 

“For nearly five decades, MVFF has been a place where filmmakers feel genuinely welcomed -- where films are not just screened, but embraced by thoughtful, curious audiences.  As the oldest fall film festival in  California,  we take pride in offering a high-profile platform while keeping the atmosphere intimate, engaged, and filmmaker-first.

MVFF has long been recognized for launching films into the U.S. market and creating early momentum in the awards season conversation. We are particularly drawn to premieres and fresh work that feels urgent, unique, and ready to meet an audience.

Our programming features both fiction and nonfiction films, domestic and international cinema.”

For Tickets:   mvff.com       #MVFF49

Submission Deadline:  August 15th - November 30th, 2026
Festival dates: April 22-25th, 2027 in Bellingham, WA

“CASCADIA International Women's Film Festival celebrates its 11th season April 22-25, 2027 to showcase exceptional films by women directors from around the world. To date, CASCADIA has proudly presented the work of more than 330 women directors. Approximately 30-40 films will be screened over the course of the four-day in person festival. An online version of the festival takes place after the in person festival to provide accessibility for those unable to attend an in-person screening and promote our filmmakers with greater audience exposure. 

 The festival is located in Bellingham, WA, a city of 100,000 in the Pacific Northwest and situated halfway between Seattle, WA. and Vancouver, BC, Canada.

CASCADIA presents programs of short subject films, feature narrative and documentary films. Festival films are followed by Q&As with filmmakers. CASCADIA also hosts networking events, including the Saturday night Directors’ Party, industry panel discussions, a Script Studio and a special reception and program with its Honored Guest. Selected filmmakers are offered complimentary accommodations through our home host program and receive a screening fee and festival laurels. 

Films must be directed by a woman, 20 minutes or less, completed or released no earlier than October 2025.”

For our community  partner support of the festival, CASCADIA is offering 50% off short film submission fees for WIFSFBA members only -- the discount CODE will be emailed to them separately.  MORE INFO: Cascadia International Women's Film Festival