The SOFEE is becoming one of the most sought-after distinctions in Hollywood. The acronym stands for Seal of Female Empowerment in Entertainment.
Created by the Critics Choice Association’s Women’s Committee in September, the Seal recognizes outstanding new films and television series that illuminate the female experience and perspective through authentically told female-driven stories.
The newest recipients are:
Feature Film: “She Said” (Universal)
Feature Film: “Causeway” (Apple Original Films and A24)
Documentary: “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me” (Apple TV+)
“She Said” recounts the tenacity of New York Times reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor (played by Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan) as they expose decades of institutional sexual harassment and assault in Hollywood, and the system built around protecting abusers.
The women’s investigative reporting, (along with that of Ronan Farrow in the New Yorker), led to the #MeToo movement and created meaningful change in how women are treated in and outside the workplace.
“She Said” is led by an incredible group of female filmmakers in front of and behind the camera, including director Maria Schrader and screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz, and is based on The New York Times investigation by Jodi Kantor, Megan Twohey and Rebecca Corbett and The New York Times bestseller, She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. The film is produced by Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner for Plan B Entertainment and is executive produced by Brad Pitt and Lila Yacoub and by Megan Ellison and Sue Naegle for Annapurna Pictures.
‘“She Said” is more than a film, it’s a public record. Filmed so close to the actual events, it’s a visual synopsis that can be revisited in 100 years to show audiences how women ‘jumped together’ to stop a predator, and a predatory system,” said Tara McNamara, Chair of the CCA Women’s Committee. “The drama is exceptional for featuring fully realized female characters who reflect expressions of gender that are rarely seen in film.”
“Causeway” is an intimate portrait of a soldier struggling to adjust to her life after returning home to New Orleans, starring and produced by Jennifer Lawrence. Her character has returned from Afghanistan with debilitating brain injury after an IED explosion.
The film traces her mental and physical recovery as she returns home to New Orleans, struggles in her relationship with her mother but makes a valuable new friendship with another person who is suppressing his own past trauma, a character played by Brian Tyree Henry.
“It’s a tremendous honor for the film to receive this recognition from the Critics Choice Association’s Women’s Committee,” said “Causeway” director Lila Neugebauer. “I’m sending enduring gratitude to the remarkable team who worked tenaciously to bring this movie to fruition.”
In the documentary category, “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me” follows the singer-actress for six years as she opens up to reveal her struggles with anxiety, depression, Lupus, and bipolar disorder. Through her bravery in sharing her diagnoses, and as one of the first internationally known public figures to do so in this way, Gomez finds purpose in her effort to destigmatize mental illness and demonstrates to viewers that those struggling with their mental health are not alone. Directed and co-written by Alek Keshishian, the film clearly expresses Gomez’s voice and point-of-view.
“Our desire is that female writers and directors are given more opportunities to tell women’s stories, however, at this moment, more than 80 percent of working directors are men,” said McNamara. “‘Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me’ is a fantastic example of male filmmakers collaborating with a female subject to tell her unique experience with honesty and accuracy.”
Previous recipients of the SOFEE include the documentary “Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power,” Sony Pictures’ ”The Woman King,” Amazon Prime Video’s “A League of Their Own” and Apple TV+’s docuseries “Gutsy.”
The Seal of Female Empowerment in Entertainment is issued by the CCA Women’s Committee. Members include Tara McNamara (Chair), Hillary Atkin, Semira Ben-Amor, Christina Birro, Lauren Bradshaw, TJ Callahan, Natasha Gargiulo, Toni Gonzales, Teri Hart, Laura Hurley, Susan Kamyab, Louisa Moore, Gayl Murphy, Mary Murphy, Patricia Puentes, Christina Radish, Amanda Salas, Rachel Smith, Sammi Turano, and Lynn Venhaus and CCA board member Paulette Cohn.
