Free the Nipple (film)

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Free The Nipple
FreeThe Nipple.jpg
Film poster
Directed by Lina Esco
Written byHunter Richards
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyBerenice Eveno
Edited byMatt Landon
Music by
Production
companies
  • Bethsabée Mucho
  • Disruptive Films
  • Emotion Pictures
Distributed by
Release date
  • December 12, 2014 (2014-12-12)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Free the Nipple is a 2014 American comedy-drama independent film directed by Lina Esco and written by Hunter Richards. Esco created the film to draw public attention to the issue of gender equality and encourage discussion over what she perceived as America's glorification of violence and repression of sexuality. [1] When in post-production during February 2014, the film was picked up for distribution by Paris-based WTFilms. [1]

Contents

Synopsis

Led by Liv, an army of passionate women launch a revolution to "Free the Nipple" and decriminalize female toplessness. Based on true events, a mass movement of topless women, backed by First Amendment lawyers, graffiti installations, and national publicity stunts, invade New York City to protest censorship hypocrisies and promote gender equality legally and culturally in the U.S.

Cast

Advocacy

Miley Cyrus, who had worked with Esco on LOL, came forward to support the film and a woman's right to bare a nipple in public. [2] [3] [4] Joining Cyrus in her support of Esco and the film are Rumer Willis, Nico Tortorella, Lydia Hearst, Giles Matthey, [5] Cara Delevingne,[ citation needed ] and Russell Simmons. [6]

Release

The film was picked up by IFC Films, and it was announced on September 29, 2014, that Sundance Selects picked the film for North American release. [7]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nipple</span> Part of the breast

The nipple is a raised region of tissue on the surface of the breast from which, in females, milk leaves the breast through the lactiferous ducts to breastfeed an infant. The milk can flow through the nipple passively or it can be ejected by smooth muscle contractions that occur along with the ductal system. Male mammals also have nipples but without the same level of function, and often surrounded by body hair.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toplessness</span> Having a womans torso exposed above the waist

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pasties</span> Adhesive patches worn to cover the nipples and areolae

Pasties are patches that cover a person's nipples and areolae, typically self-adhesive or affixed with adhesive. They are usually worn in pairs. They originated as part of burlesque shows, allowing dancers to perform fully topless without exposing the nipples in order to provide a commercial form of bare-breasted entertainment. Pasties are also, at times, used while sunbathing, worn by strippers and showgirls, or as a form of protest during women's rights events such as Go Topless Day. In some cases this is to avoid potential prosecution under indecency laws.

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Lina Esco is an American actress, producer, director and activist. She gained recognition in 2007 for portraying Jimmy Smits' character's daughter in the CBS television drama Cane. Esco has also performed in films, including London (2005), Kingshighway (2010), LOL (2012), and Free the Nipple (2014). She is also known for portraying SWAT officer Christina "Chris" Alonso in S.W.A.T.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Free the nipple</span> Topfreedom campaign since 2012

Free the Nipple is a topfreedom campaign created in 2012 during pre-production of a 2014 film of the same name. The campaign highlights the general convention of allowing men to appear topless in public while considering it sexual or indecent for women to do the same and asserts that this difference is discriminatory, contravening women's rights. The campaign argues that it should be legally and culturally acceptable for women to bare their nipples in public.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Female toplessness in the United States</span>

In the United States, individual states have primary jurisdiction in matters of public morality. The topfreedom movement has claimed success in a few instances in persuading some state and federal courts to overturn some state laws on the basis of sex discrimination or equal protection, arguing that a woman should be free to expose her chest in any context in which a man can expose his. Other successful cases have been on the basis of freedom of expression in protest, or simply that exposure of breasts is not indecent.

References

  1. 1 2 Keslassy, Elsa (February 6, 2014). "Berlin: WTFilms Picks Up 'Free The Nipple'". Variety Magazine . Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  2. Park, Andrea (December 17, 2014). "NSFW: Miley Cyrus and Lina Esco want you to 'Free the Nipple'". Metro US. Archived from the original on September 24, 2014. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  3. Zepps, Josh (December 23, 2013). "Lina Esco: Free the Nipple Campaign" (video interview). Huffpost Live . Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  4. Rutherford, Kevin (December 14, 2014). "Miley Cyrus Bares All in Tweet of Support for 'Free the Nipple' Film". Billboard Magazine . Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  5. Eng, Jared (June 20, 2014). "Rumer Willis Supports Lina Esco at 'Free The Nipple' Fundraiser!". Just Jared. Archived from the original on September 20, 2014. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  6. Canino, Ashley (July 1, 2014). "Pop Rivets: Free The Nipple". The Riverter. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  7. Siegemund-Broka (September 29, 2014). "'Free The Nipple' Picked Up By Sundance Selects for North American Release". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved October 24, 2014.