Getting married is an age-old rite of passage. But for far too many African-American women, getting to the altar seems an impossible task, leaving many of them wondering, “Where are all the good men?”

 

Through heart-touching, personal stories of African-American women and a historic review of our nation’s past, the documentary series Love & The Marriage Squeeze takes an intimate look at love, race and relationships in America to uncover why nearly 70% of African-American women today are still single and looking for love.

 

The docuseries is narrated, produced and directed by filmmaker Anietie Antia-Obong, a single, black female who’s had absolutely no luck in love.  She’s convinced that race may play a big role in why she and so many other African-American women are still single.

So she’s hitting the road to talk to other singles, married couples, relationship experts, matchmakers, historians, religious leaders, activists and celebrities to get to the heart of the fight for black love. And, along the way, she and her other “hopelessly” single, African-American, girl friends will set out to find that ever elusive love!

 

 

OUR TEAM

OUR CAST

 

As fantastic, lovely and brilliant as these ladies are, it's heartbreaking that finding love has been difficult for them. Cast member and Los Angeles-based teacher, Byronique is deeply feeling the pain of loneliness.  She said, "I have always, always wanted nothing more in this life than to be loved by a man and be in love with a man."

 

Can you imagine the pain of not having your life's greatest desire fulfilled?  Too many African-American women are sharing in this misery and missing out on the many blessings of marriage and companionship.  They want their life partners, someone with whom to share their struggles and triumphs, the opportunity to rear children within the loving circle of a two-parent home and the chance to build multi-generational wealth. And yet, they are alone.

 

So why aren’t these ladies married?  One main reason is the marriage squeeze with its multitude of nefarious causes.

There is a marriage squeeze in the African-American community which, in this case, means there are more women available for marriage than men. Sure there are more women than men in the world regardless of race.  However, the African-American marriage squeeze is the result of the legacy of slavery, white supremacy and systemic racism.  This makes it particularly traumatizing and destructive for the African-American community.   

 

Though this docuseries we’ll explore the numerous ways in which black love has been desecrated, destroyed and hindered through the centuries.  These include the reign of white terror; skin color stratification; the forced acceptance of the Christian, patriarchal family model; welfare and housing policies; the for-profit, prison industrial complex and misogynoir within music, media and culture.  We’ll also explore the growing cultural and socioeconomic gaps between college-educated, African-American women and less educated, African-American men as well as the greater rate of interracial marriage by African-American men compared to African-American women.

 

 

Let's be real.  Black women are tired of the stereotypes placed upon them whether it be the angry, black woman; the Jezebel; the mammy or the strong black woman.  As Radiance says, “I want to live a soft life with my husband. I don't want my husband to come in thinking like, ‘Strong black woman!’  I want him to love every element of me. Whether it be my strength and my softness.”

Many black women are tired of having to be strong and independent and desire the same ease and comfort that women of other races are afforded.  And that includes the benefit of marriage.

 

THE CONVERSATION

 

Furthermore, the series is meant to cultivate compassion for African-American women and spark activism for justice and equity which will ultimately support black families and black love. We must invest in love in our community for it is the strongest foundation.
How do we create more equity, ease and love for African-American women? We must start with telling their stories!  Now is the time for their stories to be told and heard, to begin healing the hurt places and to build a glorious future for black love and black families.  But we can't do it alone.  We need your support!

 

 

The documentary series Love & The Marriage Squeeze will not only highlight the experiences of African-American women in the states who are trying to find love but also the overall trials and tribulations of how Black women are perceived and the challenges that they go up against in their everyday lives. Having a majority Black-led team behind the camera who have direct correlation with the themes explored in the series helps to provide authenticity in the storytelling of each episode. The film team will work closely with participants, experts and partners to produce this powerful series and to provide a platform for these women to share their stories and ultimately connect with other audiences who have not seen themselves in this transparent way in commercial film and television.

 

The core audience of this series is Black women, women who are mothers, who are educated, business owners, artists, entrepreneurs and Americans who strive to do their very best everyday often without someone to share their accomplishments with. The film team is taking a historical approach as to how Black Americans got to this country and how the past still haunts our way of life, thinking and the ways in which Black women and men perceive one another to this day. After completing production, the film team plans to find a distributor, submit to film festivals - specially regions with large African-American presence, host community screenings for nonprofit organizations that focus on education, equity, dismantling racism, women's rights and mental health. Along with these screenings, the film team will support panel discussions and provide resources from our partners to these targeted audiences. 

 

This docuseries’ subject is a hot topic that everyone from comedian Steve Harvey to actor Hill Harper to countless journalists, bloggers, self-proclaimed relationships experts and regular, everyday people passionately discuss and debate in any number of arenas including social media.

 

Even outside the African-American community, dating and marriage are popular topics judging from numerous TV shows like The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Married At First Sight, Love Is Blind, 90 Day Fiance and more.

 

In the coming months, we’ll revamp the film series website and create social media channels, such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to cultivate community and build our documentary series audience.

 

Website
While making the docuseries, we’ll use the Love & The Marriage Squeeze website to inform our audience about the series development and engage them with interesting and educational content (like videos and our blog).

 

Instagram
Through Instagram, we’ll post photos, videos, interact live and drive viewers to follow and donate to the film.

 

Facebook
We’ll use Facebook to build community by posting articles, photos, videos, film updates and engaging in conversations in Facebook groups geared toward African-Americans, especially single African-Americans.  We’ll also engage with our audience and spark conversations through posts, our own private group and Facebook Lives.

 

YouTube
YouTube will serve as a home for our film trailers as well as numerous ancillary videos we’ll produce around the topics of dating, love, marriage and more.

Twitter
As we follow individuals and topics relevant to Love & The Marriage Squeeze, we’ll gain followers by tweeting and retweeting content like photos, articles and interesting facts related to African-American women, love, marriage and dating as well as film updates.

 

We’ve made lots of progress on the series, but as is usual with most independent projects, we need additional financial resources to continue filming and you can help.  By making a tax-deductible donation, you’ll directly support independent, female, African-American filmmakers telling stories from our community which directly impact black love and black families.

 

Creating a documentary series is a lot of work and requires many phases to complete.  We are in the first phase which is called development.  This is the phase when the project idea is formed and written, research is done, members of the film team are hired on, the cast or subjects are chosen and the budget is created.  In essence, the idea is created and the necessary elements to produce it are identified.

 

The next phase is pre-production. In this phase, additional team members are hired on and planning and prep work are done in order to begin filming.  

 

Once filming begins, the project is in the production phase.  Following production is post-production where the project is edited to its final form.  And finally, there is the distribution phase where the project is made available to be seen by audiences.

 

 

Again, making a documentary series is a long and laborious process.  And we do not intend to go it alone!  We will create a sizzle reel as a proof of concept to show potential co-production partners and TV networks in order to procure a partnership to produce the series.  In essence, the sizzle reel is a sales tool.

 

We are asking for monetary donations to produce the sizzle reel in hopes that we will be able to sell it in the market.  Of course, there is no guarantee that a network will buy or license the show from our production company.  However, our film producers are completely dedicated to bringing Love & The Marriage Squeeze to the screen and will produce it by funding the entire production by raising money through individual investors, donors and grants if necessary.  That would be the completely independent route.

 

So rest assured that your donations will ensure that Love & The Marriage Squeeze is produced and reaches its intended audience. And the footage that we shoot for the sizzle can be used for the actual series.  Therefore, shooting the sizzle reel is beginning production of the entire series.

 

 

Anyone who knows anything about this business knows that it’s EXPENSIVE so we need your help!  Currently, our project is fiscally sponsored by From The Heart Productions which is a 501(c)3 non-profit that helps filmmakers get their films funded through grants, fiscal sponsorship, and film funding classes. What this means is that when you donate to our film, you will do so through From The Heart Productions and your donation is tax-deductible. From The Heart Productions will help us track donations and take a small percentage out for their services towards the project. Fiscal sponsors are very common in the documentary space and they serve as a huge help to us independent filmmakers.

 

Our budget includes pre-production, production, post production and travel costs. The total is $14,700.

 

Recently, there’s been a new wave of racial and social justice activism. You may not have walked the streets in protest when George Floyd was murdered.  You may not have held a Black Lives Matter sign or a written Black Lives Matter post.  But you probably feel the energy of this movement and want to be a part of the positive change this nation so desperately needs.

 

Today, you can take part in that movement and make an impact by donating to our campaign. Join our love tribe and bring Love & The Marriage Squeeze to the screen!  Through this docuseries, we will raise awareness of issues that cause suffering and inequality within the African-American community, offer solutions, cultivate compassion and inspire hope and healing. And that makes us powerful agents of change.  Join our love tribe.  Donate now!

 

On this platform, you are able to donate any amount you wish or you may donate a specific amount below and receive perks.  

 

• Social media “thank you” shoutout

• Social media “thank you” shoutout
• Recognition on our website

• Social media “thank you” shoutout
• Recognition on our website
• Love & The Marriage Squeeze T-shirt

• Social media “thank you” shoutout
• Recognition on our website
• Love & The Marriage Squeeze T-shirt
• Love & The Marriage Squeeze tote bag
• Invitation to a day on the set

• Social media “thank you” shoutout
• Recognition on our website
• Love & The Marriage Squeeze T-shirt
• Love & The Marriage Squeeze tote bag
• Professionally written dating profile to up level your online dating
• Invitation to a day on the set
• Invitation to our VIP Reception

• Social media “thank you” shoutout
• Recognition on our website
• Love & The Marriage Squeeze T-shirt
• Love & The Marriage Squeeze tote bag
• Professionally written dating profile to up level your online dating
• Invitation to a day on the set
• Invitation to our VIP Reception
• Associate Producer credit on the Love & The Marriage Squeeze sizzle reel