Epoch Films’ Post

The promotional campaign for It Ends with Us, staring Blake Lively, is a perfect example of disaster that can result from a lack of thoughtfulness and context. The film adaption tells the story of Lily Bloom, a floral shop owner who experiences domestic violence. I have not read the book, nor seen the film, but my entire social media feed is currently surrounding Blake Lively and the controversies around this film. The promotional photos and videos portray the film as a romantic comedy, focusing on Blake Lively's fashion, the cutesy floral shop, and Blake Lively's new hair care line. As a viewer, you're left completely unaware of the sensitive and important topic of the film. But people online are pushing back. Readers and survivors of domestic violence are flooding the comments with pushback and distaste. Only now are filmmakers, including Blake Lively, rushing to promote resources and information surrounding DV. I think this campaign has the potential for future case studies and will continue to negatively impact public perception of Blake Lively, Colleen Hoover, and this film. #publicrelations #itendswithus #marketingcampaign #domesticviolence

My lifetime goal is to help protect men, women, and children with my media projects, regardless of sexual orientation, religion, or race. The killing of innocent people is inexcusable, whether it is a hostage in Gaza or a mother, wife, or child who suffers from domestic violence and femicide. Australia and the Middle East, as well as Russia, are especially dangerous for women and children, as men are less likely to respect the rights of either, and domestic violence and femicide are rampant in that country, as it is in most other countries. One Aussie man took exception to my posts about this earlier and said, `Why not mind your own business!`` What he fails to realize is that domestic abuse and femicide are EVERYONE`S business to prevent and eliminate. We produce TV shows and documentaries to help keep women safe. See them here, support them, share the post, and help us help those in need. See this link and consider being a co-host of one episode, sharing stories, adding your name to the list of sponsors, or both! Here are some of the episodes of the Help Us Save Lives TV show. Please help us find solutions to these issues.https://handcraftfilm.com/women Handcraft Film is a documentary, TV, and movie production company. Our projects have three common traits; they help save lives, do not promote or advocate violence, and are healing in nature. If you are interested in being a sponsor, advertiser, distributor, or partner in any way, contact us today! We don't feature horror or slasher films or shows and we will forever try to move the needle of common sense and decency back toward family-oriented shows and films, such as Dad Downstairs, Help Us Save Lives, and Miracle For Millions. See Dad Downstairs here. https://lnkd.in/gFm8QH8G Please share and repost if possible. We all need to keep these issues in front of people until every woman and child in this world is safe. Raymond Oelrich Producer

Perfect is the enemy of good. I proved Montesquieu right by taking weeks to edit this piece, only for it to lose its relevance when it could’ve gone live the week It Ends With Us hit theatres. Why didn’t I hit “publish” when the conversation was still fresh? I wanted to include a detailed film synopsis, even though the core of the piece – my opinion on how poorly the topic of domestic violence was handled – was already strong on its own. Now that I finally published it, the film’s hype has died out and I’ve published a post I’m still unhappy with. I rushed the synopsis, which was the whole reason it took me this long to finish it in the first place. I hesitated to publish it at all because I didn’t want to contribute to the film’s publicity, giving it attention when it could’ve just faded away. Looking back, I should’ve just stuck with my original draft. The first part, which focused on the gravity of domestic violence and the problematic promotion of the film, was powerful enough. But I got caught up in trying to make it “perfect” by adding a full breakdown of the film, which ultimately didn’t add much and even took away from the main message. Lesson learnt: perfect is the enemy of good. In this case, “good enough” would have been more than enough. https://lnkd.in/dcs7KcA5

Ever wondered what it means to be seen rather than simply looked at? Anna Kendrick's Woman of the Hour explores this powerful distinction in a chilling, 1970s-inspired thriller based on the shocking true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala. 🌟 Kendrick masterfully captures the psychological tension women experience when forced to navigate uncomfortable and dangerous situations—situations that demand subtle performances to maintain safety. In my latest blog post, I unpack the layers of this haunting film, from Kendrick's critique of societal norms to the ways women use silent exchanges of communication to protect themselves from harm. This thriller is not just about violence—it's about the everyday acts of sexism and misogyny that build up to those darker moments. 💡 Read the full review and join the conversation on how cinema reflects and critiques real-world power dynamics.

Have you watched Mr. and Mrs. Smith? No, I am not talking about that stupid film from 2005, but new, radical re-imagining on Amazon Prime. The new mini series casts Donald Glover and Maya Erskine as #neurotic millennial strangers who become spies posing as a married couple. After becoming one of Prime Video's top five new #series debuts ever, the show has been called a strange mix of a globetrotting spy saga like #JackRyan and the #mumblecore-adjacent world of Lena Dunham's #Girls, that uses #dark humor and distinct sensibility to capture #millennial emotional and economic #anxieties. The show leverages glamour and #spythriller tropes as a backdrop to subtly examine the #challenges of contemporary heterosexual #relationships, like starting a family, financial incompatibility, and sexual kinks. Come for millennial Pinterest board inspired Manhattan brownstones and lavish, terracotta towns of Northern Italy, stay for darkly comedic vivisection of modern #heterosexuality. Check out my new signal for Canvas8 on how millennial and Gen Z audiences are increasingly attracted to bold, witty, and idiosyncratic narratives that subvert genre expectations and deconstruct familiar storylines.  #culturalinsights #audiences #MrandMrsSmith

*_Dear Fathers, we need to start teaching our daughters about investing as early as we teach our sons._* _As Research tells us a large number of men (15%) were introduced to investing by their fathers._ _*Among women*, the largest proportion (21%) of women said they were introduced to investing much later post their marriage, by their husbands._ _Do share this short story video with maximum people and help to spread the noble message._ *Watch now:* https://lnkd.in/deARPEG6 *मजबूर नहीं मज़बूत बनाओ*

In our latest newsletter, we explore Lars Von Trier's confrontational Nymphomaniac and how it blurs the line between truth and lies. By focusing Gainsbourg's performance on the telling, which relies on visual stimuli from the apartment, Von Trier creates an unreliable narrator. Hit the link below to read this, and sign up for more film content. #larsvontrier #Nymphomaniac #filmessay

It's inspiring, simple as that. Seeing others face challenges or triumph over them teaches us valuable lessons about ourselves. By opening our eyes to their journeys, we can cultivate empathy, not only towards them but also towards our own struggles. It's essential to acknowledge that just as others are navigating their paths, we too are deserving of compassion and understanding. Allowing ourselves to embrace this mindset can lead to personal growth and resilience, ultimately empowering us to overcome our own obstacles with grace. #Empathy #SelfCompassion #PersonalGrowth #Leadership #Resilience

When working on diversity and inclusion, even with the best of intentions, THIS needs to be front and center. Check your lens and your filters. As a Latina who looks and sounds white, I recognize the advantages I’ve had and that doors open to me might not have been open to others who identify the same way. I invite folks who question “DEI hiring” to step into these shoes and understand the depth of what she is saying here. And how the system changes only very slowly if enough people push it in a new and more equitable direction.