Closing Film’s Gender Gap with Innovative childcare solution at Sundance

Moms in Film (MiF) requests funds from the Dudley T Dougherty Foundation for the Sundance Childcare Project. This program will cost 30,000 and we have already raised 2,000, so we are asking for an additional 28,000. As the only organization focusing on parents’ issues, Moms-in-Film is filling a void in the industry. Moms-in-Film wants to ensure that parent-filmmakers can participate in all events at Sundance 2018. MiF successfully piloted free childcare for filmmakers at SXSW last year in a mobile childcare unit, but this is not possible in Park City in the winter due to the weather. We therefore have to raise more money for this program than the one in Austin, TX, in order to cover the cost of a renting a brick-and-mortar space.

MiF will create a safe and purposeful environment in the rental space featuring inspired play areas and activities that allow children’s interests to guide them. The carefully curated environment will boast soft colors and textures to support independent play for filmmakers' children. We will insure that these children have the best possible experience during the Sundance Film Festival in 2018 while their parents work, screen their films, network and attend meetings and events.

MiF has already gathered professional experts in best alternative education practices for learning through play outside of classrooms to execute the design and provide quality childcare. Our partners at Collab & Play will work with us to insure, train and staff the childcare program.

We have already piloted a similar program at SXSW, which was met with a phenomenal response. We anticipate making an even bigger splash at Sundance, the mecca of Film Festivals. Our SXSW program was funded by a joint Communities Foundation of Texas and SXSW grant. Photos of our work at SXSW are available at momsinfilm.org/sxsw, as well as links to the press we garnered. The headline of the BBC article about our work speaks volumes: “Is Child Care the answer to Hollywood’s Gender Gap?”

Testimonials from parents at SXSW are also available at the link above. Filmmaker-parents described our work as “game-changing” and “revolutionary” and described the physical space as “an oasis for families.” Indeed, our childcare spaces are also safe spaces for mothers to nurse or pump.

Funds from the Dougherty Foundation will allow MiF to rent a physical space in Park City, systematize the workflow with our childcare partners and insurance providers as well as develop the practical space itself. The funds will also support MiF’s outreach on the ground at Sundance 2018. MiF would be delighted to publicly credit the Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation.