6 female cartoonists redefining the lines

DRAW FOR CHANGE! is a 6 part documentary series about female cartoonists from all around the globe, challenging the red lines and the taboos of their society. Zooming in on their drawings, these cartoonists take us on a journey into their world in search of people who experience their drawings in reality.

In this series we’ll meet strong women who are each rebellious in their own way: they draw because it is unthinkable for them not to do so. The price they pay for performing their work gives these characters a dramatic edge. They have been fired, intimidated or threatened with death. But they invariably refuse to give in and succeed - if only a little - in changing their society.

Trailer

Episodes

EP01 | BEHIND THE LINES (SYRIA)

In Idlib, directors Alisar Hasan and Alaa Amer introduce us to Amany Al-Ali, the city's pioneering female cartoonist. She empowers young women and challenges patriarchal systems with her art. Amid personal exhaustion and trauma, Amany faces the tough choice of leaving her city and loved ones behind.

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EP02 | WE ARE FIRE (MEXICO)

Mar Maremoto is a vibrant force of queerness and punk energy, unapologetically herself. Through her dynamic and emotionally charged artwork, from captivating cartoons to striking murals, she fearlessly delves into the profound impact of machismo, the anguish of fat-shaming, and the struggles of not conforming to societal norms.

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EP03 | TREE OF VIOLENCE (RUSSIA)

Victoria Lomasko, an artist who has been documenting Putin’s Russia for a decade, explores the link between domestic and state-sponsored violence in the midst of an impending crisis. After fleeing her country in the spring of 2022 she undertook her most ambitious mural project, depicting the events that unfolded since the protest-filled winter of 2021.

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EP04 | DRAWING A LINE (INDIA)

Rachita Taneja is the visual artist behind SANITARY PANELS, a webcomic renowned for its fearless socio-political commentary. In a climate of growing polarization and censorship, Rachita faces a 'criminal contempt of court' case head-on, unwavering in her determination to speak her truth and champion free expression.

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EP05 | A STROKE OF FREEDOM (EGYPT)

Doaa El-Adl stands out as one of the most prominent female cartoonists in the Arab world. In this documentary, director Nada Riyadh delves into the position of Egyptian women in the public sphere and their freedom of expression.

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EP06 | DEMOCRACY UNDER SIEGE (US)

Acclaimed editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes (Washington Post) offers a razor sharp critique of political hypocrisy as top American political commentators confront viewers with urgent questions about the future of American governance.

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CARTOONISTS

Amany Al-Ali, the first female cartoonist in Idlib, Syria, draws the life of her town, a bastion of jihadist groups that are attempting to overthrow President Assad since 2011. Armed with her pen, she is struggling against Islamist authority and traditional patriarchy. But for how much longer will she have the strength to keep fighting, among the ruins of her town?

By posting her drawings on her instagram account Mar Maremoto wants to create a safe space for her audience. She does this because in real life the streets of Mexico are the complete opposite of “safe”. In this film, Mar meets women who have been confronted by the the omnipresent sexual violence. How do they defend themselves? Why are there so many femicides in Mexico? And how to create a safe space for women in real life?

Ann Telnaes creates editorial cartoons in various mediums — animation, visual essays, live sketches and traditional print — for The Washington Post. She won the Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for her print cartoons and the National Cartoonists Society’s Reuben for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year for 2016. She was awarded the international EWK Award, named after the legendary Swedish cartoonist Ewert Karlsson in 2021 and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for her illustrated reporting and cartooning in 2022.

Rachita Taneja is a young Indian cartoonist who has become very famous on social networks. Her cartoons constantly denounce with humour a corrupt and deeply unequal political system. But the government in power, which claims to be the world’s largest democracy, does not like criticism and seeks to silence her. At what price will she be able to continue drawing and participating in the film we are making with her?

Doaa El-Adl is an Egyptian cartoonist currently working for the Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper, known for her satirical cartoons with strong political, social or religious themes. She has been cited as Egypt’s most famous female cartoonist. Her work at Al-Masry Al-Youm has received considerable attention and created controversy. She lives and works in Cairo.

Victoria Lomasko practices graphic reportage synthesizing image and text, taking the form of novels, journalism, comics, paintings and monumental murals. Her books Forbidden Art, Other Russias and The Last Soviet Artist are a single chronicle of how Russian society moved from a democracy to a dictatorship. The Last Soviet Artist, finished three weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, won the 2022 Free Voice award from PEN Catalan and Prix Couilles au Cul pour le Courage Artistique, Festival de BD d’Angoulême. Lomasko based in Moscow, Russia until March 2022, now in exile.