A documentary on Gloria Allred, the famed women’s rights attorney known for taking on high-profile and difficult cases, could not be coming at a better time. Allred, a feminist icon, has made it her life’s mission to help women who are victims of abuse and violence; she’s a powerful women accustomed to fighting the powers that be, and that’s exactly what the current feminist movement is after.
Since the allegations against Harvey Weinstein inspired women across all industries to come forward with stories of the abuse they faced at the hands of powerful men, initiatives like Time's Up and movements like #MeToo are looking for people who will help them take the next step into action and enact real change. With a new Netflix documentary premiering in February, Seeing Allred, Gloria Allred is positioning herself to publicly spearhead that movement.
“There is a war on women. Women must depend on me to be strong and to assert and protect their rights,” Allred says in the documentary’s trailer.
Allred also no stranger to celebrity: Allred represented Nicole Brown’s family during the O.J. trial, Ginger Lee, the porn star involved in the (one of the many) Anthony Weiner scandals, as well as the 33 women who accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault. She has also taken on Harvey Weinstein and Donald Trump.
“Power only understands power. Fighting injustice is a commitment I made many years ago,” Allred explains. “Women are now empowered, and they will never be silent again.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the documentary will make its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in late January and will tell the story of Allred’s life; the result is a candid representation of how her work as a civil rights attorney has shaped and informed her life and the life of the women she has helped for the past 40 years.
The documentary is directed by Sophie Sartain and Roberta Grossman. It is produced by Marta Kauffman, co-creator of Friends, alongside Grossman, Sartain, Robbie Rowe Tollin, and Hannah KS Canter.
The filmmakers have also gone above and beyond to ensure that the never-ending tide of new sexual assault allegations against powerful people can be included in the documentary. They have decided to continue working on the documentary to make sure the doc is as updated as it can possibly be before its premiere at Sundance.
“The filmmakers did notify us that they were going to continue shooting to add to the documentary as all of the allegations were breaking,” Sundance director of programming Trevor Groth told The Hollywood Reporter. “So, there is a real sort of timely quality to that film.”
“I feel fortunate that Seeing Allred captures my passion and battle for justice for many victims of injustice,” Allred said in a statement. "The courage that my clients demonstrate, in speaking truth to power, inspires me every day as we fight together.”
“I think Gloria enjoys conflict,” Gloria Steinem, feminist icon, says in the trailer. “This makes her a great champion for us.”
Seeing Allred premieres on Netflix on Feb. 9.
