It’s a New Day: Collective Distribution

New Day Films is a filmmaker-run cooperative that emerged from the women’s movement in 1971, when Julia Reichert and Jim Klein sought distribution for their film, Growing Up Female. A cooperative that allows members to self-distribute their films to the educational market and aims to empower filmmakers to have more control over their own work and earnings, New Day Films now comprises more than 100 filmmakers and operates via consensus decision-making and a “share ladder” system. However, it has faced challenges in its growing membership. Despite the changing landscape influenced by technology and market shifts, New Day launched a streaming service, New Day Digital, while maintaining its core values of empowerment, audience service, and societal contribution.