a new media platform and movement reframing the
narrative around women and aging through storytelling and community
At a time when society renders midlife women invisible, we believe they possess a wealth of wisdom, complexity, and untold stories that deserve center stage.
The Midlife Collective exists to celebrate, amplify, and center the authentic voices and experiences of women in midlife through storytelling and community-building. This isn’t about a single project—it’s about building an entire ecosystem for midlife voices.
Current projects we’re proudly supporting:
- Her Second Act
- The Midlife Truth Project
- The Business of Midlife
- The Midlife Monologues
- Dressing Room Confessions
We’re building something extraordinary. Full website coming soon.
In Development
Her Second Act
a groundbreaking feature documentary that shatters the silence around the most explosive, yet misunderstood turning point for women: MIDLIFE
featured talent so far includes Laura Benanti, Margaret Cho, Carla Hall, Ricki Lake, Padma Lakshmi, Stacy London, Paulina Porizkova, and Amy Schumer — with co-directors Abby Epstein and Constance Zimmer
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for women everywhere.
The Team
Abby Epstein
Emmy and Gracie Allen Award-winning director Abby Epstein revolutionized American childbirth conversation with her landmark documentary, “The Business of Being Born,” co-produced with Ricki Lake. Her follow-up film, “The Business of Birth Control,” explores hormonal contraception. As Resident Director of “RENT” on Broadway and “The Vagina Monologues” Off-Broadway, she staged national and international tours in Canada, Mexico and Europe. Directing over 200 actresses across multiple productions lead to her Sundance documentary Until the Violence Stops, chronicling V-Day’s global impact. Her Netflix documentary Weed the People raised awareness about medicinal cannabis benefits. Abby is currently collaborating with actress Constance Zimmer on “The Midlife Monologues,” aiming to shatter the silence surrounding midlife through theatrical storytelling.
Julie Flakstad
Julie Flakstad is the award-winning host and producer of The Midlife Truth Project, a research-based initiative, turned podcast aimed at amplifying the explosive shifts that women experience as they approach and settle into their 40s + 50s. Through her platform, Julie has interviewed hundreds of women about their midlife expereinces and as a pro-age advocate, her work creates space for women to come together around complex and vulnerable topics. Julie is a regularly featured at conferences and events, on podcasts, in various publications including Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper, Forbes, and Katie Couric Media. Her latest essay will be featured in the highly anticipated anthology Midlife Private Parts, released June ‘26.
Constance Zimmer
Emmy nominated actress and director Constance Zimmer has had great versatility throughout her career, and is continuing that off screen, using her platform to be a Midlife advocate. Constance garnered a Primetime Emmy® nomination, won the Critics’ Choice Award and received a nomination for season two as well, starring as Quinn King in “UnREAL.” That is where she made her directorial debut, continuing to direct other episodic shows and went on to direct her first feature film in January 2023. In October 2024, Variety announced Constance and Abby Epstein’s collaboration on “The Midlife Monologues,” a new docu-theater production in development. Inspired by ”The Vagina Monologues,” they aim to shatter the silence surrounding midlife through theatrical storytelling about this momentous phase in every woman’s life. She is the co-host of a new podcast “Talk Fifty To Me” with social media pro-aging advocate Heidi Clements, that launches on October 28th with the fwd.network, an all female podcast platform.