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Abigail Disney
Producer, Director, Actor, Additional CreditsBorn January 24, 1960 (64 years)
Abigail E. Disney is an Emmy-winning director and producer, philanthropist and the CEO and president of Fork Films. An active supporter of peacebuilding, she is passionate about advancing women's roles in the public sphere. Abigail's films and series focus on social issues and spotlight extraordinary people who speak truth to power.
Having grown up in a family of filmmakers, Abigail turned to documentaries when inspired to tell the story of a brave group of women who used nonviolent protests and sex strikes to bring an end to Liberia's long civil war. She and renowned filmmaker Gini Reticker made the widely acclaimed Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which is broadly credited with highlighting the achievements of Leymah Gbowee, who received a Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. Abigail and Gini went on to found Fork Films, which is known for making and funding high profile, critically acclaimed documentaries that are seen on PBS, Netflix, HBO and other major outlets.
In addition to producing original films, Fork Films awards grants to non-fiction films that promote peacebuilding, human rights and social justice with a particular emphasis on projects with women behind or in front of the camera. As of June 2017, Fork Films has awarded over $4 million to 90 documentaries including Cameraperson, Trapped, 1971, The Mask You Live In, Citizen Koch, Hot Girls Wanted, The Invisible War, and Sun Come Up. Fork Films grantees have premiered at top tier film festivals, won major awards and moved the needle on important social issues.
In 2009, Abigail founded Peace is Loud, a nonprofit that inspires action through media and live events that spotlight women leaders on the frontline of peacebuilding worldwide.
Abigail's directorial debut, Emmy-winning The Armor of Light, co-directed by Kathleen Hughes, premiered at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. The film follows Reverend Rob Schenck, an Evangelical minister, and Lucy McBath, the mother of a teenage shooting victim, who ask, is it possible to be both pro-gun and pro-life? Peace is Loud led the outreach and engagement campaign for The Armor of Light to restore a moral, ethical, and theological framework to the conversation about gun violence in America. The campaign has initiated and supported dialogue with faith leaders and communities around the country, reaching out beyond the documentary film community to target dozens of conservative evangelical influencers.
In 2012, along with Pamela Hogan and Gini Reticker, Abigail created and executive produced the first-of-its-kind series for PBS- Women, War, & Peace. The five-part series looked at women in modern war as active agents for peace and positive change makers in their communities. It garnered the Overseas Press Club's Edward R. Murrow Award, a Gracie Award, and a Television Academy Honor. Season II of the series is currently in production.
Abigail is the recipient of numerous awards including an honor by the International Women's Media Foundation for advancing women's issues and peace initiatives; IDA's Amicus Award, The International Advocate for Peace Award, presented by Cardozo Law School; and the Epic Award presented by The White House Project.
Disney received her Bachelor's degree from Yale University, her Master's degree from Stanford University and her Doctorate from Columbia University. She is a mother of four.
Having grown up in a family of filmmakers, Abigail turned to documentaries when inspired to tell the story of a brave group of women who used nonviolent protests and sex strikes to bring an end to Liberia's long civil war. She and renowned filmmaker Gini Reticker made the widely acclaimed Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which is broadly credited with highlighting the achievements of Leymah Gbowee, who received a Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. Abigail and Gini went on to found Fork Films, which is known for making and funding high profile, critically acclaimed documentaries that are seen on PBS, Netflix, HBO and other major outlets.
In addition to producing original films, Fork Films awards grants to non-fiction films that promote peacebuilding, human rights and social justice with a particular emphasis on projects with women behind or in front of the camera. As of June 2017, Fork Films has awarded over $4 million to 90 documentaries including Cameraperson, Trapped, 1971, The Mask You Live In, Citizen Koch, Hot Girls Wanted, The Invisible War, and Sun Come Up. Fork Films grantees have premiered at top tier film festivals, won major awards and moved the needle on important social issues.
In 2009, Abigail founded Peace is Loud, a nonprofit that inspires action through media and live events that spotlight women leaders on the frontline of peacebuilding worldwide.
Abigail's directorial debut, Emmy-winning The Armor of Light, co-directed by Kathleen Hughes, premiered at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. The film follows Reverend Rob Schenck, an Evangelical minister, and Lucy McBath, the mother of a teenage shooting victim, who ask, is it possible to be both pro-gun and pro-life? Peace is Loud led the outreach and engagement campaign for The Armor of Light to restore a moral, ethical, and theological framework to the conversation about gun violence in America. The campaign has initiated and supported dialogue with faith leaders and communities around the country, reaching out beyond the documentary film community to target dozens of conservative evangelical influencers.
In 2012, along with Pamela Hogan and Gini Reticker, Abigail created and executive produced the first-of-its-kind series for PBS- Women, War, & Peace. The five-part series looked at women in modern war as active agents for peace and positive change makers in their communities. It garnered the Overseas Press Club's Edward R. Murrow Award, a Gracie Award, and a Television Academy Honor. Season II of the series is currently in production.
Abigail is the recipient of numerous awards including an honor by the International Women's Media Foundation for advancing women's issues and peace initiatives; IDA's Amicus Award, The International Advocate for Peace Award, presented by Cardozo Law School; and the Epic Award presented by The White House Project.
Disney received her Bachelor's degree from Yale University, her Master's degree from Stanford University and her Doctorate from Columbia University. She is a mother of four.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Filmography
| 2023 | Good Ol Girl · as Executive Producer |
| 2022 | Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power · as Executive Producer |
| 2022 | |
| 2022 | Body Parts · as Executive Producer |
| 2021 | The First Step · as Executive Producer |
| 2021 | You Resemble Me · as Executive Producer |
| 2021 | Boycott · as Executive Producer |
| 2021 | Rebel Hearts · as Executive Producer |
| 2020 | Missing in Brooks County · as Executive Producer |
| 2020 | Holler · as Executive Producer |
| 2020 | The People vs. Agent Orange · as Executive Producer |
| 2020 | Disclosure · as Executive Producer |
| 2020 | The 8th · as Executive Producer |
| 2020 | For the Love of Rutland · as Executive Producer |
| 2020 | On the Record · as Executive Producer |
| 2020 | Fundamental. Gender Justice. No Exceptions. (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2019 | The Assistant · as Executive Producer |
| 2019 | American Woman · as Executive Producer |
| 2019 | Cooked: Survival by Zip Code · as Executive Producer |
| 2019 | The Investigation: A Search for the Truth in Ten Acts · as Executive Producer |
| 2018 | That Way Madness Lies... · as Executive Producer |
| 2018 | Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché · as Associate Producer |
| 2018 | Afterward · as Executive Producer |
| 2018 | Same God · as Executive Producer |
| 2018 | Call Her Ganda · as Executive Producer |
| 2018 | The Tale · as Executive Producer |
| 2018 | Grit · as Executive Producer |
| 2018 | Roll Red Roll · as Executive Producer |
| 2018 | Netizens · as Executive Producer |
| 2017 | 62 Days · as Executive Producer |
| 2017 | Naila and the Uprising · as Executive Producer |
| 2017 | Wave Goodbye to Dinosaurs · as Executive Producer |
| 2017 | Birds Like Us · as Executive Producer |
| 2017 | When God Sleeps · as Executive Producer |
| 2016 | Shadow World · as Executive Producer |
| 2016 | Girl Unbound: The War to Be Her · as Executive Producer |
| 2016 | Cameraperson · as Executive Producer |
| 2016 | |
| 2015 | The Armor of Light · as Executive Producer |
| 2015 | The Trials of Spring · as Executive Producer |
| 2015 | Drawing the Tiger · as Executive Producer |
| 2015 | Tocando la Luz · as Executive Producer |
| 2015 | From This Day Forward · as Executive Producer |
| 2015 | The Mask You Live In · as Executive Producer |
| 2015 | Buffalo Returns · as Executive Producer |
| 2014 | She's Beautiful When She's Angry · as Co-Producer |
| 2014 | Out in the Night · as Executive Producer |
| 2014 | Food Chains · as Executive Producer |
| 2014 | 1971 · as Executive Producer |
| 2014 | |
| 2013 | Seeds of Time · as Executive Producer |
| 2013 | Hateship Loveship · as Executive Producer |
| 2013 | The Only Real Game · as Executive Producer |
| 2013 | Small Small Thing · as Associate Producer |
| 2012 | Alias Ruby Blade · as Executive Producer |
| 2012 | The Iran Job · as Executive Producer |
| 2012 | |
| 2012 | The Invisible War · as Executive Producer |
| 2011 | Mothers of Bedford · as Executive Producer |
| 2011 | Sun Come Up · as Executive Producer |
| 2011 | Return · as Executive Producer |
| 2010 | Lost Bohemia · as Executive Producer |
| 2010 | Sons of Perdition · as Executive Producer |
| 2010 | Secrets of the Tribe · as Executive Producer |
| 2010 | Family Affair · as Executive Producer |
| 2009 | Sergio · as Executive Producer |
| 2008 | |
| 1999 | Independent Lens (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 1988 | P.O.V. (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 1985 | American Masters (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |