With his 2008 documentary for HBO, “The Black List,” Timothy Greenfield-Sanders hit on a successful formula: draw up a wish list of luminaries in different fields who share a common denominator such as race, age or gender and film their individual narratives in an unvarnished, powerful style. Taken together, the first-person stories shed light on the overarching history of the larger group.
After “The Black List: Volumes 1 and 2,” Greenfield-Sanders directed “The Latino List,” “The Out List” and “The Boomer List.” Now comes “The Woman’s List,” premiering on PBS’ “American Masters” series on Friday.
The 15 women featured in “The Woman’s List” include former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, attorney Gloria Allred, Edie Falco, Betsey Johnson, Alicia Keys, writer-producer Shonda Rhimes and scientist and entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes. Toni Morrison opens the film with the reading of an introduction she wrote.
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Greenfield-Sanders admitted that not everyone on his wish list appears in the film. “There always are people [that elude you,]” he said. “I wanted Condoleezza Rice because you don’t find many articulate Republications. It’s usually a timing issue. I feel everyone in the film is a great ‘get.’
“It’s impossible to pick 15 women to represent the 150 million women in America today,” Greenfield-Sanders added. “That said, we did our best. It’s different professions, different views on the role of women today and different generational views. It’s a complex portrait.”
Women are still presumed to be struggling to “have it all” and juggling work with family life. “Nobody asks a man how he gets stuff done,” said Rhimes. “Nobody asks a man how he finds balance.” Allred tried to destigmatize the word “feminism.” “A feminist is simply a person who believes in legal, social, political and economic equality for women with men.”
The women tout their accomplishments. “Spanx really came out of my own butt,” said founder Sara Blakely. “I didn’t like the way I looked in pants.” Nia Wordlaw, a pilot, claimed that she is “probably one of 25 women that fly for a major airline.”
One thing the women have in common besides their gender is the ability to overcome adversity. “It’s an objective fact that I’m a double amputee, but it’s a very subjective opinion as to whether that makes me disabled,” Aimee Mullins, an athlete and model, says in the film.
Greenfield-Sanders revealed that his next project will be “The Trans List.” “The answer is, we hope so,” he said, anticipating a reporter’s question about Caitlyn Jenner’s participation before it was asked.