Abigail Disney

Abigail Disney

Birthdate
January 24, 1960 (64 years old)
Place of Birth
Los Angeles, California, USA
Known For
Production

Details

Birthdate
January 24, 1960 (64 years old)
Place of Birth
Los Angeles, California, USA
Known For
Production

Biography

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.

Abigail Disney's LGBTQ+ Titles

Lovesong
Lovesong
Co-Executive Producer
Call Her Ganda
Call Her Ganda
Executive Producer

Acting (2)

2022
The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales as Self
2018
Explained as Self (1 episode)

Directing (3)

2022
The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales • Director
• Director
2015
Would Jesus Wear a Sidearm? • Director
• Director
2015
The Armor of Light • Director
• Director

Production (64)

2024
The Quilters • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2023
The First Step • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2022
You Resemble Me • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2022
Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2022
The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales • Producer
• Producer
2022
The Art of Rebellion • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2022
Birds Like Us • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2022
Body Parts • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2022
My Name Is Andrea • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2021
Boycott • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2021
Missing in Brooks County • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2021
Rebel Hearts • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2021
Holler • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2021
Reality Winner • Co-Executive Producer
• Co-Executive Producer
2021
Women in Blue • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2020
Mayor • Co-Executive Producer
• Co-Executive Producer
2020
Disclosure • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2020
For the Love of Rutland • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2020
The Assistant • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2020
Afterward • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2019
American Woman • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2019
Cooked: Survival by Zip Code • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2019
A High School Rape Goes Viral: Roll Red Roll • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2019
Women, War & Peace II • Executive Producer (4 episodes)
• Executive Producer (4 episodes)
2019
Roll Red Roll • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2018
Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché • Associate Producer
• Associate Producer
2018
Same God • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2018
Netizens • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2018
Call Her Ganda • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2018
The Tale • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2017
Naila and the Uprising • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2017
Liyana • Co-Executive Producer
• Co-Executive Producer
2017
That Way Madness Lies... • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2017
When God Sleeps • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2017
Love the Sinner • Co-Executive Producer
• Co-Executive Producer
2017
Lovesong • Co-Executive Producer
• Co-Executive Producer
2017
Bending the Arc • Co-Executive Producer
• Co-Executive Producer
2016
Shadow World • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2016
Cameraperson • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2015
The Trials of Spring • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2015
Hot Girls Wanted • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2015
The Armor of Light • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2015
From This Day Forward • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2014
She's Beautiful When She's Angry • Co-Producer
• Co-Producer
2014
Land Ho! • Co-Executive Producer
• Co-Executive Producer
2014
Out in the Night • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2014
Food Chains • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2014
Hateship Loveship • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2014
Vessel • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2013
Seeds of Time • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2013
Open Heart • Co-Executive Producer
• Co-Executive Producer
2012
The Iran Job • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2012
The Queen of Versailles • Co-Executive Producer
• Co-Executive Producer
2012
The Invisible War • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2011
Women, War & Peace • Producer (1 episode)
• Producer (1 episode)
2011
Lost Bohemia • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2011
Return • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2010
Children of Invention • Co-Executive Producer
• Co-Executive Producer
2010
Sons of Perdition • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2010
Secrets of the Tribe • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2010
Family Affair • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2009
Playground • Co-Executive Producer
• Co-Executive Producer
2009
Sergio • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2008
Pray the Devil Back to Hell • Producer
• Producer

Creator (1)

2011
Women, War & Peace • Creator
• Creator

Writing (2)

2022
The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales • Story
• Story
2011
Women, War & Peace • Writer (1 episode)
• Writer (1 episode)