OUTCRY: ALCHEMISTS OF RAGE follows artist and activist Whitney Bradshaw as she photographs women mid-scream during “scream sessions,” transformational gatherings where participants reclaim the revolutionary power of their voices.
Whitney launched OUTCRY as an artistic and social practice project on the night of the Women’s March in 2018. Drawing from her background in social work, the Chicago-based artist brings together groups of women for “scream sessions” where they can express emotions ranging from rage to sorrow to joy. Participants share personal stories in a brave and supportive environment designed to cultivate a spirit of feminist solidarity and foster healing through community building and social action. The resulting photographic portraits challenge expectations around how women—and women’s anger—are portrayed in mainstream culture.
Our film explores how Whitney has shaped OUTCRY through her complex and deeply personal motivations as an artist, activist, educator, survivor of sexual violence, queer woman, and mother of a biracial daughter. As the 2024 election approaches, Whitney works to spread OUTCRY and its message of healing, transformation, and radical empowerment throughout the country. By holding scream sessions and exhibiting OUTCRY in conservative strongholds, she hopes to create space for protest and inspire political action.
Through intimate access, evocative imagery, and raw, honest interviews with Whitney and OUTCRY participants, we witness the cathartic power of women making a very loud noise in a world that pressures us to be silent.
