OUTCRY: Alchemists of Rage follows Whitney Bradshaw as she photographs women mid-scream in cathartic group sessions where long-silenced stories conjure rage, sorrow, and joy. An activist and sexual abuse survivor, Whitney uses art to fuel action for women’s rights, culminating in a grassroots fight for abortion access in Ohio.
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 2023 elections approach, Whitney works to spread OUTCRY and its message of healing, transformation, and radical empowerment throughout the country. She joins activists in Dayton, Ohio, who are in the last few days of an exhausting campaign to enshrine reproductive rights in their state constitution.
Through intimate access, evocative imagery, and raw, honest moments 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.
