For actress, producer, and activist Jennifer Lawrence, when she saw what it was like for women living under Taliban authority, not getting involved wasn’t an option.
Lawrence had watched footage of the Taliban taking Kabul on the news and continued to follow the story as these forces continued to systematically dismantle protections and rights earned by women in Afghanistan over the last 20 years. Parallel to this, Lawrence was also bearing witness to the Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson that took away abortion access for many. Feeling connected to the plight Afghani women were facing, Lawrence and her producing partner Justine Ciarrocchi became involved in “Bread & Roses” through their Excellent Cadaver shingle, seeking out Sahra Mani to direct a documentary on the subject. Speaking in a recent interview with “CBS Mornings,” Lawrence shared that in making this choice, she faced a lot of push back, even from those closest to her.
“My family and friends definitely encouraged me not to because they were concerned,” Lawrence said when asked how they felt about her producing the film. “It’s dangerous of course, but there’s 20 million women whose lives are in danger and you couldn’t ignore that.”
Earlier in the interview, Lawrence acknowledged how, despite the aggression being imposed by the Taliban, she felt an inner calling to fight against it by helping those doing the work on the ground.
“My first reaction when watching that [Taliban takeover] was to do what the Taliban did not want us to do, which was to give access and facilities to the people on the ground to capture what was happening on the ground in real-time,” said Lawrence. “I can’t imagine not being able to take a taxi or not being able to listen to music. I can’t imagine if just the sound of my voice was illegal.”
Lawrence knows not everyone will warm to the idea of her involvement in the project, but said that she is ready for whatever naysayers want to throw her way. Specifically, she referenced a “60 Minutes” interview in which she admits she only has a middle school education and how that’s being used to diminish the project.
“I think a common one especially with this subject is ‘why is someone without an education trying to talk about politics?,’” Lawrence said of how “trolls” have tried to bring her down before. “To that I say it’s not political, it’s people’s lives.”
She continued, “It’s political in the sense that you should push your congresspeople and you should get involved to make our government more accountable. Then the UN can recognize gender apartheid. But I don’t find it political. Also, I am educated in filmmaking. I’m educated in telling stories.”
Watch the full “CBS Mornings” interview below.
“Bread & Roses” is currently available to stream on Apple TV+.
