Private Project

The Jessicas Are Turning 30

“The Jessicas are turning 30” weaves together six compelling narratives of people who were born Jessica in 1989. The film captures what it’s like to be 30 in America today. For millennial women, the milestone has become an age heavy with expectation.

  • Maya Sugarman
    Director
  • Amy King
    Director
  • Amy King
    Producer
  • Maya Sugarman
    Producer
  • Neema Roshania Patel
    Producer
  • Maya Sugarman
    Director of Photography
  • Maya Sugarman
    Editor
  • Amy Cavenaile
    Art Director
  • Amy King
    Interviewers
  • Maya Sugarman
    Interviewers
  • Caroline Kitchener
    Interviewers
  • Mahlia Posey
    Assistant Editor
  • James Tensuan
    Second Camera
  • Justin Scuiletti
    Video Technician
  • Jessica Hische
    Title Illustrator
  • Chloe Meister
    Animation
  • Lera Lynn and Todd Lombardo
    Music
  • Raul Zahir De Leon
    Color
  • Ott House Audio
    Sound
  • ABC News
    Licensed Footage
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    22 minutes 9 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 5, 2019
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Bend Film Festival
    Bend, Oregon
    United States
    October 10, 2019
    Official Selection
  • PBS' To The Contrary Women's Film Festival

    December 15, 2019
    Television premiere
    Winner
  • Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival
    Brooklyn, N.Y.
    October 19, 2019
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Maya Sugarman, Amy King

Amy King is editor in chief and creative director of The Lily. Amy proposed and developed the editorial and creative mission of The Lily. She started at The Washington Post in 2013 as an art director for the Arts & Style section and went on to help launch The Post’s national apps and Snapchat Discover channel. She grew up in North Canton, Ohio.

Maya Sugarman is video editor of The Lily, where she has produced and directed the video series “When Used Correctly,” “Unfiltered” and “Nora Knows What to Say.” Before joining The Washington Post, she was a visual journalist at NPR affiliate KPCC in Los Angeles. Maya graduated from UCLA with a degree in art. She grew up in Oakland, Calif.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The Lily is made up of a team of eight millennials . As we each approach this milestone age, we find ourselves discussing what it means to us. This film was born from these explorations as part of an often discussed and diverse generation.

“The Jessicas are turning 30” is produced, directed, edited and scored by women. This is the first film produced by The Lily.

“The Jessicas are turning 30” is a film from The Lily and The Washington Post. The Lily is a publication of The Washington Post that elevates stories critical to women’s lives. We are named after the first U.S. newspaper started by women in 1849. Our mission is two-fold: Empower with news and information and promote inclusivity by exposing diverse voices. The Lily reaches half a million people each month. The Washington Post reaches over 90 million people each month.