Nancy Schwartzman

Nancy Schwartzman
Born	Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, USA
Residence	New York, USA
Nationality	United States
Fields	Filmmaker
Alma mater	Columbia University
Known for	films on feminism, consent, sexuality

Nancy Schwartzman is an American director and producer. Best known for her activist work in sex-positive feminism, sexuality and consent, Schwartzman directed the 2009 documentary The Line^[1] which premiered at the International Women's Film Festival^[2] in Tel Aviv and plays festivals and colleges. She is the director of The Line Campaign, an interactive campaign known for breaking taboos with college youth, aimed at battling rape culture amongst college youth and opening up a dialogue about desire, consent and boundaries. The Line Campaign is supported by the Fledgling Fund ^[3] and The Playboy Foundation ^[4] Schwartzman has a new short documentary in the works, xoxosms (2011) about digital intimacy supported by the Cinereach Film Fellowship.^[5]

Personal life

Schwartzman was born and raised in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. She attended Harriton High School and the Shipley School during her childhood.

In 1997, Schwartzman graduated from Columbia University in New York City with a BA in Art History and a minor in Film. As an undergraduate, she studied at Reid Hall in Paris, becoming fluent in French and made the Dean's List from 1995-1997.

She currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York City.

Work

Before becoming a documentary filmmaker, Schwartzman worked as a production assistant for Killer Films and received credit for Todd Solondz's Happiness and Todd Haynes' Velvet Goldmine.

In response to a spike in violent sexual assaults in NYC, Schwartzman began her activism as the founder of NYC - Safestreets.org^[6] in December 2005. The initiative was noted in the New York Times, New York Daily News, Village Voice, and others. Safestreets.org is Brooklyn-based neighborhood watch organization that provides maps to illustrate routes where sexual assaults have been reported. NYC-Safe Streets.org also partners with community businesses which agree to serve as "safe havens" for women who may feel fearful while walking alone.^{[citation needed]}

"There was a spike in rapes reported in Brooklyn and I wanted to do something," explains Schwartzman. The maps and the safe haven storefronts are a concrete action in response to that."^{[citation needed]}

Schwartzman was also a founding editor and Creative Director of heeb magazine^[7][8] from 2001, known for its satire and sardonic approach to reaching Jewish readers of all streams, but geared predominantly towards the urban, younger generation. She transformed public and private spaces to create sets for photography feature stories: “Love, Challah and Betrayal,” “Jewess,” and “The Passion” and set the aesthetic tone for the first six months of the magazine.

In 2001, she also worked as the lead officer of a $1.6 million dollar Jewish documentary film fund as the Program Officer for Media and Arts at the National Foundation for Jewish Culture, NYC.

The Line (2009)

In the film, The Line, Schwartzman "explores the issue of consent, the burden of blame and the trouble society has defining the two."^[6] In the film, "a one night stand far from home goes terribly wrong. As the filmmaker unravels her experience, she decides to confront her attacker".^[9].

xoxosms (2011)

An ongoing project, xoxo sms^[10] is a new documentary that follows the life and loves of two modern youths, and explores the digital intimacy that comes with new social networking technology, seeing it less as harm than something that fosters open communication.

References

1. ^ "Where Is Your Line" official website.
2. ^ "International Women's Film Festival" official website.^{[not in citation given]}
3. ^ The Fledgling Fund official website.^{[not in citation given]}
4. ^ Playboy Enterprises official website.^{[not in citation given]}
5. ^ "Reach Film Fellowship - 2011 - xoxosmx" Cinereach.org.
6. ^ ^{a b} "Nancy Schwartzman: Crossing the Line". Hillel, The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life. 19 March 2008.
7. ^ Heeb Magazine website.^{[not in citation given]}
8. ^ Oei, Lily; Dobbs, Aaron "Nancy Schwartzman, Filmmaker/Activist/Heeb". Gothamist.com.
9. ^ The Line press kit. WhereIsYourLine.org.
10. ^ "xoxo sms" film website.

External links

• Press coverage for The Line

Persondata
Name	Schwartzman, Nancy
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Place of birth	Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, USA
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