Bag Lady (2022) - Narrative Short

Directed by Max McGillivray
Written by Kristin Cairo Curtis and Max McGillivray
Produced by Kinder Labatt

It’s 1868, and new factory gal Margaret E. Knight has moved to Boston to give her love of inventing a real shot. However, her city-job is that of “bag folder,” a tedious factory position reserved for women workers. Determined to prove her abilities to both men and women alike, Margaret sets out to build a bag machine in the dead of night.

This biographical film is a proof of concept for a feature film that will also explore how Margaret’s real blueprints were stolen by a man who filed a patent under his name. Determined not to back down or let him take credit for her work, Margaret makes the bold choice to take him to court for patent interference. Using her smarts, and with the support of her bagger friends, she makes history by winning the case, becoming one of the first women to hold a U.S patent.

This film was made possible due to the generous contributions from Society for Science, and the Ann Johnson Institute for Arts and Science.

Winner of the Indian Paintbrush Production Grant & Topic Studios Award for Excellence in Producing (2022)

Newport Beach Film Festival - Official Selection (2023)
Eastern Oregon Film Festival - Official Selection (2023)
Somerville International Film Festival - Official Selection (2023)
Montreal Independent Film Festival - Official Selection (2022)

Instagram: @baglady.film

Bag Lady is featured as a case study in Producer to Producer: 3rd Edition (2025).