Nancy Schwartzman
Nancy with Congresswoman Jackie Speier at the Sundance Film Festival 2012
Recently named one of the “10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2011” by Independent Magazine, Nancy's work explores the intersection of sexuality, new media, and the complexities of modern relationships. She is the director and producer of the documentary films The Line (Media Education Foundation, 2009) and xoxosms (May 2011). She is in development on several media and entertainment projects involving young people and sexuality.
A catalyst for social change and an innovator for women’s rights, she is part of the winning team in the Apps Against Abuse Technology Challenge – a national competition sponsored by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contest was launched in July 2011 by Vice President Joe Biden and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The Circle of 6 app is free and available for download at the iTunes store.
As featured in The New York Daily News - Anti-rape app by Sunset Park filmmaker wins White House contest
Using cutting edge media tools for story telling and activism, she is the founder and Executive Director of The Line Campaign, Inc. a 501 (c) 3 dedicated to empowering young leaders to end sexual violence using original media to inspire action. Drawing on her experience in the field of transmedia activism and advocacy, she is a much sought-after speaker, traveling to colleges, conferences, community centers, high schools and non-profits in the Unites States and internationally, including at Yale, Brown, Stanford, M.I.T., Sex::Tech, Media That Matters, and more. Using film, PSAs and workshop discussions, Schwartzman challenges thousands of students to “think twice” and to change normative sexual behavior among college youth. She opens up a dialogue about desire, consent, agency and boundaries, advising student groups, law enforcement, faculty and administration on how to foster healthier, safer and more inclusive communities.
As a campaign builder and new media consultant, she works with films and non-profits on their communications strategies, their branding and messaging, and finding the right new media platform to maximize audience engagement. She is currently the Campaign & Advocacy Director for the Sundance award-winning documentary, "The Invisible War". As an innovator in violence prevention, she works with filmmakers and organizations dedicated to ending gender-based violence to employ media and branding strategies. An early adopter, in founding NYC-Safestreets.org, an initiative active from 2003-2005, she combined cutting edge mapping technology with community surveys and business participation. Schwartzman’s work is rooted in a passion for story telling and her activism is rooted in feminism and human rights.
Schwartzman’s first documentary film, The Line (2009), premiered at the International Women's Film Festival in Tel Aviv and has screened in Toronto, Ankara, Taiwan, Liberia and continues to play nationally around the world. It is a fearless 24-minute documentary that chronicles one woman’s personal journey after she is raped – exploring the line of consent, justice, accountability and today’s media saturated “rape culture”. Launched in tandem with the film, The Line Campaign is an interactive space for dialogue about boundaries and consent. It has been lauded by the Center for Social Media and the Fledgling Fund. This multi-media campaign is the inspiration for the Australian Government's Office for Women's campaign "The Line." The Line Campaign has teamed up with Planned Parenthood, Men Can Stop Rape, SAFER and Hollaback! to do trainings, screenings and workshops.
Schwartzman’s newest documentary film, xoxosms, follows the lives and modern love of two young adults, and explores the digital intimacy that comes with social networking technology. The film highlights the internet as a bridge for lost souls, a lifeline for long distance relationships, and a place where love happens. The project is supported by the CineReach Reach Film Fellowship, premiered at the New Orleans Film Festival, had Ustream broadcast on Valentine's Day, and will play at Sex::Tech and the Rooftop Film Series.
Nancy with Mayor Greg Fischer, the Mayor of Lousiville, Kentucky. For excellence in violence prevention, he presented her with the key to the city!
Schwartzman’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Feministing, Ms. Magazine, Time Out New York “Sex Issue,” Gawker, The Village Voice, NY Daily News, MTV.com, The Feminist Review, Jezebel, Good Vibrations Magazine, Women & Hollywood, Feministe, Washington City Paper and more. Schwartzman is the recipient of grants from the Fledgling Fund, the Playboy Foundation for Social Justice in Film, the Cinereach Reach Film Fellowship, the Progressive Women's Voices program and the Sea Change Residency.
She is a graduate of Columbia University and lives in Brooklyn, NY with her partner and cinematographer, Isaac Mathes.
Stay connected on twitter @fancynancynyc and @thelinecampaign. Email at contact@nancyschwartzman.com
To schedule a college screening or speaking engagement contact:
Kevin R. MacRae
MacRae Speakers & Entertainment, LLC
(781) 829-6500 – Office
(781) 858-4210 – Mobile
contact@nancyschwartzman.com