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Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge

Directors

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Trish Dalton

Producers

Fabiola Beracasa Beckman, Tracy Aftergood, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Sean Stuart, Trish Dalton

Editors

Hannah Vanderlan, Marco Perez, Sloane Klevin

Cinematographer

Michelle McCabe

Known worldwide as DVF, this is an unprecedented look at the extraordinary life of trailblazing icon Diane von Furstenberg. At a time when gender equality and women’s issues are at the forefront, Diane’s life exemplifies uncompromising empowerment, resilience, entrepreneurship, and, of course, style.

Breaking into a fiercely male-dominated industry, Diane never viewed herself as a victim of sexism. Instead, she powerfully embraces her femininity, carving an unprecedented path for herself and inspiring the next generation of women to follow, not least her daughter.

As she approaches a retrospective exhibition marking her 50-year career milestone, Diane reflects on her groundbreaking journey along with the introduction of the iconic “wrap dress” in 1974, which transformed her career. Her story, marked by challenges including single motherhood, being the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, battling cancer, and pursuing her dreams relentlessly, underscores her belief that women should lead lives filled with passion, purpose, and self-determination.

Diane von Furstenberg embodies the essence of a woman in control of her destiny. In her own words and intimate reflections from Oprah Winfrey, Marc Jacobs, Hillary Clinton, and others, Diane shares her remarkable story.

Post-screening discussion with co-directors Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Trish Dalton, along with producers Fabiola Beracasa Beckman and Tracy Aftergood, moderated by Sonia Rao, Reporter for The Washington Post’s Style section.

Co-director, Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge

Trish Dalton is a film director and producer best known for her HBO Sports documentary Student Athlete, made in collaboration with Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, shedding light on injustices in college football and basketball in the United States. She was named one of People magazine’s ten Women Changing the World in 2020 for her work encouraging legislative change at the federal and state levels to protect college athletes’ rights in the wake of her film, Student Athlete.

Her most recent documentary, Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge, co-directed with Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, is an anthem to von Furstenberg’s achievements and accomplishments, showing how she paved the way for multiple generations of women and continues to empower them today.

Dalton’s films have been used to share stories of inspiration, creativity, and grit. Her other films include One Night Stand, Bordering on Treason, and Southmost USA, and she has garnered awards and recognition from film festivals and organizations globally.

Co-director, Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge

Two-time Academy Award winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is known for her documentaries Saving Face and A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness. Girl in the River earned her a monumental visit with the Prime Minister of Pakistan in 2016, ultimately impacting legislation and helping to push through the long-stalled honor killing bill, the controversial law subject of her short.

Most recently, Obaid-Chinoy co-directed the Hulu documentary Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge. Through archival footage and intimate interviews, the documentary takes a deep dive into the life and career of von Furstenberg, who forged a path for herself in a male-dominated industry and built a multimillion-dollar fashion empire.

In 2022, Obaid-Chinoy made her narrative directorial debut for Marvel’s critically acclaimed series Ms. Marvel. She directed two of the series’ pivotal episodes (4 and 5). The New York Times included her episodes in its annual Best Episodes of TV list, calling them ingenious and surprisingly moving. In April 2023, Lucas Films announced Obaid-Chinoy as the director of the next Star Wars film starring Daisy Ridley at its Star Wars Celebration convention in London.

Obaid-Chinoy has received four Emmy Awards, a Knight International Journalism Award, two Alfred I. duPont awards, the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, and the Tällberg/Eliasson Global Leadership Prize. She was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people worldwide. In 2013, the Canadian government awarded her a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work in the field of documentary films, and the World Economic Forum honored her with a Crystal Award at their annual summit in Davos.