Ford Foundation Grantee, Director Ky Dickens Featured in Women And Hollywood Spotlight Interview
Ky Dickens directed the acclaimed documentary “Sole Survivor,” which profiles four survivors of otherwise fatal plane crashes. “Sole Survivor” was acquired by CNN Films for broadcast and theatrical release. Her 2009 award-winning feature doc “Fish Out of Water” secured international distribution by Netflix and First Run Features and was inducted into the United States Library of Congress in 2011 for its instrumental role in changing the national perspective on LGBTQ human rights.
“Zero Weeks” will premiere at the 2017 DOC NYC film festival on November 11.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
KD: “Zero Weeks” is about America’s paid family leave crisis and the cost of doing nothing. It’s a raw wake-up call for all Americans who have become complacent with our system. We are the only industrialized country in the world without paid family leave. This matters to everyone who might become sick, have an aging parent, have a baby, or has a spouse or loved one who might get injured or sick — it matters to all of us.
We talk a lot about family values in America but what does that mean if in one of the richest nations in the world having a baby, a medical emergency, or an aging parent can be a trigger into poverty? This is the ultimate collision of responsibilities — the need to earn a living alongside the need to take care of your family.
Paid family leave is a crucial societal safety net. Research validates its power to diminish gender and racial inequity, make low-income workers more secure in the workforce, foster early childhood development, expedite recovery from major illness, improve the health and dignity of seniors, and bolster retention and profit margins for small businesses.
We tell this story by weaving together the stories of six families, along with tongue-and-cheek animations and illustrations to break down why this crisis matters, and how we can easily solve the problem by being great to business and families...