- As Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi lead the nation, they travel a path blazed by several women before them, notably Bella Abzug. In 1970, when the United States was ruled by men, Bella challenged the status quo, running a successful campaign from the streets of Manhattan that elevated her all the way to the halls of Congress. With her trademark hat and Bronx swagger, Bella entered Congress swinging, battling for credit cards for women, equality for the LGBTQ community and trailblazing a path for leadership that reflected the broad diversity of the country. But, the most recognizable woman in politics also became the target of a Washington establishment resistant to change. With her eyes set on breaking the boys' club of The US Senate or becoming New York's first female mayor, Bella battled mounting forces from both the right and the left, and the powers of the Nixon Administration, the CIA, FBI, even The New York Times. Using never-before-seen home movies, audio diaries, and a vast trove of newly-discovered news footage, Bella. delves into a colorful and gritty era where one woman sacrificed her own political ambitions for future generations of female leadership.—Re-Emerging Films
- In 1970, when the United States was ruled almost exclusively by men, Bella Abzug challenged the status quo, running a successful campaign that elevated her to one of the highest offices in the country. With a Bronx street swagger and trademark hat, Bella was both loved and feared as she campaigned from the streets of New York to the halls of Congress.
Foe of Nixon, friend to Streisand and a leader in the new wave of Feminism, her years of activism reached new levels as she fearlessly confronted Washington. Penning legislation to champion the rights of women, the LGBT community and the working class, Bella embodied a changing America.
Recounting this trailblazing history, the film features brand new interviews with Bella's family, colleagues, adversaries, and friends including Hillary Clinton, Barbra Streisand, Shirley MacLaine, Lily Tomlin, Maxine Waters, Nancy Pelosi, Phil Donahue, Marlo Thomas, Charles Rangel and Gloria Steinem. Narrated by Bella herself, the film details not just a chapter in history, but lays a blueprint on how to pursue change through higher office.
Today, as America confronts another corrupt White House, and events eerily echo those of the 1970s, much can be learned from Bella's bold statements and courageous bipartisan action during the Nixon era. While for some a forgotten hero, her battle for equality planted seeds of progress that continue to benefit us today. At a time when democracy is under attack, Bella's tenacity is needed now more than ever.
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