NYWIFT Talks with The Cherry Picks Co-Founder Miranda Bailey

On our September 10, 2020 NYWIFT Talks, we joined The Cherry Picks Co-Founder Miranda Bailey for a Zoom conversation to discuss how The Cherry Picks has revolutionized female film critics.

This conversation was moderated by NYWIFT Board Member Rachel Watanabe-Batton.

Panelists

Miranda Bailey is a prolific producer, actor, and director, known for producing high quality independent films. Her passion for bringing compelling, well-crafted stories to the screen has been the driving force in her distinguished 15-year filmmaking career. Bailey has produced over 20 films, among them the Oscar®-nominated The Squid And The Whale and the Spirit Award-winning The Diary Of A Teenage Girl, as well as James Gunn’s Super, the Sundance hit Swiss Army Man, the critically-acclaimed Norman and the indie hit Don’t Think Twice. Bailey’s directorial narrative feature debut Being Frank premiered in the Spotlight Section at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival and was theatrically released in 2019. She assembled a decorated cast including  Jim Gaffigan, Anna Gunn, Samantha Mathis, and Logan Miller.

In 2018, Bailey teamed with Gurl.com co-founder Rebecca Odes to launch CherryPicks, a groundbreaking aggregate movie review and rating service by female critics for the female audience. The site went live April 2019 and over 800 female critics are subscribed to provide their reviews on the site. Miranda Bailey’s cinematic voice was first heard when her directorial debut Greenlit – a humorous documentary examining the hypocrisy inherent in Hollywood’s “green” movement – premiered at the 2010 SXSW Film Festival to critical acclaim and was acquired by IFC International. Bailey’s second documentary, The Pathological Optimist, follows one of the world’s most hated and controversial people, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, who laid claim to vaccines creating autism in children.  A production powerhouse, Bailey’s Cold Iron Pictures has amassed an extensive list of critical and commercial successes, including Swiss Army Man, starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe, released by A24. Don’t Think Twice, directed by Mike Birbiglia, starring Gillian Jacobs and produced with Ira Glass (This American Life) was distributed by The Film Arcade. Bailey also produced Norman, I Do…Until I Don’t, and the Sundance hit documentary The Untitled Amazing Johnathan. Presently, Bailey is producing the thriller God’s Country, starring Thandie Newton. Bailey is set to continue her success with upcoming producing projects such as Camille Perri’s The Assistants and Raised Eyebrows, among other titles she is currently developing.

Rachel Watanabe-Batton has produced film, tv and pop culture for over 20 years in development and physical production. She founded Contradiction and Struggle to champion global stories that reframe history and culture and connect cinema, causes and capital. Projects include documentary Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl directed by NYWIFT Muse Julie Dash and narrative series 1850 about mixing and migration. Her work has been supported by IFP, NEH, NEA, BPM, Ford Foundation and Radcliffe. 

A longtime advocate for empowering women, Rachel has spearheaded “Celebration of Women” festival parties, inter-guild readings, women’s mixers, diversity summits and creative impact partnerships. She programs and moderates in-depth industry conversations and screenings, and is represented by P.S. 314 Collective for media consulting. Mayor DeBlasio and former NYC MOME Commissioner Lopez honored her with a MADE IN NY Award as Producers Guild of America East Vice Chair, Diversity Chair (2008-2018) and Co-Chair of PGA Women’s Impact Network.  Rachel is Chair of Manhattan Neighborhood Network and on the boards of Women Independent Producers and NYWIFT.

 

Resource Links

https://www.mirandabailey.com/cherry-picks

 

About NYWIFT Talks

NYWIFT Talks is a new weekly series to bring updated news and vital information about the impact of COVID-19 on the media and entertainment industry. Industry professionals will be in conversation discussing what you need to know about theatrical releases, digital advances, virtual tools, festival opportunities, production updates and more. 

 

Watch More: NYWIFT Programming Goes Digital

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