Courtesy of Hollins University
The independent, feature-length film, Hope of Escape. by director and producer Amy Gerber-Stroh, has been nominated for the 67th Emmy Awards, National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter. The awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Rockville, MD.
Gerber-Stroh, film professor and chair of the Hollins University film department, has produced and directed award-winning independent films for over 25 years. Hope of Escape tells the true story of Diana, an enslaved mother, her daughter, Cornelia, and Cornelia’s sweetheart, Wilby, and their harrowing escape from a plantation in North Carolina to free relatives awaiting them in the North.
“My work focuses on the intersection of memory, culture, and history,” says Gerber-Stroh. “I am especially committed to highlighting the stories of Black women in history that have been overlooked by conventional filmmakers.”
The film’s subject is deeply personal to Gerber-Stroh, a descendant of Diana, Cornelia, and Wilby. “I wanted to tell an alternative perspective to the standard Hollywood ‘slavery film’ genre that typically includes excessive violence and victimization. Hope of Escape features enslaved persons with agency, who use their special talents and literacy to pursue freedom and a better life.”
In addition to her international reputation as an independent filmmaker, Gerber-Stroh has worked as a casting associate on 12 major motion pictures in the 1990s, including Angels In The Outfield, Tank Girl, Goldeneye, and The Mask of Zorro. She received her M.F.A. in film/video from the California Institute of the Arts. In August 2024, The D.C. Office of Cable, Television, Film, Music & Entertainment selected her as Filmmaker of the Month.
Hope of Escape is streaming on Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, and Tubi. Visit hopeofescapemove.com for more information.