About the Film


Sista in the Brotherhood is a 20-minute, narrative, short film about a black tradeswoman who faces discrimination on a new job site and who must choose between making a stand or keeping her job. 

The story follows apprentice carpenter (Sidony O’neal) who struggles to prove herself on her first day at a new job site. An outlier in a white, male-dominated workforce, she’s forced to navigate the crew’s reactions to her. When tensions arise, she receives inspiration from a surprising source to help her decide to either make a stand or risk never being recognized as the skilled worker she has become.

Sista has won multiple awards after screening at over 30 festivals around the country and now is being used as a training tool to help educate about the experience of working class women. In particular, the film addresses the issues of retention, workplace culture, micro aggressions, sexism and racism, but also, much more.

The film was directed by filmmaker Dawn Jones Redstone and produced by Dr. Roberta Hunte. The original script was inspired by Dr. Hunte's doctoral thesis and partially based on Jones Redstone's experience as a union carpenter and longtime trainer at Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. It was written by Dawn Jones Redstone and Kjerstin Johnson. Learn more about our story here. 
​
The film was made with an almost-all female crew, including 50 percent women of color. 

​Learn more about how you can screen here or download our press kit here. 
AWARDS & SELECTIONS
Best Short Film · Portland International Film Festival (2016)
Best Oregon Short Film · Portland International Film Festival (2016)
Best Narrative Short Film · Workers Unite Film Festival (2016)
Best Short Film · Local Sightings Film Festival (2016)
Spirit Award · Reel Sisters Film Festival (2016)
Best Short Film · International Black Film Festival (2016)
Best Actress · International Black Film Festival (2016)
Best Short Film · Winter Film Awards (2017)
Best of Fest · Black Women Film Festival (2017)
Best in Show · Chicago Feminist Film Festival (2017)
​
​Official Selection · St. Louis International Film Festival (2016)
​Official Selection · Bend Film Festival (2016)
​Official Selection · Baltimore Int'l Black Film Festival (2016)
​Official Selection · Sarasota Film Festival (2016)
Official Selection · Savannah Film Festival
Official Selection • Portland Film Festival (2016)
Official Selection · POWFest (2016)
​Official Selection · WAMM Fest (2016)
Official Selection · San Francisco Black Film Festival (2016)
Official Selection · Bluestocking Film Festival (2016)
Official Selection • International Black Film Festival (2016)
Official Selection • BronzeLens Film Festival (2016)
Official Selection • Revolution Me Film Festival (2016)
Official Selection • OPB's Oregon Lens (2016)
Official Selection • Afrikana Independent Film Festival (2016)
​Official Selection · Afr. Am. Women in Cinema Festival (2016)


​More press here.