MDFF 2021 - Anchor Point
Told in cinema verite, ANCHOR POINT chronicles the 2019 fire season through the eyes of two women, generations apart, as they push to change the culture of wildland fire.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Holly Tuckett
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Who wouldn't want to make a film about wildland fire and women who fight those fires? I definitely thought it would be an adventure, and when I met the women at the Women-in-Prescribed Fire Training Exchange, after researching for a number of months about the discrimination and harassment that these women have faced historically, I knew all too well the stories that they shared with me. Working as a woman in the film industry, many of their stories of the subtle ways that they were sidelined and overlooked, felt all too familiar. I wanted to make a film that wasn't preachy about it, but made the point through a character-driven narrative that made people care about the characters and then feel what they were feeling.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Audience members should watch this film because they are members of a society that needs to be inclusive and supportive of all of its members. Men should watch it because they have daughters, sisters and mothers who may face these same challenges in any field of work, and to become more aware of the subtle ways they may be contributing to the harmful environments and to become better allies. Women should watch it to know that they are not alone or to realize how in subtle ways they may be contributing to the harmful patriarchal systems that can be harmful and discouraging for women.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
As I mentioned before, being a woman in the film industry or any male-dominated industry has its difficulties and rewards. I really believe that many women will sit in the audience watching the film and nodding their heads, saying to themselves,"yes that has happened to me or my friends." I think that both Kelly and Lacey's stories are relatable to most women. The themes of having grit and perseverance to overcome obstacles, as well as finding those anchor points in your life to get you through hard times or just trying to find an anchor point to safely engage with your peers to make lasting and critical changes that not only benefit women, but men as well. These themes I believe are universal for anyone.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The film most definitely evolved a bit over the course of making the film. The story started with one woman's story, but as she changed her focus, we had to pivot and find new characters and a way to tell the story in a more character driven way. The moment that I met Lacey and Kelly in person, (I had seen Kelly's testimony to congress as part of my research and Lacey was featured in an REI video that I came across) I knew that these two were kindred spirits approaching their careers in very different ways due to their generational differences. Once they were onboard I knew that the two approaches would make an interesting contrast and give people something to really ponder.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The feedback that we have received so far has been great! Women are saying that they feel seen and men are saying that they "get it now," where perhaps before they just really couldn't understand how small comments or not standing up for their female colleagues takes a toll and has long lasting effects on the workplace in general. We even had the USDA Forest Service reach out to us and ask us to screen it for over one hundred wildland firefighters and their supervisors. The way the film tells the story makes people care about these women deeply and then seeing how they are affected, changes hearts and minds. It has been truly everything that I could have asked for as a filmmaker. My greatest wish for my work is for it to have an impact.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
The feedback has been surprising in that so many fire organizations are asking to see the film. Pun intended, it is spreading like wildfire through the wildland fire community. I had definitely hoped that it would be received well, but the response has exceeded that hope. I really want the film to make a lasting change for all wildland firefighters.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope that having a presence on wearemovingstories.com will put the film out there for buyers/distributors. Although the film seems to have a niche in the fire world, this film is really a wonderful women empowerment tool, so it has a life out in the mainstream world as well!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I would love for journalists to help get the word out about this film because we are a small independent team right now and could use some amplification. I would also love for buyers, distributors and film festival directors to really understand that this film is unique and also has broad audience appeal.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
The film is already having impact, and I would love to see the impact spread to other professions and environments where women should be a part of the solutions and ongoing dialogue. Diversity is good for the land and it is good for its people and inhabitants.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What are some of the subtle ways that women are discriminated against in the workforce and what are you (all people included) doing to uphold those archaic systems?
Would you like to add anything else?
This film is not just about women empowerment, you are going to get a wonderful education about why our world needs fire on the land and why suppression isn't always the answer. Suppression has gotten us to the horrible wildfire environment that we now are facing in our world, and suppressing women in the workforce is detrimental as well.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Our team is currently in development on a number of documentary and docu-series projects. One has similar themes to Anchor Point. We also are focusing in on social justice issues and topics that to which we live closely, because the best stories are told from a place of intimate knowing.
Interview: July 2021
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Anchor Point
Length: 1:30:30
Director/Producer/Cinematographer
Anchor Point is the second feature-length documentary film from veteran storyteller, filmmaker and cinematographer HOLLY TUCKETT. Her first, Church & State, debuted in 2018, winning a Special Jury Award at the American Documentary Film Festival in Palm Springs and Best Feature Documentary at the Nice International Film Festival in France. Her documentary short, Timi Earl Skelton Girl — which she produced, directed and edited — screened at the Park City Film Series in conjunction with the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. In addition to Anchor Point and Church & State, Holly’s producing credits also include the 2008 festival circuit favorite Una Vida Mejor. Through her company, Flying Hat Productions, Holly has contributed to nearly 100 narrative and documentary films and television productions, including work for National Geographic, Discovery, Vice, TLC, NBC Olympic broadcasts and more.
Writer
Jennifer Dobner & Holly Tuckett
JENNIFER DOBNER is a Salt Lake City-based journalist with more than two decades of reporting experience. Jennifer was a reporter for The Associated Press and for newspapers across the West, including The San Diego Union-Tribune, Idaho Falls Post-Register, Deseret News and The Salt Lake Tribune. As a freelancer she has worked for Reuters, The New York Times, Cannabis Wire and Outside Magazine Online. Jennifer has written extensively about the Mormon church, polygamy, gay rights, criminal justice, capital punishment and western land use issues. In 2018, she was a c0-writer and story consultant for the documentary film Church & State, which won a Special Jury Award at the American Documentary Film Festival in Palm Springs and Best Feature Documentary at the Nice International Film Festival in France. Also in 2018, Jennifer wrote and performed “Don’t Hit Your Head,” as part of the live True Stories non-fiction storytelling night featuring Salt Lake City journalists.
Producer
MADDY PURVES is an emerging filmmaker from the bicycle capital of the world, Davis, CA. Maddy received her BA of Media Studies in 2017, focusing on nonfiction and documentary film and since then has both edited and produced two award-winning feature films (“Same-Sex Attracted”, Anchor Point). With a love of doing good work, Maddy has extensive experience in a wide range of media production: she’s gripped, produced, ran camera and sound, edited, and even run live replay in front of 50,000+ sports fans. Maddy is a hard worker and a passionate creative. Maddy believes in the healing power of honest storytelling and is in search of projects that inspire love, compassion, and empathy.
Key cast:
Lacey England (Helitak Firefighter), Kelly Martin (Cheif of Fire and Aviation, Yosemite National Park)
Looking for:
distributors, film festival directors, buyers
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AnchorPointDoc
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/anchorpointdoc/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AnchorPointDoc1
Hashtags used:
#AnchorPoint #AnchorPointFilm #WomenInFire #GirlOnFire #WildlandFire #firefighter #fire #femalefirefighter #futureisfemale #utahfilmcenter #femalefilmmakers #documentary #docs #film #filmmaking #helitack #metoo #women #hotshot #feminine #amdocs #gopro #nature #nationalparks #parksproject #flyinghat
More info:
https://www.anchorpointfilm.com/
Where can I watch it?
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival/Melbourne, Australia - July 1 - 31, 2021 Online, https://www.mdff.org.au/films/anchor-point; Denali Film Festival/Denali, Alaska, USA - July 15-18, 2021 Online, https://www.denalifilmfestival.com/tickets.html
HBOMax