Lisa Russell (Director/Producer/Editor) is an independent filmmaker, educator and social activist whose background in humanitarian and international development work has inspired her to produce films about the health and well-being of our global society. Inspired by the late Jonathan Mann to pursue her Masters in Public Health in International Health in 1998, Lisa has since produced films and news segments that address issues such as obstetric fistula in Niger, food insecurity and HIV/AIDS in Malawi, AIDS activism in Africa, refugee resettlement in post 9/11 America, population and the environment in Ghana and Brazil’s controversial AIDS policy. While some of Lisa’s work has been broadcasted on public television (including PBS and Channel 4 London), most of Lisa’s films are tied into advocacy, fundraising or legislative efforts with UN and international agencies. She actively screens her films around the country at universities, conferences, festivals and hill briefings and has reached thousands of students, young people and others with her message about U.S. responsibility in global affairs. In September 2005, Lisa collaborated with Grammy-nominated artist Zap Mama to create “The WOMAN Tour” – a 3-week nationwide initiative of film screenings and musical performances to increase awareness of global women’s health. She is currently a teaching artist with Urban Word NYC, where she leads a workshop blending film screenings and open mics for young spoken word artists to initiate awareness and dialogue about social issues affecting today’s youth.
Carrie Svingen serves as Producer to LOVE, LABOR, LOSS. Carrie draws on her 20-year successful career in public relations and entertainment marketing with her current profession in social communications to help ensure the project retains credibility with the NGO community while successfully appealing to the general public. Carrie - who oversaw a documentary film project profiling EngenderHealth’s reproductive health work overseas along and has experience documenting projects via still photographs and digital video in Nigeria, India, Cambodia, Bolivia and Ghana - is assisting in field production, soliciting support from professionals in the obstetric fistula field, developing the advisory board and acting as liaison with the NGO community.
Christian Huguenot, Director of Photography was born and raised in France. Christian studied a joint honors BA in Philosophy and Political Science at McGill University (Canada). After moving to New York in 1997, he has been teaching cinematography at the New York Film Academy. Christian has worked on over 100 productions in all facets of the filmmaking craft. He produced a feature film in 2001 and has been working commercially as an AD or production coordinator with Cyclops Productions since 1999. He has shot 3 feature films, over 50 short films, 4 documentaries (including a documentary on the positive response of young Africans to fight the HIV/AIDS crisis across Africa entitled Speak Up Young Africa), a few of commercials (Levi's, Womyn, Oil of Olay), and music videos. He has been working on music videos as a cinematographer with Geoffray Barbier since 1997.
OUR SPONSORS
Campaign to End Fistula In 2003, UNFPA launched the first-ever global campaign to prevent and treat obstetric fistula. The long-term goal is to make fistula as rare in developing areas as it is in industrialized countries today. UNFPA is currently providing support to over 20 countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in South Asia and the Arab States.
The campaign seeks to raise awareness about fistula, the dangers of early motherhood and the importance of emergency obstetric care; determine the needs by conducting needs assessments in all countries with high prevalence rates; and expand services for prevention and treatment. Each country that completes a needs assessment will receive support from UNFPA to carry out advocacy activities to prevent future cases; create or expand fistula treatment centres; train surgeons and nurses; equip hospitals; and help women reintegrate into their communities.
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, provides assistance to developing countries, at their request, to meet reproductive health needs. Making motherhood safer for all women, is at the very heart of UNFPA’s mandate. For more information, visit www.unfpa.org/fistula
EngenderHealth EngenderHealth, in collaboration with UNFPA, issued the first report
ever to map obstetric fistula in sub-Saharan Africa, bringing attention
to the issue both locally and internationally. The agency is now engaged
with UNFPA and Women's Dignity Project (WDP) in a unique partnership,
"The Obstetric Fistula Partnership: Building Awareness, Capacity
and Equity in Africa" . Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation, this initiative will address the complex social, cultural,
medical and political components of improving prevention, treatment and
management of obstetric fistula, with an eye to increasing the capacity
of local health systems and ensuring sustainability.
EngenderHealth works worldwide to improve the lives of individuals by
making reproductive health services safe, available, and sustainable.
The agency provides technical assistance, training and information, with
a focus on practical solutions that improve services where resources are
scarce. We focus on supporting family planning, maternal care, and
HIV/AIDS prevention and care services, believing that individuals have
the right to make informed decisions about their reproductive health and
to receive care that meets their needs. EngenderHealth works in
partnership with governments, institutions, and health care
professionals to make this right a reality.
International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) ICRW's mission is to improve the lives of women in poverty,advance women's equality and human rights, and contribute to the broader economic and social well-being.
ICRW accomplishes this, in partnership with others, through research, capacity building, and advocacy on issues affecting women's economic, health, and social status in low- and middle-income countries.
ICRW produced a report entitled, “Too Young to Wed: The Lives, Rights, and Health of Young Married Girls” which examines these findings and offers policy and programmatic recommendations to end early marriage.
Feminist Majority Foundation The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF), which was founded in 1987, is a cutting edge
organization dedicated to women's equality, reproductive health, and non-violence.
In all spheres, FMF utilizes research and action to empower women economically,
socially, and politically. Our organization believes that feminists -
both women and men, girls and boys - are the majority, but this majority must be empowered.
The Feminist Majority Foundation started the Campus Program to inform young feminists about the
very real threats to women’s rights, affirmative action, and lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transgender rights posed by right wing extremists. FMF works with
students on college campuses to affect change at the grassroots, national, and global levels.
The Campus Program is built upon FMF’s philosophy that the most effective activism is informed
activism, or study to action. Our program provides progressive students
with opportunities to learn about timely feminist issues,
develop their leadership and organizing skills, and
connect with the larger movements.
Women's Dignity Project The Women's Dignity Project (WDP) was established to prevent and manage obstetric fistula, enhance the dignity and rights of those living with fistula, and promote gender and health equity. We mobilize action to address fistula and advocate for the health and rights of the poor, within a human rights framework.
WDP believes that girls and women have the right to live without fear of death or disability in childbirth, and to be cured of fistula when it occurs. WDP also believes that all people living in poverty have the right to affordable, accessible and high quality health care so that conditions like fistula - and others affecting the poor - cease to exist. WDP works in close collaboration with communities, health care providers, human rights advocates, governments and donors to promote these rights.
The Women's Dignity Project is located in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and works on local, regional and international levels.
Global Health Council The Global Health Council is the world's largest membership alliance dedicated to saving lives
by improving health throughout the world. The Council works to ensure that all who strive
for improvement and equity in global health have the information and resources they need to succeed.
About Governess Films Governess Films is an international community of female filmmakers who specialize in documentary and narrative filmmaking. Members of Governess Films
produce their own work as well as collaborate on outside projects. The production arm of Governess Films produces and distributes its members work. The documentary
film interest of the company is producing documentaries with and for the international community to highlight important social
issues through positive and compelling storylines while authentically portraying the strength and resiliency of the film's
main characters.
Documentary Educational Resources
Documentary Educational Resources is the 501c3 fiscal sponsor for LOVE, LABOR, LOSS.
DER's mission is to cultivate community engagement with the peoples and cultures of the world in which we live through media that is both entertaining and educational. We address the need for tolerance and understanding of people who are different than ourselves. This need is universal and more evident in today's global political, social and cultural climate than ever before. Underlying the diversity of the films we produce and distribute is the conviction that documentary and ethnographic films can broaden and alter preconceptions of marginalized and underrepresented peoples and cultures within the United States' population and abroad. We also maintain an archive of historical significance and public interest. Our programs reach millions of individuals throughout the world, each year, through broadcast, film festivals and classrooms.
Tax-deductible donations can be made to support the production and/or distribution
of LOVE, LABOR, LOSS. Please click the button to the left to make your donation.
Your contribution will be recognized in our upcoming supporters page.
whose background in humanitarian and international development work has inspired her to produce films about the health and well-being of our global society. Inspired by the late Jonathan Mann to pursue her Masters in Public Health in International Health in 1998, Lisa has since produced films and news segments that address issues such as obstetric fistula in Niger, food insecurity and HIV/AIDS in Malawi, AIDS activism in Africa, refugee resettlement in post 9/11 America, population and the environment in Ghana and Brazil’s controversial AIDS policy. While some of Lisa’s work has been broadcasted on public television (including PBS and Channel 4 London), most of Lisa’s films are tied into advocacy, fundraising or legislative efforts with UN and international agencies. She actively screens her films around the country at universities, conferences, festivals and hill briefings and has reached thousands of students, young people and others with her message about U.S. responsibility in global affairs. In September 2005, Lisa collaborated with Grammy-nominated artist Zap Mama to create “The WOMAN Tour” – a 3-week nationwide initiative of film screenings and musical performances to increase awareness of global women’s health. She is currently a teaching artist with Urban Word NYC, where she leads a workshop blending film screenings and open mics for young spoken word artists to initiate awareness and dialogue about social issues affecting today’s youth.
Carrie Svingen serves as Producer to LOVE, LABOR, LOSS. Carrie draws on her 20-year successful career in public relations and entertainment marketing with her current profession in social communications to help ensure the project retains credibility with the NGO community while successfully appealing to the general public. Carrie - who oversaw a documentary film project profiling EngenderHealth’s reproductive health work overseas along and has experience documenting projects via still photographs and digital video in Nigeria, India, Cambodia, Bolivia and Ghana - is assisting in field production, soliciting support from professionals in the obstetric fistula field, developing the advisory board and acting as liaison with the NGO community.
at McGill University (Canada). After moving to New York in 1997, he has been teaching cinematography at the New York Film Academy. Christian has worked on over 100 productions in all facets of the filmmaking craft. He produced a feature film in 2001 and has been working commercially as an AD or production coordinator with Cyclops Productions since 1999. He has shot 3 feature films, over 50 short films, 4 documentaries (including a documentary on the positive response of young Africans to fight the HIV/AIDS crisis across Africa entitled Speak Up Young Africa), a few of commercials (Levi's, Womyn, Oil of Olay), and music videos. He has been working on music videos as a cinematographer with Geoffray Barbier since 1997.
In 2003, UNFPA launched the first-ever global campaign to prevent and treat obstetric fistula. The long-term goal is to make fistula as rare in developing areas as it is in industrialized countries today. UNFPA is currently providing support to over 20 countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in South Asia and the Arab States.
EngenderHealth, in collaboration with UNFPA, issued the first report
ever to map obstetric fistula in sub-Saharan Africa, bringing attention
to the issue both locally and internationally. The agency is now engaged
with UNFPA and Women's Dignity Project (WDP) in a unique partnership,
"The Obstetric Fistula Partnership: Building Awareness, Capacity
and Equity in Africa" . Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation, this initiative will address the complex social, cultural,
medical and political components of improving prevention, treatment and
management of obstetric fistula, with an eye to increasing the capacity
of local health systems and ensuring sustainability.
ICRW's mission is to improve the lives of women in poverty,advance women's equality and human rights, and contribute to the broader economic and social well-being.
The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF), which was founded in 1987, is a cutting edge
organization dedicated to women's equality, reproductive health, and non-violence.
In all spheres, FMF utilizes research and action to empower women economically,
socially, and politically. Our organization believes that feminists -
both women and men, girls and boys - are the majority, but this majority must be empowered.
The Women's Dignity Project (WDP) was established to prevent and manage obstetric fistula, enhance the dignity and rights of those living with fistula, and promote gender and health equity. We mobilize action to address fistula and advocate for the health and rights of the poor, within a human rights framework.
The Global Health Council is the world's largest membership alliance dedicated to saving lives
by improving health throughout the world. The Council works to ensure that all who strive
for improvement and equity in global health have the information and resources they need to succeed.
Governess Films is an international community of female filmmakers who specialize in documentary and narrative filmmaking. Members of Governess Films
produce their own work as well as collaborate on outside projects. The production arm of Governess Films produces and distributes its members work. The documentary
film interest of the company is producing documentaries with and for the international community to highlight important social
issues through positive and compelling storylines while authentically portraying the strength and resiliency of the film's
main characters.