| The Flagmakers | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | |
| Produced by |
|
| Cinematography | Boaz Freund |
| Edited by |
|
| Distributed by | National Geographic Documentary Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 35 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Flagmakers is a 2022 documentary film about the workers of employee-owned American flag manufacturer Eder Flag who manufacture American flags and flagpoles. The film focuses on the factory's diverse workforce, including locals, immigrants, and refugees. [1]
The Flagmakers examines the workforce of the Eder Flag factory located in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, the largest manufacturer of American flags in the nation. [2] Eder Flag's employees are largely refugees and immigrants from all around the world, including Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Latin America. The film follows several different employees, examining the meaning behind the American flag through their individual stories. [3]
The main narrator, Radica, immigrated from Serbia when it was on the brink of war over 30 years ago. She learned English from watching episodes of Married With Children . [4] The film contrasts the optimism of Ali, a war survivor from Baghdad, Iraq, with the after-effects of being attacked at a local store due to being an immigrant. [5] The film explores the hardships felt by Eder Flag's employees, including production manager SugarRay, who reflects on recent tragedies including the murder of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake. He is quoted as saying: "Definitely love this country, you know what I mean? But it don’t always love you back." [4] The film also explores the relationships between Barb, a midwesterner who is retiring from Eder due to health issues, and her "diverse immigrant co-workers". [5]
Co-director Cynthia Wade said that the Eder Flag factory was a "'visual tapestry' woven with the diversity of its employees and richness of the sewing process for flags". Filming began in 2019, before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, causing the filmmakers to expand the narrative to include the impacts of the COVID-19 on the factory workers. [6] Wade also said Eder Flag has seen an increase in flag orders since the film debuted. [3]
Directed and produced by veteran documentary makers Cynthia Wade and Sharon Liese, The Flagmakers was also produced by NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. [7]
The Flagmakers had its world premiere at the 2022 Camden International Film Festival on September 16, 2022. [8]
The film was released on the National Geographic network on December 8, 2022 and on Disney+ on December 21, 2022. [4]
Common Sense Media said: "In light of the flag's increasing use as a symbol of division, the film offers a heartening reminder of how people from different backgrounds can work together and find common ground." [9] Tony Betti of LaughingPlace.com said the film offers an "oddly poetic look at one of the most successful manufacturers of American flags" in the United States. [5]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 13, 2022 | Best Short Documentary | National Geographic Documentary Films | Nominated | [10] |
| Denver International Film Festival | November 16, 2022 | Short Film | Sharon Liese and Cynthia Wade | Won | [11] |
| News and Documentary Emmy Awards | September 28, 2023 | Outstanding Short Documentary | National Geographic | Won | [12] |
| Savannah Film Festival | October 22, 2022 | Documentary Short | Sharon Liese and Cynthia Wade | Won | [13] |
Shortly after release, The Flagmakers was optioned to be adapted into a stage musical, with Saheem Ali attached as director. [14]
Hod HaSharon is a city in the Central District of Israel. The city is located approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of the Mediterranean coastline, south of Kfar Saba, southeast of Raanana, and northeast of Ramat HaSharon.
Teorema, also known as Theorem (UK), is a 1968 Italian allegorical film written and directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini and starring Terence Stamp, Laura Betti, Silvana Mangano, Massimo Girotti and Anne Wiazemsky. Pasolini's sixth film, it was the first time he worked primarily with professional actors. In this film, an upper-class Milanese family is introduced to, and then abandoned by, a divine force. Themes include the timelessness of divinity and the spiritual corruption of the bourgeoisie.
Tel Mond is a town in the Sharon region of Israel, located east of Netanya and north of Kfar Saba. In 2021 it had a population of 14,179..
Ezhavathu Manithan is a 1982 Indian Tamil-language film co-written and directed by K. Hariharan. Inspired by a real-life incident, the film focuses on environmental pollution and exploitation of industrial workers. Starring Raghuvaran in his first lead role, it features a host of newcomers playing other prominent roles. The film's soundtrack was made up from an album composed by L. Vaidyanathan with the lyrics of Tamil poet Subramania Bharati.
Cynthia Wade is an American television, commercial and film director, producer and cinematographer based in New York City. She has directed documentaries on social issues including Shelter Dogs in 2003 about animal welfare and Freeheld in 2007 about LGBT rights as well as television commercials and web campaigns. She has won over 40 film festival awards, won an Oscar in 2008, and was nominated for her second Oscar in 2013.
Shelter Dogs is a 2003 documentary film directed and produced by Cynthia Wade about animal welfare in the United States and the ethics of animal euthanasia. Following a particular Upstate New York animal shelter and its staff over a three-year time span, Wade gives her audience a complex, honest look at the situations that arise when it comes to homeless animals and some of the difficult, controversial decisions that must be made within them.
Arash Amel is a Welsh-Iranian screenwriter and film producer.
Giannis Sina Ugo Antetokounmpo is a Greek-Nigerian professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His country of origin, in addition to his size, speed, and strength have earned him the nickname "Greek Freak". He is widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards and one of the greatest players of all time.
Cynthia Erivo is an English actress and singer. She gained recognition for starring in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple from 2015 to 2017, for which she won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Erivo ventured into films in 2018, playing roles in the heist film Widows and the thriller Bad Times at the El Royale. For her portrayal of American abolitionist Harriet Tubman in the biopic Harriet (2019), Erivo received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress; she also wrote and performed the song "Stand Up" on its soundtrack, which garnered her a nomination in the Best Original Song category.
The 2019 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game that was played on February 17, 2019, during the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2018–19 season. It was the 68th edition of the NBA All-Star Game, and was played at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the home of the Charlotte Hornets. Team LeBron defeated Team Giannis, 178–164. This was the second time that the NBA All-Star Game format was not Eastern Conference versus Western Conference. Charlotte was announced as host on May 24, 2017. This was the second time that Charlotte hosted the All-Star Game; the first time was in 1991, at the Hornets' previous home arena Charlotte Coliseum.
Konstantinos Ndubuisi "Kostas" Antetokounmpo is a Greek-Nigerian professional basketball player for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague.
Matthew Mishory is an American film director of Israeli descent. He has directed both narrative and documentary films and was named a "rising talent" by Variety Magazine in 2013. His award-winning 2009 film, Delphinium, about Derek Jarman, was preserved by the British Film Institute in its National Film Archive.
Sharon Liese is an American producer, director, and screenwriter. She created the true crime series Pink Collar Crimes and developed the show with Jon Kroll at CBS Studios. They planned to shop it out to various networks; however, CBS purchased the rights prior to any pitch being made.
Julia Bell Reichert was an American Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, activist, and feminist. She was a co-founder of New Day Films. Reichert's filmmaking career spanned over 50 years as a director and producer of documentaries.
American Factory is a 2019 American documentary film directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, about Chinese company Fuyao's factory in Moraine, a city near Dayton, Ohio, that occupies Moraine Assembly, a shuttered General Motors plant. The film had its festival premiere at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. It is distributed by Netflix and is the first film acquired by Barack and Michelle Obama's production company, Higher Ground Productions. It won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
A Spark Story is a 2021 American documentary film directed by Jason Sterman and Leanne Dare. Focusing on SparkShorts directors Aphton Corbin and Louis Gonzales, the film is a co-production between Pixar and Supper Club, and marks the former's first fully live-action project. The film was released on September 24, 2021, on Disney+. The film was to be removed from Disney+ on May 26, 2023, but it was kept after pressured by fans.
Transhood is a 2020 American documentary film directed and produced by Sharon Liese. The film follows four children, beginning at ages four, seven, twelve, and fifteen, as they "redefine coming-of-age".
Rise is a 2022 biographical sports drama film directed by Akin Omotoso, from a script written by Arash Amel. Based on the true story of three young Nigerian-Greek brothers, Giannis, Thanasis and Kostas Antetokounmpo, who emigrate to the United States and rise to fame and success within the National Basketball Association. The film stars newcomers Uche Agada, Ral Agada, and Jaden Osimuwa in the three primary roles; with Elijah Shomanke, Yetide Badaki, and Dayo Okeniyi in supporting family roles.
Maya Shenfeld is a Jerusalem-born composer and musician based in Berlin, Germany.
Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals is an American limited television documentary series about physical and sexual abuse in the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) movement. The series examines various IFB churches, church-run schools, and boarding schools and the testimonies of former IFB members. Many of the abuse accounts involve rape and sexual abuse of minors.
