I'm sending this short note to pretty much all my lists. For those of you getting this, I was able to watch an 18 minute beginning to a film about Grace Paley, to be called: Grace Paley: Collected Shorts.
For those who don't know who Grace Paley was (she died last August), visit your bookstore. Grace's voice was unique - as was her life. Many of us in the peace movement and the women's movement count it as a privilege to say we were arrested with her.
Lilly Rivlin needs to raise more than a half million dollars to get the film finished. I'm sure she will do that - provided she has help. This is not a fund appeal letter - it is an appeal for anyone who knew Grace and her work to think of people who do have funds. People in the literary world, in the world of film, of art. And of course, if you want to help directly with a check you can send it to Lilly Rivlin made out to "Women Make Movies", % Lilly Rivlin, 463 West St., Apt. 510 A, NYC 10014. You can also visit the website: www.LillyRivlin.com.
So put your thinking caps on. The remarkable Grace, who meant so much to so many of us (there must already have been six different memorials). Grace was a whole and complete human being who saw no way to draw a clear line between art and protest. So, if you have any idea on sources that can help with funding, get them to check in with Lilly Rivlin. Meanwhile, judging from the 18 minute segment I saw, all of us will have a great film to look forward to, and a means to introduce a whole new generation to the life and work of one of America's greats.
David McReynolds