Reactions

Nancy Schwartzman has created a rare film that allows the viewer to explore their beliefs and biases as well as their own victimization — and potential offending — through her experience with sexual assault. We hosted a screening of The Line where Nancy introduced the film and facilitated a provocative and important conversation about sexual assault and consent.  I strongly recommend it to any community or organization seeking to raise awareness of this issue.
Jennifer Long, Director, AEquitas, the Prosecutors Resource

Nancy Schwartzman has made a brave, honest and gripping film. A must see for boys and men, empowering for girls and women — this film will make a huge impact on the lives of many. “The Line” is a critically important visual essay.
Byron Hurt, Filmmaker, Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes

“The Line” is one of the best films I have ever seen on the topic of sexual violence and sexual assault. This film is a MUST HAVE for the advocate’s toolbox!
P. Kenna Grant, Director of Health Education and The Women & Gender Resource Center, The University of Hartford

Often conversations about sexual consent – crossing the line – are abstract and bloodless – and therefore, often dishonest. By fearlessly examining her own experience, Nancy Schwartzman opens the door to a far more honest conversation.  This is one brave film!
Dr. Michael Kimmel, Author of Guyland

I wish I’d had “The Line” when I was doing prevention education with students at Montana State University. It really gets to the heart of what we need to talk about with college students. It’s what I was always looking for to be able to start honest, relevant discussions about what consent really is and what sexual assault looks like in real situations. It is an amazing tool for all of us trying to raise awareness, effectively educate, and finally end sexual violence.
Erin Jemison, MPA Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault

“The Line” raises crucial questions about sexual safety and pleasure as we navigate our hook-ups, fuck buddy choices, and longer-term relationships. Filmmaker Nancy Schwartzman blazes a brave trail, encouraging us to talk more openly and to think more clearly about how, where, and why we draw our personal lines of sexual consent.
Dr. Shira Tarrant, Editor, Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex and Power

I’ve always been as respectful to women as I can, but the film actually made me think about where the line really is.
Male Student, Rutgers University

“The Line” explores sexual violence from a human-rights based framework, and is told with sensitivity and honesty that we don’t often see. It is that rare personal film that truly becomes universal… I don’t think anyone can see this film and not ask themselves: have I ever crossed the line? Or let someone cross it?
Andrea Holley, Deputy Director, Human Rights Watch International Film Festival

“The Line” provokes critical debate about what constitutes consent. The film moves us away from outdated notions of rape as simply an assertion of power so that we can have a more nuanced discussion about sexual assault as a consequence of masculine entitlement. I plan to show “The Line” in my own classes.
Nicholas L. Syrett, Assistant Professor of History, University of Northern Colorado, and author of The Company He Keeps: A History of White College Fraternities

“The Line” has this amazing ability to impact audience members, and motivates a phenomenal discussion around our current sexual culture. We need to and can change how we approach the issue of sexual consent, and Nancy’s project is an important part of this process.
Ben Privot, founder of Privot Group “Enjoying the Liberty of Consent” workshops

Nancy, when you came to our program you were inspirational and touched us. We enjoyed “The Line” because it was real, it made sense, and nothing was sugar coated. It was courageous.
Relationship Abuse Prevention Program Teen Peer Leaders, Harlem

“The Line” is a smart, poignant documentary, it successfully blends and presents complex layers of sexual violence. It provides the viewer with a personal connection to surviving rape and a lens to critically think about our beliefs about gender and sexual violence. As an educator on sexual violence prevention, it would be an honor to show Nancy’s work and her story to our campus.
Jill Lipski Cain, The Aurora Center for Advocacy and Education, Minneapolis, MN