The first documentary about motorcycle trailblazer Bessie Stringfield
Nevada Women's Film Festival
JUNE 19-23,2024
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River Run Film Festival
APRIL 26, 2024 @ 6:30 PM
UNCSA Babcock Theatre
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Florida Film Festival
APRIL 12–21, 2024
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Boston International Film Festival
APRIL 13, 2024 @ 12:30 PM
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Pasadena International Film Festival
APRIL 4–11, 2024
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The American Documentary and Animation Film Festival
March 22, 2024 @ 12PM
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Weis is an award-winning independent filmmaker. Her most recent short film, "Minor Accident of War," screened at film festivals around the world earning top honors and qualified for an Academy Award in 2021. Her film, "Inconceivable,” was acquired by Showtime.
Prior to her film career, Weis was a partner of Design Island, a media and design company that created groundbreaking experiences and exhibitions. Projects included the creation of “CSI: The Experience,” a museum exhibit based on the CBS TV show, media production for Steven Spielberg, the redesign and media for Rockefeller Center’s “Top of the Rock.” Weis is a former creative marketing executive for the Walt Disney Company where she created award-winning campaigns for the theme parks and feature film releases. She is credited with creating the format for Disney's most popular and longest running ad campaign, "I'm going to Disney World!" and produced the commercials that launched the campaign with Phil Simms of the NY Giants. She started her career at the ABC affiliate, WPLG-TV, in Miami, FL.
Sam Pollard is an award-winning feature film and television video editor, and documentary producer/director. His films have been recognized with Peabody and Emmy Awards, as well as an Oscar nomination. His films include "The League," “Bill Russell: Legend,” and “MLK/FBI.” He co-directed “Citizen Ashe.” It was recently announced that Pollard will be honored by Black Public Media at its upcoming PitchBlack Awards in New York. Pollard edited a number of Spike Lee's films including “Mo' Better Blues,” “Jungle Fever,” and “Bamboozled.” Together they produced “Four Little Girls,” a documentary about the 1963 Birmingham church bombings which was nominated for an Academy Award and “When The Levees Broke,” a four part documentary that won a Peabody and three Emmy Awards. In 2019, Pollard co-directed “Why We Hate” that premiered on The Discovery Channel.
A writer/director/producer of comedy and drama, Gabby is a daughter of formerly undocumented immigrants, Gabby Revilla Lugo started her career in physical production then ventured into the independent feature space where she worked with Damian Chazelle on his award-winning short film, “Whiplash.” Her other successful projects include the award-winning Palm Springs, The Starling, and Fox Searchlight's Next Goal Wins, written and directed by Taika Waititi. Gabby was staffed on ABC's hit drama, A Million Little Things, and taught screenwriting at the Script Anatomy school. In 2021 Gabby sold multiple projects, landing a feature film writing job for Mattel. Gabby has several TV projects in development, including one yet to be announced with Linda Yvette Chavez, and a show with Teri Weinberg and Legendary based on a popular book series. She is set to direct her first feature film for Marvista in 2024. She is repped by Aaron Lipsett at Heroes and Villains Entertainment and Chris Abrahm.
Beth Hubbard is an experienced film and television producer. Recent credits include Executive Producer on the Academy Award-winning documentary, “Summer of Soul” which also garnered the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, six Critics Choice Awards, and the 2022 Peabody Award. She produced the documentary "Citizen Ashe" about the life of tennis and social justice champion Arthur Ashe for CNN/HBO Max.Hubbard independently produced the critically acclaimed documentary, “The Rape of Recy Taylor” which won the Human Rights Award at the Venice Film Festival and also served as Executive Producer on the feature, “Nine Days,” (Sony Pictures Classics). In Television, Hubbard's credits include “The Zula Partrol” and "Almost Famous" (TV1) starring Alicia Keys, Anthony Anderson, and Michael Strahan.
One of Hubbard’s personal passions is philanthropy. She is Chairman of the Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans Foundation, a foundation that supports service in the area of social justice and the arts in the state of North Carolina.
Cameron "Kim" Dawson is a 40+ year veteran of the film and television industry based in Orlando, Florida. He has served as a production executive & line producer for Showtime Networks, sports TV leader Trans World International (IMG), "The New Mickey Mouse Club MMC" for the Disney Channel, and "Making the Band" in a joint venture with ABC and MTV. Kim produced "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles I, II, and II" for New Line Cinema (WB), "Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius" starring Jim Caviezel, Aiden Quinn and Malcom McDonnell for Sony Pictures, among many other productions.
Kathryn Himoff is an editor/producer of feature films, television, and documentaries. Her editing credits include Oprah Winfrey's documentary, "The Color of Care" (2022), "Finding Steve McQueen" (2019), "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" (2005) and "Pollack" (2000).
Originally from Northern Utah, Greg is an editor based in Los Angeles. During his ten-year career, he’s edited projects ranging from promotional content for Fortune 500 companies, to award-winning short films, to feature narratives and documentaries. His work has appeared in many festivals including Slamdance, Atlanta International, Seattle International, AmDocs and Austin Film Festival, as well as a Vimeo Staff Pick. He edited the feature film "Earth Over Earth," available to stream on NoBudge. He received his MFA in Directing from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television in 2022. During his studies, he received the 2017 MPAA Award, the 2019 Jack Nicholson Distinguished Student Director Award. He wrote, directed and edited the dramatic thriller "The Art of Survival," which was a semifinalist for a 2020 Student Academy Award.
Composer and singer/songwriter Kathryn Bostic is known for her original work on film, TV, theater and symphonic music. Emmy nominated for her score in the award winning films “Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir” and “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am,” she is a recipient of many fellowships and awards including the prestigious Sundance Time Warner Fellowship, Sundance Fellowship for Feature Film Scoring, Sundance/Skywalker Documentary Film Scoring, African American Film Critics Award for Best Music in Film, BMI Conducting Fellowship and Society of Composers and Lyricists “Outstanding Music for Independent Feature Film.” Kathryn was the Vice President of the Alliance for Women Film Composers from 2016-2018. A member of the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences, in 2016 she became the first female African American score composer in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.
The creator of The Bessie Stringfield All Female Ride and Founder/National President of The Bessie Belles Riding Club Inc. Tameka has been riding for over 17 years and she has dedicated most of her riding time to promoting Bessie’s legacy by empowering other women to ride long distance. Tameka is a retired Air Force veteran of over 20 years and former classroom teacher. Among her many successful achievements—she orchestrated and led 110 women on a cross country ride from Maryland to California in 2019 and 23 women on a grueling but record setting 48 states in 8 days group ride certified by the IronButt Association in 2021 (all in honor of Ms. Bessie Stringfield). Although the Bessie ride has come to an end, Tameka’s long distance riding has not. She is preparing for the 2024 Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge in August (a 10,000 mile endurance ride with no GPS on secondary highways).
The historian of The Bessie Stringfield All Female Ride and Co-Founder/National Historian of The Bessie Belles Riding Club Inc. Lynette has been riding since 2008 and she has dedicated most of her riding time to promoting Bessie’s legacy by empowering other women to ride long distance. Lynette is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the states of South Carolina and Georgia. She is the owner of Carolina Counseling and Mediation and has been a mental health counselor and mediator for over 20 years. Among her many successful achievements—though she was unable to ride due to a motorcycle injury, she helped orchestrate 110 women on a cross country ride from Maryland to California in 2019 and 23 women on a grueling but record setting 48 states in 8 days group ride certified by the IronButt Association in 2021 (all in honor of Ms. Bessie Stringfield). In true Bessie form, Lynette has overcome adversity and has begun long distance riding again. She is preparing for a ride from South Carolina to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, then going to Madawaska, Maine in June 2024.
The First-Ever Bessie Stringfield Documentary Is About To Premiere In 2024
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American Documentary and Animation Film Festival: 4 filmmakers share their inspirations
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Meet Jude Smallwood, the author of “Motorcycles for Women Only,” and a close friend of Bessie Stringfield. She met Bessie in 1979 in South Florida. They bonded over their love for riding and became good friends. Jude & Bessie would take runs to the Everglades, and visit with local friends. Jude is featured in the award-winning documentary, “To Myself, With Love: The Bessie Stringfield Story” and shares insights about Bessie and talks about their close friendship. Jude’s book chronicles her motorcycling ventures, funny and serious riding tales, “how-to” chapters, and several entertaining accounts of historic female record breakers and their many large clubs at the early days of motorcycles. She addresses mechanics, riding techniques and practical advice specifically relevant to women and includes how she first met Bessie and more about her trailblazing friend. Jude's book is available purchase: HERE and HERE.