• by Sara Guaglione , January 26, 2016

Refinery29is teaming up with Sundance Institute to support female filmmakers with a new short film series called ShatterBox Anthology.

Refinery29 announced Monday it will produce the film series, driven by female directors, writers, actors and animators. ShatterBox Anthology will consist of 12 short-form films that explore the “dynamics of power,” according to a press statement.

The films will run monthly for one year beginning this spring. They will be released on the Refinery29 platform, with creative support from Sundance Institute.

The first film will come from Oscar-nominee Chloë Sevigny, who will make her directorial debut with the short film "Kitty," adapted from Paul Bowles' short story.

The film stars actress Ione Skye (“Arrested Development”) and Lee Meriwether (“Barnaby Jones”) and features Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Seamus McGarvey ("Atonement").

The film is produced by Christina Piovesan of First Generation Films and Lizzie Nastro, in collaboration with executive producer Refinery29.

Refinery29 has tapped producers Christine Vachon (Carol) and Pamela Koffler (Still Alice) to be advisors for the ShatterBox Anthology project. 

“The work of the prestigious Sundance Institute and their findings around sustainability for women within the film industry struck a personal chord, and I’m finally in a place to drive change utilizing the power of the Refinery29 platform." stated Amy Emmerich, chief content officer at Refinery29.

Emmerich added that there is much to be done in the movement to support female creators.

“By tackling the dynamics of power, we are forcing society to look at the social structures that shape our lives,” she stated. Emmerich added that there is “no reason” why one of the ShatterBox Anthology short films wouldn’t be at the Oscars in 2017.

The announcement of the ShatterBox Anthology follows Refinery29’s growing lineup of original programming produced by women. Other projects have associations with Sundance as well, including "The Skinny," which will premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.

Another Refinery29 film, "A Woman’s Place: The Frontlines of Feminism," was executive produced by Lauren Zalaznick, Directors Advisory Board member for Sundance Institute.

Refinery29is a growing digital media company targeting millennial women. The brand increased its audience almost 200% in 2015 to over 125 million monthly content views. 

Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981 that aims to advance the work of filmmakers. The organization’s most notable program is the Sundance Film Festival, the largest independent film festival in the U.S.