Tough Old Broads

Tough Old Broads presents Kathrine Switzer, Siila Watt-Cloutier, and Sharon Farmer — the first woman to run the Boston Marathon officially, the first woman to connect climate change to human rights, and the first woman to serve as Chief White House Photographer. These trailblazing women broke barriers in their time and continue to pursue their passions to this day.

In addition to introducing viewers to these inspirational role models, Tough Old Broads presents a great springboard for conversations about ageism and age discrimination, character development and leadership, gender equity and reducing inequalities, women’s history, Black History, women in sports and sports equity, gender-based health disparities, Indigenous People, income inequality, intersectionality and Workplace gender equity, civic participation, environmental issues and environmental activism, human rights, journalism careers, the US Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) Movement (US History), and social-emotional learning (SEL) about following your dreams.

More About The Film

I see this film as an opportunity to pass the torch from one generation of activists and change-makers to the next, since systemic, historic issues are rarely fixed in just one generation. I hope the documentary will inspire young and old to pursue their passions and to fight for a better tomorrow.

Stacey Tenenbaum
director, writer, producer

When Kathrine Switzer became the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon in 1967, it sparked a lifelong quest to promote women’s running that culminated in her getting women’s marathon accepted as an event in the 1984 Olympics.. Now 79, Kathrine is the Co-Founder and Chair of 261 Fearless, a global not-for-profit to empower women through running internationally.

Inuit leader Siila Watt-Cloutier dedicated her life to fighting climate change. Her work at the U.N. resulted in the banning of toxic chemicals internationally through the Stockholm Convention. In 2005, she was the first person to Launch an international legal action against the U.S. for its contribution to global warming, arguing that it violated the human rights of the Inuit. She was nominated for a Nobel Prize in 2007 for her work framing climate change as a human rights issue. Now 72, Siila continues speaking out to save her people and the planet.

Sharon Farmer started taking photos in the early 70s during the campus riots and civil rights protests at Ohio State University. She ended up as the first woman and first person of color to serve as the Chief Official White House Photographer for Bill Clinton. Sharon continues to fight for social justice — photographing the realities she encounters as a Black woman in America.

🍁 Tough Old Broads was written, directed and produced by Canadian filmmaker Stacey Tenenbaum, from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.