SOFEE

Executive produced by Cate Blanchett, “Shayda” follows an Iranian mother who escapes an abusive marriage and starts a new life with her 6-year-old daughter in an Australian women’s shelter. In her feature directing debut, Noora Niasari taps into her own childhood experiences to create a true to life depiction of the struggles that come with trying to break free from domestic violence. Infusing the film with 1990s Persian culture, Niasari also shines a light on the immigrant experience, providing an understanding of what it’s like to depend on a foreign land because it’s not safe to go home.

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) Women’s Committee is pleased to announce that “True Detective: Night Country” (HBO/Max) will receive the Seal of Female Empowerment in Entertainment. Called the “SOFEE,” the Seal recognizes outstanding new films and television series that illuminate the female experience and perspective through authentically told female-driven stories. 

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) Women’s Committee is pleased to announce that “Scrambled” (Lionsgate) will receive the Seal of Female Empowerment in Entertainment. Called the “SOFEE,” the Seal recognizes outstanding new films and television series that illuminate the female experience and perspective through authentically told female-driven stories.

Written, directed and produced by Ava DuVernay, “Origin” is a true story centering around Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor).  While mourning the deaths of the two most important people in her life, Wilkerson searches for a collective impetus behind the killing of Trayvon Martin, the Holocaust, and the subjugation of the Dalit people in India.

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) Women’s Committee is pleased to announce that “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros.) will receive the Seal of Female Empowerment in Entertainment. Called the “SOFEE,” the Seal recognizes outstanding new films and television series that illuminate the female experience and perspective through authentically told female-driven stories.

Based on a novel by Charmaine Wilkerson, “Black Cake” is a unique and exciting series that masterfully weaves together a story spanning multiple generations. Covey (Mia Isaac) is a young woman who wants nothing more than freedom.

Written and directed by Maryam Keshavarz, “The Persian Version” is a vibrant dramatic comedy that highlights the resilience of Iranian women. Leila (Layla Mohammadi) is a bisexual Iranian-American Muslim pop culture enthusiast who isn’t sure where she fits in, growing up feeling too Iranian for Americans, too American for Iranians, too female for her eight brothers, and too gay for her disapproving mother, Shireen (Niousha Noor), an immigrant who overcame cultural challenges to achieve the American dream.

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) Women’s Committee is pleased to announce that “Lessons in Chemistry” (Apple TV+) will receive the Seal of Female Empowerment in Entertainment.