If you’re heading into the new year searching for a film that feels honest, timely, and deeply human, Not Every Woman deserves a spot on your watch list. Written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Dara Frazier, the independent feature is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV, and is generating strong media buzz for its grounded storytelling and emotional resonance. With humor, vulnerability, and intention, Not Every Woman follows four Black women from different backgrounds as they navigate careers, relationships, and the unspoken expectations that often shape their lives.
Rather than relying on spectacle, the film leans into conversation. The kind that happens between friends over wine or quiet moments of self-reflection. The result is a story that feels lived-in and familiar, even as it explores personal themes of identity and emotional labor.
Photo Courtesy: Dara Frazier
For Frazier, Not Every Woman emerged during a period of reflection following the 2024 election, when exhaustion and uncertainty weighed heavily across communities. What began as a response to that moment evolved into a narrative about everyday survival, about how Black women show up for themselves and for one another, even when life feels overwhelming. The film stars an ensemble cast including Omar Gooding, Lodric D. Collins, Erika Degraff, Georgina Elizabeth Okon, Shannon Echols, and Jean Cecile Nadine, each bringing nuance and authenticity to characters who feel strikingly real. Together, they form a cinematic sister circle that invites viewers to see themselves somewhere on screen. Frazier’s directing style centers on trust. She gives her actors room to explore, allowing scripted scenes to breathe and spontaneous moments to surface naturally.
While Not Every Woman was created with Black women at its core, its reach has extended far beyond that audience. Viewers from different backgrounds have connected with the film’s handling of workplace dynamics, relationships, and quiet acts of care. One audience member pointed to how the character Naomi confronts microaggressions at work with clarity and strength. Others have related to Darryl, a husband doing his best to support his family while carrying his own unspoken stress. More than one viewer has compared the film’s ensemble energy to a modern-day Waiting to Exhale, noting that audiences tend to leave knowing exactly which character they identify with most.
Photo Courtesy: Dara Frazier / 1642 Productions
Frazier describes collaboration as central to her work, both on set and behind the scenes. “If I cast you, then I trust you,” she says, a philosophy that shapes the environment she creates for her cast and crew. Rather than over-directing, she encourages actors to bring their full selves into the process. Like many independent filmmakers, Frazier understands the challenges of distribution in an industry that often prioritizes scale over substance. She considers finishing a film and finding ethical distribution among the hardest hurdles. For Not Every Woman, she partnered with Filmhub, a distributor she credits for transparency and accessibility. Her advice to fellow filmmakers is clear: a bad deal can be worse than no deal. Planning, patience, and creative ownership remain essential.
Not Every Woman is produced under 1642 Productions LLC, the Los Angeles-based studio founded by Frazier. The company operates as a story-first creative space, producing films, animation, and narrative projects that center on emotional truth and originality.
Frazier’s career spans theater, animation, and film. A former member of the historic Harlem Writers Guild, she joins a lineage that includes Maya Angelou and Terry McMillan. Her animated short la Révolution earned her Best African American Filmmaker honors at the Brooklyn Film Festival, and her professional work includes collaborations with MTV, Nickelodeon, Disney, Max, Netflix, and PBS.
Since relocating to Los Angeles, Frazier has expanded 1642 Productions into a full-service studio producing projects across California, Michigan, and Georgia, while also offering post-production and early development support to other creators. From budget creation to pitch decks and casting, the company emphasizes preparation in an increasingly competitive independent landscape.
As the new year unfolds, Not Every Woman offers something rare: a film that feels both intimate and expansive, grounded in specificity yet universally relatable. Stream Not Every Woman now on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, or YouTube.
Learn more about Dara Frazier and 1642 Productions at darawrites.com and 1642studios.com.
