Cynthia Lowen is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and award-winning writer whose work uses the power of story to catalyze meaningful change. She is a 2023 Sundance/Alfred P. Sloan Screenwriting Fellow for her feature narrative script ‘Light Mass Energy,’ the story of Mileva Marić Einstein, who confronted rampant discrimination to become one of the first women in physics. Cynthia is the director/producer of ‘Battleground’ about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, premiering at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival, theatrically released through Abramorama and streaming on STARZ. Cynthia is also the director/producer of ‘Netizens’ (HBO), a feature documentary about women and online harassment. She’s the producer and writer of ‘Bully,’ a feature documentary following five kids and families through a year in the life of America’s bullying crisis, which was shortlisted for the Oscars and nominated for two Emmys. In conjunction with her films, Cynthia has spearheaded large-scale impact campaigns, working with partners such as Autism Speaks, Facebook, Human Rights Campaign, Microsoft, NARAL, Planned Parenthood, the United Federation of Teachers, and many others. She is a winner of the National Poetry Series and is a member of the Producers Guild of America.

Jon Cohrs is a filmmaker, producer and media artist whose work uses public engagement, collaboration and emerging technology to address contemporary issues on healthcare and chronic pain, technology and the environment. From 2020 to 2023 he served as senior producer for the R&D team at The New York Times exploring the future of journalism through research and emergent storytelling techniques, including photogrammetry, Unreal Engine, AI, spatial audio and other applications. He’s the director of the feature documentary ‘Backwater’ about the anthropocene, following a group who travel by canoe, exploring a post-industrial landscape that tells a story of nature and toxicity, premiering at Vision Du Reel. Jon’s work has been shown at Ars Electronica, The Total Museum Korea, Art in General, among others, and his project OMG TV was commissioned by the Vancouver Olympics. He’s received grants from NYSCA, Media-Arts Assistance Fund, Mellon Grant, Experimental Televisions Center, Future-Everything and fellowships from Eyebeam, NYFA, and the Banff Centre for the Arts.

This screening is made possible due to funding support from the Arts & Science Council (ASC).