Read about how On The Divide filmmakers partnered with Peace is Loud to amplify voices in the fight for reproductive rights. In this blog, they share their journey, the surprising wins of their impact campaign, and how Peace is Loud continues to shape their approach to filmmaking and social change.
by Peace is Loud
Can you share the story of how you first became involved with Peace is Loud and how the relationship has evolved throughout the years? How has your filmmaking approach changed or been influenced by those experiences?
Maya and Leah: We connected with Peace is Loud through a relationship formed during Maya’s previous film project. Maya met Florencia at a panel, “This Film Kills Fascism,” hosted by Peace is Loud and The Future of Film is Female. After sharing about On The Divide, we heard positive experiences from other filmmakers and knew Peace is Loud could help us achieve our impact goals.
Making On The Divide was a seven-year journey, documenting the impact of anti-choice legislation on the Rio Grande Valley community. From the start, we wanted to highlight the stories of local organizers, often misrepresented in mainstream media. Telling these stories during a time of increased attacks on reproductive healthcare was challenging, but building relationships with organizations doing critical work made our transition into an impact campaign seamless. We trusted Peace is Loud to guide us in using the film to support on-the-ground efforts.
After working with Peace is Loud, we’ve begun new feature projects, considering impact from the start. We’re building relationships with aligned organizations to reach our target audiences and implementing care protocols for our protagonists—compensation, mental health, and legal support—just as we did with Peace is Loud’s guidance.
What was a win or a high point of the impact campaign that was surprising or unexpected?
Maya and Leah: It’s hard to fully measure impact given the many ways that people are influenced and touched. However, there was a scenario when one of our partners, Trust Women based in Kansas, used the film as a tool for an upcoming state election that would codify Roe v Wade into state law. They ended up winning the election and Trust Women credited using the film as a political tool for the success. Knowing that the film was part of this positive outcome was very meaningful especially given the fall of Roe v. Wade just months prior. Also, especially after working on a project for so long it was so amazing to see how energized student groups were who watched the film. There was something special about seeing a spark in someone who otherwise was unfamiliar with the topic now after watching the film was called to action to support the many organizations that we worked with on our campaign.
How did the passing of SB8 in Texas and the SCOTUS decision overturning Roe v. Wade during the On the Divide impact campaign affect your approach to care and support for the film participants?
Maya and Leah: When SB8 passed and Roe was overturned, we shifted our focus to helping our participants and supporting local organizations like South Texans for Reproductive Justice. We asked our partners and participants what they needed most at that moment. With Peace is Loud’s help, we raised over $20,000 for reproductive justice groups and distributed funds directly to our participants. The Valley had been in a post-Roe reality for years, and we knew grassroots organizations were having the greatest impact. So, we focused our campaign on supporting these groups directly.
What was your experience of sharing the On the Divide case study with other filmmakers in Collective Lens?
Maya and Leah: It was really amazing to be able to share our case study for On The Divide because it allowed us to reflect on what we were able to accomplish, what we learned throughout the process, and what we would’ve done differently. It was also great to be in a space with both filmmakers and those involved with reproductive rights because we were able to share knowledge and resources with each other. Sharing the impact journey for On The Divide was eye opening. It allowed us to look back on what our goals were when we started and what the impact campaign became. It was also great to see what we could do for future impact campaigns.
How did being part of the rePRO Collective Lens cohort group build on your past experiences with Peace is Loud?
Maya and Leah: When we worked on On the Divide, we didn’t connect with many filmmakers focused on reproductive rights. Being part of the rePRO Collective Lens cohort gave us that community. Peace is Loud joined our project during a volatile time, and the cohort gave us space to reflect and develop more effective impact strategies. It highlighted the importance of community-building from the early stages of production. The cohort reminded us that storytelling is essential for social change, helping connect grassroots work and personal narratives with larger audiences.
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Learn more about RePROFilm and Collective Lens: A Community Impact Space here. It’s an impact training program for a community of filmmakers committed to reproductive health and justice, equipping creators with community, and values-forward tools and strategies to position their films in solidarity of the reproductive health and justice movements.
