It’s a Wrap! Private Screening Set for Washington, D.C.
We are thrilled to announce THE FIGHT TO FIGHT film has reached a major milestone. After two long years of production, we can finally say, “That’s a wrap!”
This means we have completed the technical post-production phase and are a few minor revisions away from finalizing the trailer.
Our next challenge is to execute an impact campaign that maximizes education and outreach to generate support for legislative positions championed by Rep. Houlahan, Senator Mazie Hirono, and other like-minded lawmakers.
One thing we hoped for when making the film was for it to become a lightning rod to inspire large organizations to work together as a united front for supporting gender-neutral military standards. We are happy to report this is starting to happen.
On July 22, in Washington, D.C., our team will take part in an invitation-only event that includes a panel discussion and a private film screening. Key members of THE FIGHT TO FIGHT team will play major roles in the event, which is supported by the Congressional Servicewomen and Women Veterans Caucus. Attending the event will be senior Congressional staffers and members of the following sponsoring organizations:
· The Reserve Organization of America
· American Civil Liberties Union
· Women in Service Coalition Inc.
· Service Women’s Action Network
· Women in International Security
· Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America
· Military Women’s Memorial Foundations
Impact Campaign Strategy
The July 22nd event is the unofficial kickoff of our impact campaign. Importantly, it checks off several boxes on the priority list we plan to follow through the end of the year and beyond.
The event is in Washington, D.C. which we view as the campaign’s center of gravity. It is a prestige event produced in collaboration with powerful partners. And, finally, it communicates a consistent tone that is pro-service, pro-excellence, and pro-readiness.
One of our most important priorities is to make it clear there is urgency. The threat of returning to a new era of gender-exclusion policies is all too real.
Just as THE FIGHT TO FIGHT documentary enters the public arena recent developments have created a gender-charged environment in Washington.
Because of the urgency of mounting a robust national effort, we will need your help to succeed. Please consider making a donation to help our impact campaign influence decision-makers so women will never be barred from combat occupations again. (Click here to make a donation.)
Your donations will help us touch minds and hearts by telling true stories of courageous, patriotic women who have volunteered to serve in combat units for the past 10 years.
Recent Developments in Washington
A bill recently introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (PA) could have been called the SAME (Standards and Merit for Everyone) Act because merit-based combat standards, which have never been lowered, need to be codified into law.
However, Rep. Houlahan, who supports this sentiment, chose a more politically effective name: the WARRIOR Act, which stands for Women Add Resourcefulness and Resilience to Improve Operational Readiness.
It is clear from reading the bill its intent is to codify into law gender-neutral standards, which ensures servicemembers are judged solely on skills, performance, and objective benchmarks with no regard to sex.
The bill is necessary because Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth continually casts doubt on a woman’s ability to serve in combat. In a recent House Armed Services Committee hearing, Rep. Houlahan exposed Hegseth’s refusal to acknowledge women are capable of lethality, a refusal that shows disdain for servicewomen.
In addition, Hegseth is the architect of a Pentagon initiative now underway to review the effectiveness of women in ground combat positions. During questioning by Sen. Maizie Hirono, Hegseth admitted his intention to re-evaluate women in ground combat positions and recommend changes that could affect the future of nearly 5,000 women.
It is clear from recent statements and actions that Hegseth and his advisors at the Pentagon view women as a “class of people” rather than individuals.
Join with us to ensure qualified individuals, both women and men, continue to serve in combat arms.
Joy Bronson served as a Naval Aviator from 1986 to 1993 and is the Director/Producer of THE FIGHT TO FIGHT documentary feature film.
Help Us Spread the Word
The Fight to Fight documentary is at a pivotal stage and needs to show it can reach a big audience to get the film widely distributed. Donations are critical at this point, and so is sharing our website link, blog and social media posts. So please spread the FIGHT TO FIGHT message to friends, family and colleagues who are veterans or people concerned about the future of our military and fair treatment for women. Click here to donate and here to sign up for our blog.
Private Screening Set for THE FIGHT TO FIGHT in Washington, D.C.
On July 22, THE FIGHT TO FIGHT film team will travel to Washington, D.C. to take part in an invitation-only event that includes a panel discussion and a private screening of the completed documentary. Key members of the film team will play major roles in the event, which is supported by the Congressional Servicewomen and Women Veterans Caucus. Attending the event will be senior Congressional staffers and key members of the sponsoring organizations, shown above.
It’s a Wrap! THE FIGHT TO FIGHT Completes Post-Production Work
Director Joy Bronson, above left, and Co-Director Mark Romanov, right, finalize color correction and visual effects at Roush Media in Los Angeles. In parallel, they also finalized sound mixing and sound design at the nearby Juniper Post. Over a two-week period both parts of the technical process were fine-tuned and married together, completing the final step in the documentary team’s two-year filmmaking journey.
Photo courtesy of Joe Skorupa